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Dugong dugon. (Müller, 1776) Dugong range. The dugong (/ ˈd (j) uːɡɒŋ /; Dugong dugon) is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow ...
Dugongs are large mammals, weighing up to around 400 kg and measuring up to 3.5 m in length. Sea cows were immense, reaching almost 8 m in length and weighing around 5000 kg. Dugongids lack the vestigial nails on their flippers that are possessed by manatees. Also unlike manatees, their tail flukes are deeply ...
Nov 15, 2024 · dugong (Dugong dugon) Dugongs (Dugong dugon) range in length from about 2.2 to 3.4 metres (7 to 11 feet) and weigh 230 to 420 kg (500 to 925 pounds). (more) Dugongs range in length from about 2.2 to 3.4 metres (7 to 11 feet) and weigh 230 to 420 kg (500 to 925 pounds). As with whales and dolphins, the dugong has a tapered body that ends in a ...
- Dugong vs. Manatee
- Slow-Moving and Slow-Growing
- Using Hair to See
- Big Boned
- Silent Predators
Dugongs are easily distinguished from manatee species by their dolphin-like tail, whereas manatees have hind fins more similar to a seal or walrus. They also have other specific adaptations such as a down-turned snout that allow it to feed specifically on seagrass with its unique, peg-like molar teeth.
Much like they move, dugongs also grow slowly. Females give birth to just one calf after a year-long pregnancy. Her young will remain close to her for up to 18 months. Because of their long life span (70 years) and slow reproduction rates, dugong populations are vulnerable despite legal protection. Humans have hunted dugongs for thousands of years,...
Dugongs have poor eyesight but good hearing. They are also covered head to tail with short hairs. These hairs are most concentrated around the mouth and are thought to help them navigate the seagrass beds, much like dogs and cats use their whiskers as a navigational aid.
Dugong bones have almost no bone marrow inside and are very solid. In fact, dugong bones are among the densest in the entire animal kingdom. These may act as a type of ballast, allowing the animal to remain effortlessly suspended just below the surface of the water when resting. Sometimes, they will rest their tail on the bottom to anchor themselve...
Although adult dugongs have few predators due to their size, they are quite susceptible to pathogens including helminths, cryptosporidium, and other bacterial and parasitic infections. In fact, in Queensland, Australia, up to 30% of dugong deaths are due to disease. Even still, the biggest threat to dugongs is habitat loss and death at the hands of...
- Shawn Laidlaw
- Sirenia
- Mammalia
- Chordata
The living dugong, Dugong dugon (Figure 5.9), is distinguished by the following derived characters (Domning, 1994): nasals absent, consistent presence in juveniles of a deciduous first incisor, frequent presence in adults of vestigial lower incisors, sexual dimorphism in size, eruption of permanent tusks (first incisor), functional loss of enamel crowns on cheek teeth, and persistently open ...
The dugong is referred to in the Bible by the phrase "sea cow" in several places in Exodus (for example, 25:5 and 26:14) and in Numbers. Dugong hides may have been used in the construction of the Tabernacle, if dugong is an accurate translation of the biblical animal tachash.
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The living dugong, Dugong dugon (Figure 5.9), is distinguished by the following derived characters (Domning, 1994): nasals absent, consistent presence in juveniles of a deciduous first incisor, frequent presence in adults of vestigial lower incisors, sexual dimorphism in size, eruption of permanent tusks (first incisor), functional loss of enamel crowns on cheek teeth, and persistently open ...
