3D scan of the skeleton of a Dugong (Dugong dugon).
The dugong (Dugong dugon) lives in warm coastal waters from the western Pacific Ocean to the eastern coast of Africa. Like all modern sirenians, the dugong has a fusiform body with no dorsal fin or hind limbs. The forelimbs are paddle-like. The dugong is easily distinguished from the manatees by its fluked, dolphin-like tail, but 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. An adult’s length rarely exceeds 3 metres and weights 250 kilograms to 900 kilograms.
Specimen: Dugong, Dugong dugon (Müller, 1776) Inventory number: C 527 Collection: Natural History Museum University of Pisa Find out more about the Museum at https://www.msn.unipi.it/it/**
Scanned and edited by Marco Merella
Scanner: EINScan Pro HD
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