fossilesque@mander.xyzM to Science Memes@mander.xyzEnglish · 1 year agoWhales is whalesmander.xyzimagemessage-square18fedilinkarrow-up1191arrow-down19
arrow-up1182arrow-down1imageWhales is whalesmander.xyzfossilesque@mander.xyzM to Science Memes@mander.xyzEnglish · 1 year agomessage-square18fedilink
minus-squareangrystego@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·1 year agoThey are called sea cows, but they’re really sea elephants? I hope I’m not terribly wrong.
minus-squareWIZARD POPE💫@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up1·1 year agoWhy elephants? I mean whales are not cows just by looking at what they eat. In that way manatees eating mostly sea plants are closer to being cows. Are they not?
minus-squareshuzuko@midwest.sociallinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·1 year agoI think it’s a joke about manatees having evolved from the same land-based ancestor as elephants, making them pretty literally “sea elephants”.
minus-squareWIZARD POPE💫@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up3·1 year agoInteresting. Just like the actual closest living relative to the elephant looks like a malnourished beaver
minus-squareangrystego@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·1 year agoYes, I was referring to the evolutionary aspects, not the ecological ones :)
But manatees are sea cows
They are called sea cows, but they’re really sea elephants? I hope I’m not terribly wrong.
Why elephants? I mean whales are not cows just by looking at what they eat. In that way manatees eating mostly sea plants are closer to being cows. Are they not?
I think it’s a joke about manatees having evolved from the same land-based ancestor as elephants, making them pretty literally “sea elephants”.
Interesting. Just like the actual closest living relative to the elephant looks like a malnourished beaver
Yes, I was referring to the evolutionary aspects, not the ecological ones :)