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Manatees and dugongs are in the order Sirenia. The word Sirenia comes from the Greek word siren, which means mermaid, but they are not necessarily mermaids. Columbus, on his voyage, wrote in his logbook that he had seen mermaids, but not necessarily as beautiful as what people thought they'd be. Nowadays, we think that he'd probably seen manatees,
What else can I help you with?
Are marmaides ugly?
Mermaids are fictional beings and do not exist. Mermaids are based on sailors' misinterpretations of manatees and dugongs.
Why are dugongs mistaked as mermaids?
because they have a tail like them and fisherman saw them at night
Are mermaids animals?
Mermaids are mythical creatures of the sea. There is no evidence whatsoever that they really exist however.
Can you be a mermaid or merman before it's too late?
I don't think mermaids or mermen are real becasue in the olden days fishermen thought Dugongs were mermaids. No-one has ever mentioned that there were men there as well because fishermen ssaid mermaids
How long have mermaids existed?
they don't, but ancient sailors may have thought dugongs, manatee and seals were part human and part fish
Are mermaids extinct?
They never existed so they can't be extinct.
Where did the dugong get its name?
The word comes from Tagalog, and the earlier Malay "duyung" with the meaning "lady of the sea." This is another reference to sailors imagining dugongs or manatees as "mermaids."
Were mermaids fiction or non-fiction?
Mermaids are a fiction topic. They were first introduced when Greek fishermen caught sight of dugongs, but mistook them for young maidens with the top half being human features, but the bottom half was the tail of a fish. They later became known as mermaids, which means half-woman half-fish.
Are mermaids real or just a myth?
They are mostly the product of sea stories told by ancient sailors. Many believe that the sailors saw manatees (dugongs) which like to sit on rocks near the ocean shore.
Do dugongs have backbones?
Yes. Dugongs are vertebrates.
When were Dugongs discovered?
Dugongs have been known to humans for centuries, with references to them appearing in ancient texts. They were first scientifically described in the 18th century by European naturalists. The species was formally named "Dugong dugon" by the French zoologist Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre in 1785. Historically, they have been associated with myths and legends, often mistaken for mermaids by sailors.
Why are dugongs endangered?
Yes of course they are.Dugongs (DEW.gonGs) are being killed by boats, suffocation of nets, loss of habitat and destruction of breeding grounds. They are also being hunted for there edible flesh. Endangered -- VERY endangered
