An aquatic mammal with a rounded tail flipper, living in shallow coastal waters/adjacent of the tropical Atlantic
Dugongs
Looks like a manatee, but isn't one
Aquatic mammal found on the coasts of the Indian Ocean from eastern Africa to northern Australia
Distinguished from manatees by its forked tail
Key Orders of Manatees/Dugongs
Important role in the marine ecosystem
Maintains healthy ecosystem
Keystone species because they maintain the health of shallow coastal waters
Manatees and Dugongs eat a lot of seagrass, keeps them short so it maintains their health
Key Adaptations of Manatees/Dugongs
Manatees known as "sea cows"
All manatees and dugongs have adapted breathing mannerisms
Exceptional hearing to help them avoid predators
Specific feeding behavior; "Hind-Gut" fermentation allows them to efficiently gain cellulose from plants
When vegetation is sparse, manatees can adjust/feed on invertebrates and fish
They are endothermic, warm blooded
Key Locations of Manatees/Dugongs
Both accustomed to living in shallow coastal environments
Can be found in Florida during the winter, Texas/Massachusetts in the summer
Other places such as Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina are common sightings for manatees
Dugongs can also live in shallow waters
Dugongs live in the Pacific/Indian Oceans
Dugongs also inhabit and are from east African and Australia
Body Systems of Manatees/Dugongs (Digestive)
Digestive system similar to a horse as they are hindgut digesters
Hindgut Fermentation: Digestive process seen in monogastric herbivores/animals with a single-chambered stomach
Monogastric: Having a stomach with only a single compartment
Allows for cellulose to be digested with the aid of symbiotic bacteria
Body Systems of Manatees/Dugongs (Circulatory)
Manatees/dugongs have closed circulatory system (they can't go long without oxygen from the surface)
Lungs of manatees/dugongs are flattened, elongated, and extended horizontally along the back almost to the anus
Circulatory system transports heat/regulates body temperature
Body Systems of Manatees/Dugongs (Integumentary)
Skin of a manatee/dugong very similar to an elephant, thick and wrinkled
Manatee/Dugong hair known as "tactile hairs", the tiny hairs are distributed sparsely all over their body
Gives them their sixth sense/allows them to move around in dimly lit environments
Manatees/Dugongs and Tetrapods
Considered tetrapods since they evolved from land mammals
Tetrapods are mammals with four limbs
Considered to be tetrapods even though they lack limbs because they descended from a tetrapod common ancestor
Manatees/Dugong - Phylum
Both of them are in Phylum Chordata
Chordates: Animals that have at least some stage development, dorsally situated central nervous system and gill slits that include vertebrates, lancelets, and tunicates
Special/Unique Traits of Manatees/Dugongs
Very similar to one another, the only main difference between them is that Dugongs have a fluked, dolphin-like tail