former southern distribution of New World manatees (Trichechus spp.)

Records of New World manatees in 16th and 17th century literature extend the former distribution of Trichechus manatus to about 20° S. Early 19th century records confirm this range, but the species has since been exterminated from these southerly localities and is now rarely found to the south of Cayenne (French Guiana). Manatees probably did not occur at Rio de Janeiro or Santos, the Sao Vicente “monster” most likely being a pinnepede. The former distribution of T. manatus seems to have been bounded by the 24° C mean annual isotherm.