Morphology and organ weight of dugongs (Dugong dugon) in Thai waters

Abstract

Data were obtained from dugong specimens collected in Thai waters during 22 June 1979 to 31 October 2009. Length and weight of calves ranged from 0.97-1.31 and 14-50 kg (n = 14). The average length of mature male and female was 2.58 ± 0.18 m (SD) (n = 12) and 2.55 ± 0.17 m (n = 23). The average weight of mature male and female was 249.6 ± 40.6 kg (n = 7) and 251.2 ± 55.2 kg (n = 17). Meat was the main part of dugong followed by blubber, while bone and internal organs were of similar proportion (n = 44). Organ weight from maximum to minimum was; lung, liver, kidney and heart. Weights (kg) of lung: liver: kidney: heart in male were 2.99 ± 1.01: 2.52 ± 0.73: 0.88 ± 0.21: 0.53 ± 0.18 (n = 11) and those weights (kg) in female were 3.35 ± 0.94: 3.09 ± 1.00: 1.26 ± 0.50: 0.53±0.19 (n = 7). Brain was very small, only 0.1% of body weight. Food contents in the stomachs of male and female were 1.92 ± 0.99% and 2.8 ± 1.13% of their body weight (n = 45). The maximum length of intestine was 12.04 ± 2.1 times of the body length (n = 44).