Sirenia is a small order consisting of two major families namely Dugongidae and Trichechidea. The family Trichechidea has three species namely : West Indian Manatees (Trichechus Manatees) , African Manatees ( Trichecus senegalensis ) , Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis). There is stand out surviving part of family Dugongidae, dugongs (Dugong dugon). They are large aquatic mammals with tapering to paddle like dorsoventrally flattened bilobed tails .The order Sirenia is based on sirens i.e " seanymphs " and " sea cows " and it is a school of thought that mermaid meets have originated from these animal .My assignment will focus on the systematics,the various systems and their role in ecosystem.
HABITAT
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Whereas in case of dugongs,they are also seen to breathe through their special nostrils .Dugongs also follow the same process as that of manatees as mentioned above.
CIRCULATION
Manatees have circulatory system same as mammals.The manatee has four chambered heart. It beats for about 60 times per minute as compared to human heart which beats for about 80 times per minute.A manatees heart is seen to beat slow as 30 heartbeats per minute on longer dives.
Whereas in dugongs it has double ventricular apex of heart. The unusual feature of the sirenian heart is that the heart has double subvalvular conus and dorsal left atrium.The brachial artery of retial structure is seen to play an important role in thermo-regulation.