Antillean Manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus, Stock Photos, Pictures, Images

The Antillean manatee is subspecies of the West Indian manatee. Also known as the sea cow, it is a large, gentle, grayish-brown mammal that spends its entire life in the water feeding on seagrass. It frequents the coastal waters of Central and South America, and can be found as far south as northeastern Brazil.

The manatee's preferred habitat is shallow, coastal waters, estuaries, canals, and slow-moving rivers. They flourish in warm waters with a depth of 1 to 5 meters. Manatees tolerate differences in salinity, and thus can inhabit both fresh and saltwater.

The Antillean subspecies of the West Indian manatee is nearly identical physically to the Florida subspecies. It is mainly distinguished by its range, being native to Central & South America. It also has slight but measurable cranial differences when compared to the Florida subspecies.

Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus, Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea, critically endangered. Image #: 071592	Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Class: Mammalia Order: Sirenia Family: Trichechidae Genus Species: Trichechus manatus Subspecies: Trichechus manatus manatus
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The forelimbs of manatees are narrow flippers, used for steering and maneuvering along the muddy sea floor. These flippers each have 3 or 4 nails, which are reminders that manatees are distantly related to elephants. Manatees have no hind limbs, though they do have vestigial hind limb bones floating in their hind area muscle. Their tails are round, flat paddles used for propulsion. Though manatees appear fat, they are actually highly muscular, and are very agile in the water.

Manatees move slowly and spend most of their time eating, resting and migrating. They have a low metabolism and consume about 10-15% of their body weight daily. To achieve this rate, they must eat for 6 to 8 hours each day.

Manatees must surface to breathe every 2 to 4 minutes, or much more frequently-every 30 seconds-when active. Each breath renews about 90% of the air in their lungs, as opposed to about 10% for humans. Their nostrils are valved and located at the top of their snouts.

The hearing of manatees is good, and mothers and calves communicate by means of squeals and bleats. Manatees have no pinnae, or ear flaps. Eyesight is poor, though they do use their eyes for navigation. Their eyes are protected by means of a nictitating membrane, and they can be closed with a sphincter-like contraction.

The abrasive sea plants consumed by manatees cause their teeth to wear down. As a result, they have evolved molars which are continually replaced throughout their lives. The seagrass they eat ferments in their hind-gut, contributing to digestion.

Manatees have a slow reproductive rate. Females reach sexual maturity at about 5 years of age, and males at 9. They give birth to one calf every 2 to 5 years, and only occasionally have twins. They have a 13-month gestation period and calves stay with their mothers for up to 2 years. Calves nurse from their mothers from two teats located under the forelimbs.

Manatees are not considered territorial, and generally exist alone or in loosely connected groups. Pairs seen together are typically mother and calf. Large groups of manatees sometimes gather near the warm waters discharged by electric power plants.

Historically, manatees have been hunted for their meat, hide and bones. Hunting continues to this day in Central and South America. In modern times, they face the extreme danger of collisions with motorboats. Manatees are also threatened by loss of habitat, which is often due to agricultural and industrial runoff. Other dangers include entrapment in flood gates and canal locks, red tides, and cold stress. They have no known predators other than man.

No one knows how many Antillean manatees exist today, but there are assumed to be fewer than 2,500. The Antillean subspecies is less protected than the Florida manatee and they are found in very small populations throughout their range. They are considered endangered.

For an illustration comparing species and species size in the order Sirenia, see: http://www.sirenian.org/caryn.html

- Antillean manatee information assembled from published and on-line sources by Kevin Miller on Oct. 24, 2006 for SeaPics.com.

Sources:

Ripple, J. Manatees and Dugongs of the World, Voyageur Press, 1999.

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=46

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Trichechus_manatus.html

http://www.sms.si.edu/IRLspec/Trichec_manatu.htm

http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/22105/all