Halitherium (SciiFii)

The greater dugong (Halitherium floridanus), also known as the Atlantic dugong and the West Indian dugong, is a species of dugongid sea cow that originally lived during the late Eocene all the way to the early Oligocene as an extinct species of Halitherium and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and introduced throughout the modern tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions across the Atlantic Ocean to help boost biodiversity. The closest living relative of the greater dugong is the common dugong (Dugong dugong). Inside its flippers are finger bones that do not stick out. The greater dugong also has the remnants of back legs, which do not show externally. However, it does have a basic femur, joined to a reduced pelvis. The greater dugong also has an enlarged chest to increase lung capacity to provide fine control of buoyancy, similarly to other sirenians. The greater dugong, like the common dugong, also has a fluked, dolphin-like tail, but also possesses a unique skull and teeth. Its snout is sharply downturned, an adaptation for feeding in various seagrass communities. The molar teeth are simple and peg-like unlike the more elaborate molar dentition of manatees. The greater dugong is a long-lived animal, with a lifespan of 70 years or more, but has a slow rate of reproduction. The conservation status of the greater dugong is Near Threatened due to some pollution and, historically, poaching, however, thanks to the conservationists, the greater dugong is a protected species.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii