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The dugong (/ ˈ d (j) uː ɡ ɒ ŋ /; Dugong dugon) is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees.
May 27, 2024 · Both manatees and dugongs are part of the same order of Sirenia, but they occupy different families. Manatees are part of the Trichechidae family, while dugongs are part of the Dugongidae family. In more informal terms, this makes them kind of like evolutionary “cousins.”
- Female
- April 22, 1960
The dugong is a herbivorous marine mammal sometimes referred to as a ‘sea cow’, and one of four living species that belongs to the order Sirenia. They graze on underwater grasses and have an adorable, plump appearance, with a dolphin tail, round head and downward snout.
- Shallow warm coastal waters
- Mainly in Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean
- Up to 70 years
- 8 to 10 feet
6 days ago · dugong, (Dugong dugon), marine mammal that inhabits the warm coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, feeds on seagrasses, and is similar to the manatee.
The dugong is only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), was hunted to extinction in the eighteenth century. The dugong is found in Indo-Pacific waters from eastern Africa to southeast Asia.
- Mammalia
- Sirenia
- Animalia
- Chordata
Dugongs belong to the order Sirenia, so named for the mammary glands akin to human breasts and their nursing behavior. Because of this, some sailors call dugongs mermaids or sirens, from which the name was created.
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The dugong (Dugong dugon) 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 ( Hydrodamalis gigas ), was hunted to extinction in the 18th century.
