PBDB

Basic info	Taxonomic history	Classification	Relationships
Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	External Literature Search	Age range and collections

Sirenia (sirenian)

Mammalia -

Taxonomy

Sirenia was named by Illiger (1811). It is extant.

It was reranked as the order Sirenia by Brandt (1849), Gill (1872), Leidy (1873), Cope (1889), Flower and Lydekker (1891), Parker and Haswell (1897), Gadow (1898), Trouessart (1898), Hay (1902), Case (1904), Andrews (1906), Abel (1919), Hay (1930), McKenna (1975), Thurmond and Jones (1981), Takahashi et al. (1986), Domning (1988), Domning (1991), Domning (1996), Domning (1997), Madsen et al. (2001), Sepkoski (2002), Seiffert (2007), Asher and Helgen (2010), Bajpai et al. (2010), Voss et al. (2016), Domning et al. (2017), Voss et al. (2017), Voss and Hampe (2017) and Díaz-Berenguer et al. (2018); it was reranked as the suborder Sirenia by Gray (1850), Gray (1863), Gray (1864), Gray (1866) and Zittel (1925); it was reranked as the infraorder Sirenia by Canto et al. (2010); it was reranked as the unranked clade Sirenia by Fischer (1829) and Velez-Juarbe and Wood (2019).

It was assigned to Natantia by Illiger (1811); to Cete by Fischer (1829); to Cetacea by Brandt (1849); to Pinnata by Bonaparte (1850); to Cete by Gray (1850); to Cetacea by Gray (1863), Gray (1864) and Gray (1866); to Educabilia by Gill (1872); to Mutilata by Cope (1889); to Halobioidea by Ameghino (1889); to Eutheria by Flower and Lydekker (1891); to Eutheria by Parker and Haswell (1897); to Monodelphia by Hay (1902); to Subungulata by Zittel (1925); to Ungulata by Hay (1930); to Eutheria by Flower (1883), Gadow (1898), Carroll (1988) and Nowak (1991); to Paenungulata by Waddell et al. (1999); to Afrotheria by Madsen et al. (2001); to Mammalia by Leidy (1873), Trouessart (1898), Case (1904), Andrews (1906), Abel (1919), Thurmond and Jones (1981), Takahashi et al. (1986), Domning (1988), Domning (1991), Domning (1997) and Sepkoski (2002); to Tethytheria by McKenna (1975), Domning (1996), Waddell et al. (2001), Gheerbrandt et al. (2005), Seiffert (2007), Canto et al. (2010), Asher and Helgen (2010), Bajpai et al. (2010), Voss et al. (2016), Domning et al. (2017), Voss et al. (2017), Voss and Hampe (2017) and Díaz-Berenguer et al. (2018); and to Pansirenia by Velez-Juarbe and Wood (2019).

Subtaxa

Crassitherium, Dugongidae (syn. Halicoroidea, Halicorida, Halicoridae), Dugongoidea, Manatherium, Manatus inornatus, Prorastomidae (syn. Prorastomatidae), Prorastomoidea, Protosirenidae, Pugmeodon, Rhytinidae, Sirenotherium, Sirenotherium pirabense, Sobrarbesiren, Trichechidae (syn. Trichechoidea, Manatoidea, Halicorea, Manatidae, Halicoreae, Manatida)

Sister taxa

Dugongidae (syn. Halicoroidea, Halicorida, Halicoridae), Prorastomidae (syn. Prorastomatidae), Protosirenidae, Rhytinidae, Trichechidae (syn. Trichechoidea, Manatoidea, Halicorea, Manatidae, Halicoreae, Manatida)

View classification of included taxa

Synonyms

Crassitherium robustum was named by Van Beneden (1871) [Domning (1996, p. 393) states that this taxon is based on a reptile skull and 8 sirenian vertebrae.]. It is a 3D body fossil. It is the type species of Crassitherium.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Domning (1996).
Pugmeodon was named by Kaup (1838). Its type is Halitherium schinzii.

