Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this
website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the
website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to
respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted. The NIH
Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more
details about its operating status, please visit
cc.nih.gov. Updates
regarding government operating status and resumption of normal
operations can be found at
opm.gov.
An order of heavy-bodied, slow-moving, completely aquatic, herbivorous mammals. The body is fusiform, plump, and hairless, except for bristles on the snout. Hindlimbs are absent, the forelimbs are modified to flippers, and the tail is a horizontal fluke. (From Scott, Concise Encyclopedia Biology, 1996)
Registry Numbers
txid9774
Previous Indexing
Mammals (1966-1998)
Public MeSH Note
1999; see MAMMALS 1998; see SIRENIA 1963-1967
History Note
1999; 1963-1997; use MAMMALS 1998; use SIRENIA 1963-1967
An order of heavy-bodied, slow-moving, completely aquatic, herbivorous mammals. The body is fusiform, plump, and hairless, except for bristles on the snout. Hindlimbs are absent, the forelimbs are modified to flippers, and the tail is a horizontal fluke. (From Scott, Concise Encyclopedia Biology, 1996)