Dugong Skull

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The dugong is a medium-sized marine mammal thriving in the ocean's waters. One of four living species of the order Sirenia, it shares its classification with three species of manatees. As the only remaining member of the once-diverse family Dugongidae, the dugong's closest relative, Steller's sea cow, was hunted to extinction in the 18th century. The dugong is the world's only strictly marine herbivorous mammal. The dugong dominates its range, spanning the waters of over 40 countries and territories throughout the Indo-West Pacific. Dependent on seagrass communities for survival, it restricts itself to coastal habitats that support seagrass meadows, with the largest dugong concentrations typically found in wide, shallow, protected areas such as bays, mangrove channels, large inshore islands, and inter-reefal waters. The northern waters of Australia between Shark Bay and Moreton Bay are believed to be the dugong's contemporary stronghold. Like all modern sirenians, the dugong has a fusiform body with no dorsal fin or hind limbs. Its forelimbs or flippers are paddle-like. The dugong is easily distinguished from manatees by its fluked, dolphin-like tail, and also possesses a unique skull and teeth. Its snout is sharply downturned, an adaptation for feeding in benthic seagrass communities. The molar teeth are simple and peg-like unlike the more elaborate molar dentition of manatees. The dugong has been hunted for thousands of years for its meat and oil. Traditional hunting still holds great cultural significance in several countries within its modern range, particularly northern Australia and the Pacific Islands. The dugong's current distribution is fragmented, and many populations are believed to be close to extinction. The IUCN lists the dugong as a species vulnerable to extinction, while the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species limits or bans the trade of derived products. Despite being legally protected in many countries, the main causes of population decline remain anthropogenic and include fishing-related fatalities, habitat degradation, and hunting. With its long lifespan of 70 years or more, and slow rate of reproduction, the dugong is extremely vulnerable to extinction. Click this link if you would like to learn about the project: https://www.dundee.ac.uk/museum/collections/zoology/zoology3d/#d.en.387890.