Puerto Rico Sirenian Fossil Sings Climate Change Extinction

Courtesy University of Puerto Rico. Scientist concluded that bones represent a new genera of Ancestral Dugong.

Fossil bones unearthed in Puerto Rico of Sirenian specie prove that climate change impact history is repeating itself leading to loss of biological DNA information and extinction.

Digital Dialogue of the University of Puerto Rico reported on August 8^th on the publication of the study which baptized a new species of Sirenian - Priscosiren atlántica. The work led by the curator of Marine Mammals of the Natural Museum of History of Los Angeles Country California US working with college Daryl Domming of the University of Howard in Washington DC was published in the Journal of Vertebrates Paleontology. The investigation concluded with the astonishing announcing of new genera. The specie has been strangely identified as an extinct dugong.

Sirenians include Manatees and Dugongs of which the first are common in today´s era. Over 30 million years ago Dugongs specie used to roam the waters of the Caribbean. The new specie Priscosiren atlántica –Latin for ancestral sirenians of the Atlantic was discovered in San Sebastian Puerto Rico. Another individual was reported to be located in South Carolina.

Today San Sebastian Puerto Rico is grounded well above ocean waters -250 feet above sea level, 30 million years ago the landscape was completely different.

Sirenians are part of the unique group of marine mammals which includes seals, whales and dolphins. The order of Sirenian not only includes Manatees and Dugongs but all their extinct relatives –ranking over 30 species. Scientists assure that the order Sirenians is extremely sensible to environmental changes and climate change. Disappearance of species extinct in the past were linked to climate change eras something that they share in common with today´s living species of Manatees and Dugongs which are endangered due to human impact, climate change and loss of environment.

As species become every day more valuable for scientifically studies, comprehension, genetic material and environmental services provided the study of extinct species which share connections with endangered species living today becomes of vital importance.

Sirenians have come a long way evolving during the Oligocene and Miocene. The specie which shares relationships with the Proboscidea – Elephants submerged into the waters of the Ocean back in the days of the ancient Tethys Ocean when today´s ocean final shape had not yet been given.

There are only four species of Sirenians left today –three of these are Manatees, the Amazon, the Indic Ocean and the Occidental Pacific. Radioisotope technology used in Puerto Rico established precision the date of the Ancestral Sirenian Fossil.

“It is practically a detective work. We had to compare bone by bone with known species, above that make sure that there are no variations within the specie or at least to have an idea of the type of variations to expect,” Dr. Vélez Juarbe of Puerto Rico explained Bone comparison of fossils included contemporary Manatees and Dugongs and cross-referring information and data with that published in the past 200 years.

The study had two mayor breakthroughs the realization that the bones of the Priscosiren atlantica were Dugong and not Manatee and secondly bone differences of the skull and denture lead to the conclusion that bones belonged to a Dugong so different to those known to human kind that a new genera was created solely for the specie.

Dr. Vélez Juarbe and Domning assured that the specie could have possibly failed to adapt to climate change events which began 28 million years ago and needed 15 million years ago. Experts added that despite long periods of time mentioned these events can be considered “speed-climate change-events”. Worldwide and nationally numerous species were extinct in the same period.

“Unfortunately history repeats itself in the present. Scientist conesus is that we are currently living a climate change process…it is no surprise that all four species of Sirenians which are left today are in risk of extinction. It would be a great loss for manatees and dugongs to face the dame luck as the San Sebastian Dugong,” the University of Puerto Rico concluded.

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