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May 27, 2024 · Scientific Name. The scientific name of the dugong is simply Dugong dugon. This name probably comes from the local Visayan word for the species, which was later picked up by Europeans. Visayan is spoken in what is now the modern-day Philippines.
- Female
- April 22, 1960
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.
- 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!
In dugong: Conservation status …living members of the family Dugongidae. Dugongidae and the family Trichechidae (manatees) constitute the mammalian order Sirenia.
ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts.
Nov 10, 2009 · Kingdom: Animalia. Phylum: Chordata. Class: Mammalia. Order: Sirenia. Family: Dugongidae. Genus: Dugong. Species: dugon. Habitat and Distribution. Dugongs live in warm, coastal waters from East Africa to Australia. Feeding. Dugongs are primarily herbivores, eating seagrasses and algae. Crabs have also been found in the stomachs of some dugongs.
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The dugong is one of the ocean’s most interesting inhabitants. More closely related to the elephant than the dolphin or whale, this gentle seagrass-munching mammal is often given the name ‘sea cow’ and rightly so.
