Classification

Trichechus manatus is more commonly known as the West Indian Manatee. The name West Indian Manatee is derived from the habitat it is most commonly found in, the West Indies or the Caribbean.

Domain: Eukaryota 
    -T. manatus is within in this domain because they have complex cell parts enclosed in a membrane.

Kingdom: Anamalia
    -T. manatus is within this Kingdom because they are all heterotropic, multicellular, and lack a cell wall.

Phylum: Chordata
    -T. manatus is included within this phylum because they are deuterostomic, have a hollow nerve cord, and a post-anal tail

Class: Mammalia
    -T. manatus are included within this class because have hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands in females.

Order: Sirenia
    -T. manatus is included within this order because they have modified forelimbs to form flippers, a vestigial pelvis, and a horizontally flattened tail.

Family: Trichechidae
    -T. manatus is included within this family because they all posess nasals in their skulls, as well as prominent supraorbital processes.

Genus: Trichechus
    -All organisms within this genus are manatees.

Species: Trichechus Manatus
    - All organisms within this species live along the coast of Florida down to the middle of Brazil.

 

To move on and learn about the habitat of Trichechus manatus click here!                         
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