Analysis of the plant composition of manatee ( Trichechus manatus manatus) faeces in a lake in south-eastern Mexico.

The Antillean manatee ( Trichechus manatus manatus) is a species at risk of extinction. Its diet in freshwater environments has been scarcely studied in Mexico, despite its significance for managing populations and habitat., The diet of Antillean manatees inhabiting the Natural Protected Area of Laguna de las Ilusiones, in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico, was studied during the rainy season., A microhistological analysis was conducted on 51 manatee faecal samples. The cuticle and epidermis of 35 plant species present in vegetation patches used as foraging grounds by the Antillean manatee were described., In total, 223 plant fragments belonging to 11 families and 25 vascular plant taxa were identified. Echinochloa polystachya had the highest frequency (70.6%). Plant richness per faecal sample varied between one and eight plant species., This manatee population feeds mainly on grass. The plant species found coincide with those reported in other studies on sirenian diets. However, 11 new plant species consumed by manatees were recorded. This is the most comprehensive study to date in river systems in Mexico on the botanical richness of manatee faeces. The information provided here can be applied to decision-making on the conservation of the Antillean manatee and its critical habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]