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May 27, 2024 · The dugong is one of four living members of the order Sirenia — the others being three species of manatees — and the only living member of the family Dugongidae. A second member of the family, Steller’s sea cow, was driven to extinction in the 18th century due to overhunting. Nineteen total genera from the family are known from the fossil ...
- 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.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.
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. The upper lip is cleft and muscular, hanging over the mouth, which ...
- 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!
Aug 21, 2020 · The dugong is a marine mammal that spends its time grazing on seagrass in shallow coastal waters. A close relative of manatees, it is the only remaining member of the Dugongidae family. Often dubbed ‘sea cows’, dugongs are the only marine mammal that eats virtually only plants. Dugongs have a long, cylindrical body and no dorsal fins.
- Shawn Laidlaw
- Sirenia
- Mammalia
- Chordata
Dugong is the common name for a large, herbivorous, fully aquatic marine mammal, Dugong dugon, characterized by gray-colored, nearly hairless skin, paddle-like forelimbs, no hind limbs, a fluke-like (forked) tail, a sharply downturned snout, and tusks. The dugong is only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest ...
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6 days ago · 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 ...
