Classification
The manatee is part of the order Sirenia, which consists of four living species, one recently extinct species (Steller's sea cow), and several species known only through fossils[6].
The Florida manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, as is the Antillean manatee, which is found along Central America and the northeast coast of South America. The other species of Sirenians are the Amazonian manatee, West African manatee, and the Dugong[6].
The manatee is part of the order Sirenia, which consists of four living species, one recently extinct species (Steller's sea cow), and several species known only through fossils[6].
The Florida manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, as is the Antillean manatee, which is found along Central America and the northeast coast of South America. The other species of Sirenians are the Amazonian manatee, West African manatee, and the Dugong[6].
Physical description
With adults measuring 10+ feet long and weighing around a ton, the Florida manatee is the largest living Sirenian. Newborn manatees measure about 4 feet long and weight approximately 60 pounds[12].
With adults measuring 10+ feet long and weighing around a ton, the Florida manatee is the largest living Sirenian. Newborn manatees measure about 4 feet long and weight approximately 60 pounds[12].
Reproduction
Like other mammals, with the exception of Monotremes, manatees give birth to live young. They have one calf at a time, with the rare occurrence of twins. A manatee will give birth every 2-5 years and gestation lasts one year. Like all other mammals, manatees have mammary glands with which to feed their young. A calf will nurse from its mother, from a teat behind her front flipper, for 1-2 years. When it is just a few weeks old, the calf will begin to eat vegetation in addition to nursing[5].
Like other mammals, with the exception of Monotremes, manatees give birth to live young. They have one calf at a time, with the rare occurrence of twins. A manatee will give birth every 2-5 years and gestation lasts one year. Like all other mammals, manatees have mammary glands with which to feed their young. A calf will nurse from its mother, from a teat behind her front flipper, for 1-2 years. When it is just a few weeks old, the calf will begin to eat vegetation in addition to nursing[5].
Feeding
Manatees graze on a wide variety of underwater vegetation, including many grasses, algae, and clover. While grazing for 7 hours a day, a manatee can consume 100-200 pounds of vegetation. Manatees use both their lips and flippers to handle food. They have a split upper lip, each half of which they can move independently. This helps to gather bunches of vegetation to be torn loose. They can also use their flippers to gather food towards them and raise it to their mouth. Manatees lack front teeth, so they cannot tear at pieces of food the way that humans can, for example. Instead, they have rough ridges on the roof of their mouths which they can use to rip off bite-sized chunks of food to be chewed by their molars. Due to the gritty vegetation which they consume, manatee's molars are quickly worn down, and so manatees must continuously shed their teeth and grow new ones[7].
Manatees graze on a wide variety of underwater vegetation, including many grasses, algae, and clover. While grazing for 7 hours a day, a manatee can consume 100-200 pounds of vegetation. Manatees use both their lips and flippers to handle food. They have a split upper lip, each half of which they can move independently. This helps to gather bunches of vegetation to be torn loose. They can also use their flippers to gather food towards them and raise it to their mouth. Manatees lack front teeth, so they cannot tear at pieces of food the way that humans can, for example. Instead, they have rough ridges on the roof of their mouths which they can use to rip off bite-sized chunks of food to be chewed by their molars. Due to the gritty vegetation which they consume, manatee's molars are quickly worn down, and so manatees must continuously shed their teeth and grow new ones[7].