Trichechus Inunguis

Throughout the course of history, mammals have evolved attempting to adapt to their changing environments. Since the world is continuingly changing, mammals needed to also change their habits and adjust so that they may continue to thrive and live. Three exemplary mammals that adapted so that they could exploit aquatic environments are the Orcinus orca, a cetacean, more commonly known as the killer whale, the Trichechus inunguis, a Sirenia, more commonly called the Amazonian manatee, and finally the Ornithorhynchus anatinus, a Monotreme, commonly known as the platypus. Each one of these mammals adapted differently to their specific niche, however, these adaptations or changes were so these mammals can fully exploit their new environments.
Orcinus …show more content…
Although it doesn’t contain the same exact body type as the killer whale, the Amazonian manatee has similar features in that its body is “streamlined”(Seaworld et al. 2014) filling in around the middle, and narrowing around the end to create a “paddle shaped tail.” The tail of the manatee is similar to that of the whale in that it is used to propel the manatee forward, flipping back and forth on the vertical axis. Likewise, the manatee has two pectoral fins that are used for “steering, touching, scratching, and even embracing.” If the manatee were to get injured in either its tail or its pectoral fin, it would be difficult for the mammal to survive because it uses these appendages to swim to food, to grab, etc. Although the Amazonian manatee lacks any hind legs, it contains vestigial pelvic bones, which were found to be unconnected from the vertebral column (Purdom et al. 2006). The Amazonian manatee does have blubber, however, there isn’t a sufficient amount to keep the manatee warm; little is known about the need or effectiveness of the blubber on manatees. While the manatee rests, it can stay submerged under the water for as long as 20 minutes. However, it needs to surface to renew its air supply every two to three