It was synonymized subjectively with Halitherium by Bronn (1853), Pictet (1853), Lydekker (1887) and Trouessart (1898); it was considered a nomen oblitum by Domning (1978); it was considered a nomen nudum by Domning (1996).

It was assigned to Halitheriidae by Gill (1872) and Palmer (1904).
Manatherium was named by Hartlaub (1886).

It was synonymized subjectively with Halitherium by Domning (1978) and Domning (1996); it was considered a nomen dubium by Voss (2014).

It was assigned to Sirenia by Hartlaub (1886); to Trichechidae by Trouessart (1904) and Palmer (1904); to Manatidae by Trouessart (1898) and Abel (1919); to Sirenia by Zittel (1925); to Halitheriinae by Simpson (1932); and to Eotherioidinae by Kretzoi (1941).
Sirenotherium was named by Paula Couto (1967). Its type is Sirenotherium pirabensis.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Toledo and Domning (1991) and Domning (1996).

It was assigned to Trichechidae by Paula Couto (1967); to Sirenia by Domning (1982); and to Dugongidae by Toledo (1989).
Trichechiformes was named by Hay (1923). It is extant.

It was synonymized objectively with Sirenia by Domning (1996).

It was assigned to Sirenia by Simpson (1932), Pascual (1953) and Paula Couto (1967); and to Sirenia by Hay (1923), Hay (1930), Kretzoi (1941), Paula Couto (1956), Pilleri et al. (1989), Vidal (1991) and Sach and Heizmann (2001).
Diopia was named by Rafinesque (1815). It is extant.

It was synonymized objectively with Sirenia by Domning (1996).
Manatina was named by Bonaparte (1837). It is extant.

It was synonymized objectively with Sirenia by Domning (1996).

It was assigned to Sirenia by Bonaparte (1850).
Anthropocephala was named by Billberg (1827). It is extant.

It was synonymized objectively with Sirenia by Domning (1996).
Manatides was named by Billberg (1827) [Billberg (1827) called Manatides a "Nation". According to Domning (1996).]. It is extant.

It was synonymized objectively with Sirenia by Domning (1996).
Sireniformia was named by Burmeister (1837). It is extant.

It was synonymized objectively with Sirenia by Domning (1996).
Halobioidea was named by Ameghino (1889). It is extant.

It was synonymized objectively with Sirenia by Domning (1996).

It was assigned to Ungulata by Ameghino (1889) and Bouchet et al. (2010).
Sirenotherium pirabensis was named by Paula Couto (1967). Its type specimen is MNRJ 2.761-V, a tooth, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Sao Joao de Pirabas, which is in a Miocene coastal horizon in the Pirabas Formation of Brazil. It is the type species of Sirenotherium.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Toledo and Domning (1991), Domning (1996) and Cozzuol (1996).
Manatus inornatus was named by Leidy (1873). It is not a trace fossil.

It was recombined as Trichechus inornatus by Hay (1902) and Trouessart (1904); it was synonymized subjectively with Halitherium antiquum by Allen (1926); it was recombined as Halitherium inornatum by Hay (1930); it was considered a nomen dubium by Simpson (1932) and Domning (1996).
Crassitherium was named by Van Beneden (1871). Its type is Crassitherium robustum.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Domning (1996) and Voss (2014).

It was assigned to Sirenia by Gill (1872); to Halicoridae by Trouessart (1898) and Trouessart (1904); and to Prototheriidae by Kretzoi (1941).
Herbivorae was named by Gray (1821). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Sirenia by Domning (1996).

