Difference Between Dogongs and Manitees

Dugongs vs. manitees

Dugongs and manitees look alike; they are like big cows of the waters. They are like a cross breed of a whale and a seal. This is why people tend to get confused between the two. Because they don’t have that much differences between their physical appearance and habitats, people find it very hard to tell them apart. And to add up to the confusion, both are also a part of the serenia species. However, there are still some specific features you can observe to notice the differences between the two. First are their color, weight and length. Next, is the shape of their upper lip. Their head size also differs. The shape of their forelimbs and tail is also different from each other. Their teeth characteristics are also not the same. These are some of the different features you can notice from them.

The manitees are dominantly bigger than the dugongs when it comes to size and weight. Manitees can get as big as 15 feet and 3000 pounds. Dugongs are only 12 feet long and can only get up to 1000 pounds. When it comes to color, you can notice that dugongs are light brown while manitees are grayish. The upper lips of the manitees are deeply split and their heads are smaller compared to dugongs.

Although both of them have front flippers the shape of their flippers differs from each other. The manitees has paddle-shaped flippers compared to the dugongs that have elongated flippers. Their tails also differ, the manitees tail is round but the dugong’s tail looks more like the fluke of a whale.

Their teeth also differ. The dugong, which has 24 teeth during birth, will only be using plate to chew. This is because the teeth of the dugong will slowly fall as it grows. However, in the later age of the male dugong they will develop two large teeth in front, but it will not be used for chewing. Compared with the dugong, manitees have 4 rows of teeth during birth and this will be used for chewing as it grows. However, as the manitee grows, the first row of teeth will fall off and the back row will replace. This will go on and on.

These are some of the major physical attributes where the dugongs and the manitees differ. Still they have a lot of commonalities with each other, but with the proper information, you may be able to distinguish one from the other.

SUMMARY:

1.

Manitees are bigger than dugongs; they reach up to 15 feet and can weigh up to 300 pounds.
2.

Dugongs are light brown while manitees are somewhat grayish.
3.

The upper lips of the manitees are deeply split and their heads are smaller compared to dugongs.
4.

The front flippers of the manitees are paddle-like while the dugongs are elongated.
5.

The tail of the manitees are round while the dugongs are like that of the whale.
6.

The dugongs have 24 teeth during birth but the manitees have 4 rows of teeth during birth. Both teeth fall of eventually.

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