By LiveScience Staff
The endangered manatees that live off the coast of Belize are genetically distinct enough to be considered a separate subspecies from Florida manatees, a new study finds.
These Antillean manatees in Belize, however, showed extremely low genetic diversity, raising questions about their long-term genetic viability, the researchers say.
The Central American country of Belize hosts the largest known breeding population of Antillean manatees, about 1,000 individuals, and is touted by biologists for its …