It was assigned to Cetaceae by Gray (1821); and to Cetacea by Bronn (1853).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1811	Sirenia Illiger p. 140
1821	Herbivorae Gray p. 309
1827	Manatides Billberg p. 32
1829	Sirenia Fischer p. 501
1837	Manatina Bonaparte
1838	Pugmeodon Kaup p. 319
1849	Sirenia Brandt p. 1
1850	Manatina Bonaparte p. 1
1850	Sirenia Bonaparte p. 1
1850	Sirenia Gray p. 138
1853	Herbivora Bronn p. 777
1863	Sirenia Gray p. 198
1864	Sirenia Gray p. 247
1866	Sirenia Gray p. 62
1871	Crassitherium robustum Van Beneden
1871	Crassitherium Van Beneden p. 171
1871	Crassitherium robustum Van Beneden p. 171
1872	Sirenia Gill p. v
1872	Crassitherium Gill p. 92
1872	Pugmeodon Gill p. 92
1873	Manatus inornatus Leidy p. 336
1873	Sirenia Leidy p. 336
1883	Sirenia Flower p. 184
1885	Crassitherium robustum Woodward p. 424
1885	Manatus inornatus Woodward p. 424
1886	Manatherium Hartlaub p. 378
1889	Halobioidea Ameghino p. 652
1889	Sirenia Ameghino p. 652
1889	Sirenia Cope p. 874
1891	Sirenia Flower and Lydekker p. 89
1892	Manatus inornatus Lydekker p. 336
1897	Sirenia Parker and Haswell p. 451
1898	Sirenia Gadow p. 44
1898	Manatherium Trouessart p. 999
1898	Sirenia Trouessart p. 999
1898	Manatus inornatus Trouessart p. 1000
1898	Crassitherium Trouessart p. 1004
1898	Crassitherium robustum Trouessart p. 1004
1902	Sirenia Hay p. 582
1902	Trichechus inornatus Hay p. 583
1904	Sirenia Case p. 55
1904	Manatherium Palmer p. 398
1904	Pugmeodon Palmer p. 598
1904	Manatherium Trouessart p. 748
1904	Trichechus inornatus Trouessart p. 749
1904	Crassitherium Trouessart p. 750
1904	Crassitherium robustum Trouessart p. 750
1906	Sirenia Andrews p. 197
1919	Sirenia Abel p. 832
1919	Manatherium Abel p. 835
1923	Trichechiformes Hay p. 109
1925	Sirenia Zittel p. 246
1925	Manatherium Zittel p. 264
1930	Sirenia Hay p. 653
1930	Trichechiformes Hay p. 655
1930	Halitherium inornatum Hay p. 657
1932	Trichechiformes Simpson p. 423
1932	Manatherium Simpson p. 424
1941	Manatherium Kretzoi p. 154
1941	Crassitherium Kretzoi p. 155
1941	Trichechiformes Kretzoi p. 385
1953	Trichechiformes Pascual p. 167
1956	Trichechiformes Paula Couto p. 106
1967	Trichechiformes Paula Couto p. 346
1967	Sirenotherium Paula Couto p. 347
1967	Sirenotherium pirabensis Paula Couto p. 347 figs. Fig. 1-3
1975	Sirenia McKenna p. 43
1981	Sirenia Thurmond and Jones p. 182
1982	Sirenotherium Domning p. 600
1982	Sirenotherium pirabensis Domning p. 600
1986	Sirenia Takahashi et al. p. 300
1988	Sirenia Carroll
1988	Sirenia Domning p. 399
1989	Trichechiformes Pilleri et al. p. 17
1989	Sirenotherium Toledo p. 5
1991	Sirenia Domning p. 398
1991	Sirenia Nowak
1991	Trichechiformes Vidal p. 6
1996	Sirenia Domning p. 378
1997	Sirenia Domning p. 398
1999	Sirenia Waddell et al. p. cover
2001	Sirenia Madsen et al. p. 610
2001	Trichechiformes Sach and Heizmann p. 42
2001	Sirenia Waddell et al. p. 148
2002	Sirenia Sepkoski, Jr.
2005	Sirenia Gheerbrandt et al. p. 297
2007	Sirenia Seiffert
2010	Sirenia Asher and Helgen p. 3 figs. Figure 15
2010	Sirenia Bajpai et al. p. 42
2010	Halobioidea Bouchet et al.
2010	Sirenia Canto et al. p. 20
2016	Sirenia Voss et al. p. 6
2017	Sirenia Domning et al. pp. e1299158-2
2017	Sirenia Voss and Hampe p. 340
2017	Sirenia Voss et al. p. 165
2018	Sirenia Díaz-Berenguer et al. p. 3
2019	Sirenia Velez-Juarbe and Wood

