FAMILY:
ALLIGATORIDAE
A. mississippiensis
A. sinensis
C. crocodilus
C. c. apaporiensis
C. c. fuscus
C. latirostris
C. yacare
M. niger
P. palpebrosus
P. trigonatus
FAMILY:
CROCODYLIDAE
C. acutus
C. intermedius
C. johnstoni
C. mindorensis
C. moreletii
C. niloticus
C. novaeguineae
C. palustris
C. porosus
C. rhombifer
C. siamensis
O. tetraspis
T. schlegelii
FAMILY:
GAVIALIDAE
DICHOTOMOUS KEY
[German]
An adult dwarf crocodile basking by the water's edge, mouth agape. Crocodiles often flip their legs (front and hind) partly or fully backwards when they are resting, and it is a common sign of relaxation in reptiles. If the reptile is disturbed, it will bring its limbs back into a more suitable position to move the body quickly, if that becomes necessary. This crocodile is also gaping, which serves two functions in crocodiles - the first as a way of cooling the head through evaporation of liquid from the tongue, combined with convective currents, and the second as a subtle way of warning potential threats that the croc doesn't want to be disturbed (opening the mouth exposes the teeth and the fleshy-coloured insides of the mouth).
Photograph © Adam Britton
