Overview
- The Smithsonian–Qatar Museums team formally described a new sea cow species, Salwasiren qatarensis, in PeerJ on December 10, 2025.
- Fossils from the Al Maszhabiya bonebed in southwestern Qatar span the Early Miocene (about 23 to 21.6 million years ago) and include hundreds of remains across more than 170 locations.
- The species was much smaller than modern dugongs at roughly 250 pounds and shows key differences such as a straighter snout, smaller tusks, and retained hind limb bones.
- Researchers infer the abundant herd grazed seagrass and acted as ecosystem engineers, providing proxy evidence for long-lived seagrass meadows in the region.
- Key specimens and site scans were digitized with 3D models on the Smithsonian Voyager platform, and partners plan continued research and a UNESCO World Heritage nomination for the site.