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Size: Dugongs are much smaller, growing to 9 feet long and up to one metric ton, whilst manatees grow up to 13 feet long and up to 500kg. Habitat: Dugongs are found in the Indian Ocean and the West Pacific Ocean, as well as Australian waters and mangroves.
- They aren’t in the same family. Manatees and dugongs may be of the same order, but they are not of the same family classification. Manatees are members of the Trichechide family, and dugongs are members of the Dugongidae family.
- Manatees are larger. Dugongs and manatees are similar in size, but the fact of the matter is that manatees can grow to be much larger than dugongs. Dugongs grow up to nine feet in length, while manatees can grow up to thirteen feet in length.
- They live in different parts of the world. These two animals are found in different regions of the world. Dugongs are found throughout the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and the western Pacific Ocean.
- Different snouts. One of the most significant differences between the dugong and the manatee is their snouts. Dugongs have long, narrow snouts with thick vibrissae, or mustaches, that grow on their upper lips and chins.
- Dugongs and Manatees: Size. One of the most noticeable differences between a dugong vs manatee is their respective size. On average, manatees grow longer and heavier than dugongs, although individual dugongs can grow bigger than most manatees.
- Dugongs and Manatees: Habitat. Dugongs and manatees may both belong to the order Sirenia, but they live on opposite ends of the planet. Dugongs are the only remaining representatives of the Dugongidae family, and their current range is much more limited than in the past.
- Dugongs and Manatees: Snout. The shape and size of the snout also rank among the most noticeable differences between a dugong vs manatee. Dugongs sport a wide, trunk-like snout similar to an elephant’s.
- Dugongs and Manatees: Teeth. Although dugongs and manatees are both herbivores, they evolved very different sets of teeth. Dugongs grow two incisors, or tusks, which emerge when males hit puberty.
Manatees and dugongs live in different places. Manatees can be found all over the world’s coastlines and even in rivers and estuaries. Dugongs, on the other hand, stick to warm coastal areas like the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean near Australia.
Dugongs are smaller and even slimmer than manatees, while manatees tend to have a rounder, chunkier appearance. Dugongs have a downturned, longer snout than manatees have, while manatees have no incisors or molars and instead simply have cheek teeth. Another obvious difference is the tail shape.
Mar 13, 2024 · Dugongs possess fluked, dolphin-like tails, which differentiate them from manatees with paddle-shaped, beaver-like tails. Furthermore, dugongs have smooth skin, while manatees are rough in texture. West Indian and African manatees have fingernails while dugongs don’t.
May 23, 2018 · Dugongs (Dugong dugong) are closely related to manatees and are the fourth species under the order sirenia. Unlike manatees, dugongs have a fluked tail, similar to a whale’s, and a large snout with an upper lip that protrudes over their mouth and bristles instead of whiskers.
