Gooden, Cristobal (2012) Encyclopedia of extinct mammals. University Publications, Delhi, India. ISBN 9788132337409
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Abstract
Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) was a large herbivorous marine mammal. In historical times, it was the largest member of the order Sirenia, which includes its closest living relative, the dugong (Dugong dugon), and the manatees (Trichechus spp.). Formerly abundant throughout the North Pacific, its range was limited to a single, isolated population on the uninhabited Commander Islands by 1741 when it was first described by Georg Wilhelm Steller, chief naturalist on an expedition led by explorer Vitus Bering. Within 27 years of discovery by Europeans, the slow moving and easily captured Steller's sea cow was hunted to extinction. Drawing of Steller's sea cow, by Georg Steller. Note that the broad, flattened tail is drawn at an angle in order to show its shape. The sea cow grew at least 8 meters (26 ft) to 9 meters or 30 feet long, much larger than the manatee or dugong. Steller's work contains two contradictory weights: 4 and 24.3 tons. The true value probably lies between these figures, around 8-10 tons. It looked somewhat like a large seal, but had two stout forelimbs and a whale-like tail. According to Steller, "The animal never comes out on shore, but always lives in the water. Its skin is black and thick, like the bark of an old oak. Its head in proportion to the body is small. It has no teeth, but only two flat white bones-one above, the other below." It was completely tame, according to Steller.
| Item Type: | Book |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | S Agriculture > SF Animal culture |
| Divisions: | Electronic Books |
| Depositing User: | Esam @ Hisham Muhammad |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Feb 2023 06:49 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Feb 2023 06:49 |
| URI: | http://odlsystem2.utm.my/id/eprint/4002 |
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