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Encyclopedia > Sea cow

Sirenia

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Sirenia

Families

Dugongidae
Trichechidae

For information about the Gothic Metal band, see Sirenia (band)

Sirenia are herbivorous mammals of coastal waters. They have evolved aquatic adaptations: they have arms, which are modified into paddles, but no legs, are fat, and have highly modified skulls with greatly reduced dentition. Their nipples are under their arms (see the picture of a pair of manatees).

The Trichechidae differ from the Dugongidae in the shape of the skull and the shape of the tail.

ORDER SIRENIA
- Family Dugongidae
  - Dugong, Dugong dugon
  - Steller's Sea Cow, Hydrodamalis gigas (extinct)
- Family Trichechidae
  - West Indian Manatee, Trichechus manatus
  - West African Manatee, Trichechus senegalensis
  - Amazonian Manatee, Trichechus inunguis

The earliest known Sirenian is Pezosiren portelli (http://home.t-online.de/home/rothauscher/dugong/4legs.htm).

Mammals
Monotremata
Placentalia: Xenarthra \| Dermoptera \| Desmostylia \| Scandentia \| Primates \| Rodentia \| Lagomorpha \| Insectivora \| Chiroptera \| Pholidota \| Carnivora \| Perissodactyla \| Artiodactyla \| Cetacea \| Afrosoricida \| Macroscelidea \| Tubulidentata \| Hyracoidea \| Proboscidea \| Sirenia
Marsupialia: Didelphimorphia \| Paucituberculata \| Microbiotheria \| Dasyuromorphia \| Peramelemorphia \| Notoryctemorphia \| Diprotodontia

Categories: Mammals | Sirenians

Results from FactBites:

AMIQ: Stellar's Sea Cow (301 words)
	He was the only scientist to see and describe the sea cow, an amazing animal that would became extinct at the hand of man just 27 years later.
	The sea cow belonged to the sirenian family, which includes dugongs and manatees.
	The sea cow's evolutionary sacrifices made it an easy target for man. The rush for marine furs started a stampede more intense than the Alaska gold rush 150 years later.

Welcome To Kingdom Of Animalia-Sea Cow (139 words)
	Sea Cow are also called STELLER'S SEA COW (Hydrodamalis gigas), large aquatic mammal of the order Sirenia that formerly inhabited the frigid waters around Bering and Copper islands in the Bering Sea.
	Steller's sea cow was discovered in 1741 and was described by Georg W. Steller, who accompanied Vitus Bering on his voyage of discovery.
	The sea cow was avidly hunted for food and fur by Russian sealers.

More results at FactBites »

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