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Triploblastica
—	Nephrozoa
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1847
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
—	Sarcopterygii
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda	()
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
—	Batrachosauria	()

Rank	Name	Author
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
—	Synapsida	()
—	Therapsida	()
infraorder	Cynodontia	()
—	Epicynodontia
infraorder	Eucynodontia
—	Probainognathia
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes
class	Mammalia
—	Pansirenia
—	Sirenia	()
—	Sirenia	()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Diagnosis

No diagnoses are available

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

marinef

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Life habit:

aquaticf

Diet:

herbivoref

Reproduction:

viviparousf

Created:

2005-09-11 17:02:09

Modified:

2017-04-17 10:41:33

Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum

References: Domning 1978, Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Middle Eocene to the top of the Holocene or 48.60000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 47.8 Ma

Collections (731 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Oldest occurrences
Paleogene	66.0 - 23.03	Libya	Halitherium sp. (76981)
Ypresian	56.0 - 47.8	Jamaica	Prorastomus sirenoides (49874)
Ypresian - Lutetian	56.0 - 41.3	Tunisia	Sirenia indet. (87795)
Eocene	56.0 - 33.9	Hungary	Eotheroides sp. (49888) Sirenavus sp. (49958) Sirenia indet. (49952 49953 49954 49956 49957 49959) Sirenia indet., Sirenavus sp. (49960)
Middle Eocene	48.6 - 37.2	Madagascar	Eotheroides lambondrano (93587)
Middle Eocene	48.6 - 37.2	Hungary	Sirenia indet. (49886)
Middle Eocene	48.6 - 37.2	Yemen	Sirenia indet. (47928)
Middle Eocene	48.6 - 37.2	USA (North Carolina)	Sirenia indet. (32898)
Middle Eocene	48.6 - 37.2	Italy (Verona)	Halitherium veronense, Paraliosiren suessi, Halitherium angustifrons, Halitherium curvidens (48159)
Middle Eocene	48.6 - 37.2	India	Sirenia indet. (48638)
Middle Eocene	48.6 - 37.2	USA (Florida)	Protosiren sp. (49883) Protosiren sp., Prorastomidae indet. (49884) Sirenia indet. (49881)
Middle Eocene	48.6 - 37.2	Somalia	Prototherium sp. (49940) Sirenia indet. (49939 51582)
Lutetian	47.8 - 41.3	Jamaica	Prorastomus sirenoides (144125) Sirenia indet. (5241)
Lutetian	47.8 - 41.3	India (Kutch)	Eosiren sp., Eotheroides babiae, Eotheroides waghapadarensis, Protosiren fraasi (45590)
Lutetian	47.8 - 41.3	Hungary	Protosiren fraasi, Sirenavus hungaricus, Protosiren fraasi (49887) Sirenia indet., Anisosiren pannonica (48072)
Lutetian	47.8 - 41.3	India (Gujarat)	Sirenia indet. (48074 88643 88644)
Lutetian	47.8 - 41.3	Spain (Boltana)	Dugongidae indet. (189780)
Lutetian	47.8 - 41.3	Spain (Huesca)	Sirenia indet. (162506)
Lutetian	47.8 - 41.3	Libya	Sirenia indet. (49943)
Lutetian	47.8 - 41.3	Togo	Dugongidae indet., Sirenia indet. (32991)