Difference Between Dugongs and Manatees

Table of Contents

Main Difference

The principal between these two sea mammals’ traits is that dugongs and manatees are that dugongs have tail flukes with pointed projections that could be current in whale whereas manatees have a giant, paddle-shaped horizontal tail that has only one lube transferring up and down when the animal swims.

Comparison Chart

Dugongs	Manatees
The dugong is the smallest specific individual from the order of the Sirenia. It tail flukes with pointed projections.	Manatees are huge, solely oceanic, usually herbivorous marine vertebrates in some cases commonly known as ocean bovines. Manatees have a giant, paddle-shaped horizontal tail
Habitat
Marsa Alam in Egypt, Bazaruto, Vilanculos in Mozambique, Northern Australia	The Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Amazon Basin, West Africa
Tail Size
Flukes with pointed projections like in whale	Large, horizontal, paddle-shaped
Nails
Don’t have any nails	Essential nails on forelimbs of West African and West Indian manatees solely
Nostrils
Nostrils of dugongs are positioned further once more on its head	Nostrils of manatees are positioned near the top
Mouths
More pronounced mouth	Less pronounced mouth
Teeth
Pair if tusk-like incisors	Don’t have incisors. Only confirm enamel
Social Circle
Like to remain solitary or in a single pair solely	Social creature. Can have quite a lot of companions
Fertility Rate
Ten years	Three years
Vulnerable
Yes	No
Scientific Name
Dugong dugon	Genus Trichechus

What is Dugongs?

The dugong is the smallest species from the order of the Sirenia. The establish “Dugong” originates from the Malay phrase ‘duyong,’ which signifies “lady of the sea” or “mermaid.” The most evident place to sea the dugongs is in northern Australian waters, the place the upper part of their populace lives. Dugongs don’t see that correctly; moderately they benefit from their intense listening to. They encourage throughout the shallow waters on seagrass with the data of coarse, delicate abounds, which cowl the upper lip of their expansive and meaty nostril. Recall that they are firmly acknowledged with elephants? Dugong males have little tusks, which they use amid the mating season to downside fully completely different dugongs. Dugongs are current in Pacific waters and off the shoreline of Africa. These tranquil herbivores are the primary individuals from Sirenia that keep solely in salt water residing areas. Their consuming routine is genuinely constrained, comprising altogether of seagrass. Physically, dugongs can develop as a lot as three meters prolonged; have fluke-like tails like dolphins, and tusk-like incisors.

What is Manatees?

Manatees are huge, completely oceanic, usually herbivorous marine vertebrates in some cases commonly known as ocean bovines. There are three principal residing types of Trichechidae, speaking to three of the four residing species is Sirenia: the Amazonian manatee, the West Indian manatee, and the West African manatee. They measure as a lot as 4.zero meters in dimension, weigh as lots as 590 kilograms, and have paddle-like flippers. The establish manatí originates from the Spanish “manatí,” obtained from the Caribbean phrase sometimes often called “manattouï.” The historic background is questionable, with associations having been made to Latin “manus,” and to a phrase utilized by the Taíno, pre-Columbian individuals of the Caribbean, signifying “bosom.” Manatees are found off the shore of Africa, furthermore throughout the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. They, similar to the dugongs, are likewise tranquil herbivores. However their weight administration plans are a lot much less restricted — they promptly preserve off of mangrove vegetation, inexperienced progress, and turtle grass. Manatees furthermore sometimes possess freshwater, relocating to inland water sources amid winter when sea temperatures start to drop. Physically, manatees are usually higher than dugongs, have paddle-like tails, usually fast gags with adaptable increased lips that assist with brushing, and no incisors.

Key Differences

Dugongs have a short nonetheless broad and downward going via trunk-like snout similar to a horse with a slit-like a mouth with an undivided increased lip. Manatees, nonetheless, have a shorter snout and divided increased delicate that means they will accumulate additional meals.

Naturally, manatees are social creatures, and one male manatee might have quite a lot of female companions. Whereas, dugongs are additional solitary, have one mate and are inclined to remain in pairs solely.

Manatees’ weight can differ between 400 and 500 kg whereas dugongs frequent weight is 420 kg.

Manatees are greater than dugongs and develop to a dimension of three.6 meters whereas dugongs not typically develop greater than three meters.

The frequent lifespan of dugongs is seventy years whereas manatees have frequent life expectancy of forty years solely.

Dugongs cannot tolerate freshwater. Dugongs are strictly marine mammals, nonetheless manatees migrate between marine and freshwater.

The age of sexual maturity of dugongs is between four to seven years that is 5 to 9 years throughout the case of manatees.

Dugongs are primarily threatened by the destruction of seagrass habitats and bycatch. While manatees are threatened by antagonistic temperature and vessel strikes.

Manatees have wrinkled and powerful pores and pores and skin whereas dugongs have clear pores and pores and skin.

According to the conservation standing of IUCN, dugongs are additional weak than manatees.

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