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
M. cataphractus
O. tetraspis
T. schlegelii
FAMILY:
GAVIALIDAE
DICHOTOMOUS KEY
[German]
Resting at the water's edge, only the head of this smooth-fronted caiman is visible - 'smooth-fronted' because like P. palpebrosus it lacks the bony ridge present in front of the eyes of other caimans. Larger than Cuvier's dwarf caiman, this species exceeds 2m in length, although this is still on the small side for a crocodilian. This species is considered less specialised than Cuvier's dwarf caiman, although both Paleosuchus species are considered 'primitive' next to other crocodilians.
Photograph © Adam Britton
ALL IMAGES:
[click on image for enlargement]
Head of caiman resting at the water's edge
