Overview
- The PeerJ study formally names Salwasiren qatarensis, identified from a rich sirenian bonebed in southwestern Qatar.
- Researchers documented more than 300 remains from at least six individuals across 172 localities dated to roughly 23 to 21.6 million years ago.
- The fossils were recovered less than 10 miles from modern seagrass meadows, underscoring long-term continuity of prime dugong habitat.
- Anatomy suggests a miniature dugong-like animal with a straighter snout, smaller tusks, and retained hind limb bones compared with living relatives.
- The Smithsonian–Qatar Museums team continues fieldwork and analysis, and Qatar Museums plans to seek UNESCO protection as scientists apply the record to conservation under climate stress.