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Dugong images (Dugong dugon) - stock photos, illustrations & facts of the only surviving herbivorous marine mammal family of Dugongidae Conservation status | Vulnerable Scientific classification | Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Mammalia > Order: Sirenia > Family: Dugongidae > Subfamily: Dugonginae > Genus: Dugong > Species: D. dug...
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.
- Dugong Profile
- Interesting Dugong Facts
- Dugong Fact-File Summary
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.
1. They once swam through Egypt
According to recent findings, dugongs inhabited waters that flowed over present-day Egypt approximately 40 million years ago. Their ancestors were likely semi-aquatic. 1
2. They belong to the same order as manatees
Unlike the manatee, dugongs live exclusively in marine habits. One can quickly distinguish the two based on their tails—manatees possess paddle-shaped tails while the dugong’s is dolphin-like (fluked).
3. Dugongs have been nicknamed “sea cows”
Known to graze on sparse seagrass patches, dugongs are often called “sea cows”. They prefer grass that is high in nitrogen content and low in fiber, making it easier to break down. Most graze all day. They are also sometimes called ‘sea pigs’ and ‘sea camels’.
Scientific Classification
1. Geggel, Laura. “Adorable ancient sea cows once swam through now bone-dry Egyptian desert”. Live Science. 2020. 2. Leela Rajamani, Annabel S. Cabanban, and Ridzwan Abdul Rahman “Indigenous Use and Trade of Dugong (Dugong dugon) in Sabah, Malaysia,” AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment 35(5), 266-268, (1 August 2006). 3. Marsh, Helene. “Chapter 57: Dugongidae”. Fauna of Australia: Vol. 1B Mammalia. CSIRO. ISBN 978-0-644-06056-1. 4. “Dugong”. National Geographic.
- Shallow warm coastal waters
- Mainly in Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean
- Up to 70 years
- 8 to 10 feet
The dugong is an aquatic mammal with thick, tough, and smooth skin. The skin color of newborn dugongs is pale cream, darkening as they age, becoming deep slate gray on the sides and dorsum. The body of the dugong is sparsely covered with hair, and the muzzle exhibits bristles.
- Dugongs Are Also Called Sea Cows. Dugongs have very muscular cleft upper lips that stick out over their mouths. These bristled and ultra-sensitive snouts are very strong and allow dugongs to root around the ocean floor and grab seagrass.
- They are Closely Related to Elephants. There were once other Dugongidae species like dugongs in the oceans, like the Steller’s sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas).
- You Can Guess a Dugong’s Age by Looking at the Rings on Its Tusks. The tusks of a dugong are actually just two elongated front teeth. These stick out from their mouths and have sharp, angled edges.
- Dugongs Can Live for a Very Long Time. When dugong babies are born, they are only around 3 or 4 feet long and weigh 44 to 77 pounds. That may not seem all that small, but a fully grown dugong can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh over 1,000 pounds!
Apr 5, 2024 · The dugong is the only exclusively marine mammal that is herbivorous. It grazes on sea grasses day and night, spending most of its life in sea beds. The dugong’s brain is very small compared to its body size, weighing a maximum of about 11 oz, about 0.1% of the animal's body weight.
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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.
