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Manatees (/ ˈ m æ n ə t iː z /, family Trichechidae, genus Trichechus) are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows.There are three accepted living species of Trichechidae, representing three of the four living species in the order Sirenia: the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis), the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), and the West ...
Steller's sea cow was the largest known sirenian to have lived, and could reach lengths of 9 metres (30 ft) [41] and weight of 8 to 10 tonnes (8.8 to 11.0 short tons). [44] A dugong's brain weighs a maximum of 300 grams (11 ounces), about 0.1% of the animal's body weight. [ 33 ]
Today, the consumption of marine mammals is much reduced. However, a 2011 study found that the number of humans eating them, from a surprisingly wide variety of species, is increasing. [1] According to the study's lead author, Martin Robards, "Some of the most commonly eaten animals are small cetaceans like the lesser dolphins...
The earliest known sea cows, of the families †Prorastomidae and †Protosirenidae, were both confined to the Eocene, and were pig-sized, four-legged, amphibious creatures. [19] The first members of Dugongidae appeared by the middle Eocene. [20] At this point, sea cows were fully aquatic. [19] Pinnipeds split from other caniforms 50 mya during ...
Sea cows at that point in time could be as large as 5 meters (about 16 feet) long, Benites-Palomino said, and their fatty tissue would have been a good food source.
Commercial hunting lead to the extinction of Steller's sea cow and the Caribbean monk seal. [ 36 ] [ 37 ] After commercial hunting ended, some species, such as the gray whale and northern elephant seal, [ 38 ] [ 39 ] have rebounded in numbers, however the northern elephant seal has a genetic bottleneck ; [ 39 ] conversely, other species, such ...
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The West Indian manatee is the largest living member of the sirenians (order Sirenia), a group of large aquatic mammals that includes the dugong, other manatees, and the extinct Steller's sea cow. Manatees are herbivores , have developed vocal communication abilities, and are covered in highly sensitive whiskers (called vibrissae ) that are ...