This order contains one family, Manidae, with the single Recent genus Manis, distributed in both Asia and Africa. At one time pangolins were included with anteaters, sloths, and armadillos, together with the African aardvark, in the order Edentata, so named because of the lack of some or all of the teeth. It is now thought, however, that any similarities between the pangolins and other anteating mammals are the result of similar adaptations to a common way of life and are not indicative of actual relationships.
Pangolins have an elongate and tapering body covered above with overlapping scales.
Scales are lacking on the snout, chin, sides of the face, throat, belly, inner surfaces of the limbs, and, in some species, outer surfaces of the forelegs. The scales are attached at the base to the thick skin from which they grow. Some scales are finely striated at the base or have strong keels. They are movable, and the posterior edges are sharp. Small accessory scales are sometimes present, usually concealed beneath the larger scales.