The Florida manatee ( T. manatus latirostris ), which .... manate metr

manatus latirostris ), which is also found seasonally in the waters of nearby states, is one subspecies of the West Indian manatee ( T. Florida manatees generally grow to around 3 metres (10 feet) but range in length from about 2.5 to 3.9 metres (8 to 13 feet) and weigh up to 1,655 kg (3,650 pounds). West African manatees closely resemble West Indian manatees and are similar in size. Amazonian manatees are smaller, reaching a length of 2.8 metres (9.2 feet) and a weight of 480 kg (1,056 pounds), and, unlike the other two species, they are more blackish in colour, commonly have a white patch on the chest, and lack on the flippers. The manatee's large lips are prehensile and studded with specialized sensory bristles and hairs (vibrissae) for discriminating between and manipulating food plants. These traits, along with the manatee's ability to control the volume of small air spaces in the lungs, permit the animal to maintain a horizontal orientation anywhere in the water from t! he bottom to the surface. Although they can deposit large stores of fat, manatees' capacity to generate and retain body heat in cool water is poor. manate metr