Makaracetus (SciiFii)

The manatee whale (Makaracetus modernus) is a species of amphibious protocetid whale that originally lived in what is now Pakistan during the Eocene and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and introduced to the modern coastlines of Europe, Asia, and Africa to help boost biodiversity. The manatee whale is unique among archaeocetes in its feeding adaptations; its proboscis and the hypertrophied facial muscles similar to those of manatees, hence its name, all supported by some combination of cranial features. There are broad and shallow narial grooves on the dorsal side of the premaxilla extending the nasal vestibule to the anterior end of the rostrum. These grooves are paralleled on the ventral side by extraordinary lateral fossae, stretching from the anterior maxilla and over the premaxilla. The rostrum is angled downwards, like in a dugong, and has a reduced number of incisors. Enlarged foramina in front of the orbits supports the rich blood supply to help keep the animal warm in cool waters. No other living mammal displays this combination of characteristics. The expanded nasal is present in tapirs, but they are not aquatic animals. The morphology of sirenian rostra is similar, but sirenians are herbivorous whereas the manatee whales' dentition is those of a carnivore. Like the walrus, the manatee whale is aquatic and use specialized buccal and facial muscles to feed on mollusks. The conservation status of the manatee whale is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts.
Category:Animals
Category:SciiFii