Caiman
Encyclopedia
Caimans are alligatorid crocodylians within the subfamily Caimaninae. The group is one of two subfamilies of the family Alligatoridae
Alligatoridae
Alligatoridae is a family of crocodylians that includes alligators and caimans.- True alligators :Alligators proper occur in the fluvial deposits of the age of the Upper Chalk in Europe, where they did not die out until the Pliocene age. The true alligators are now restricted to two species, A...

, the other being alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....

s. Caimans inhabit Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...

 and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

. They are relatively small crocodilians, with most species reaching lengths of only a few meters, although one species, the Black caiman
Black Caiman
The black caiman is a crocodilian. It is a carnivorous reptile that lives along slow-moving rivers and lakes, in the seasonally flooded savannas of the Amazon basin, and in other freshwater habitats in South America. Once common, it was hunted to near extinction primarily for its commercially...

, can exceed 4 metres (13.1 ft) in length. Several extinct forms are known, including Purussaurus
Purussaurus
Purussaurus is an extinct genus of giant caiman that lived in South America during the Miocene epoch, 8 million years ago. It is known from skull material found in the Brazilian, Colombian and Peruvian Amazonia, and northern Venezuela. The estimated skull length for one large individual of the type...

, a giant Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...

 genus that grew to 12 metres (39.4 ft) and the equally large Mourasuchus
Mourasuchus
Mourasuchus is an extinct genus of giant crocodilian from the Miocene of South America. It was similar in length and weight to Rhamphosuchus...

, which had a wide duck-like snout.

Taxonomy

  • Subfamily Caimaninae
    • Genus Necrosuchus
      Necrosuchus
      Necrosuchus is an extinct genus of caiman from the Paleocene.-References:* A Pictorial Guide to Fossils by Gerard Ramon Case...

      (extinct)
    • Genus Eocaiman
      Eocaiman
      Eocaiman is an extinct genus of caiman from the Eocene of Argentina.-External links:* in the Paleobiology Database...

      (extinct)
    • Genus Paleosuchus
      Paleosuchus
      Paleosuchus is a South American genus of reptile in the Alligatoridae family. They are the smallest members of the order Crocodilia in the Americas.The genus contains two species:* Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman ....

      • Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman
        Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman
        The Cuvier's dwarf caiman or Musky caiman, Paleosuchus palpebrosus, is a relatively small crocodilian reptile from northern and central South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam and Venezuela...

        , Paleosuchus palpebrosus
      • Smooth-fronted Caiman
        Smooth-fronted Caiman
        The smooth-fronted caiman , also known as Schneider's smooth-fronted caiman, is a crocodilian reptile from South America...

        , Paleosuchus trigonatus
    • Genus Purussaurus
      Purussaurus
      Purussaurus is an extinct genus of giant caiman that lived in South America during the Miocene epoch, 8 million years ago. It is known from skull material found in the Brazilian, Colombian and Peruvian Amazonia, and northern Venezuela. The estimated skull length for one large individual of the type...

      (extinct)
    • Genus Mourasuchus
      Mourasuchus
      Mourasuchus is an extinct genus of giant crocodilian from the Miocene of South America. It was similar in length and weight to Rhamphosuchus...

      (extinct)
    • Genus Orthogenysuchus
      Orthogenysuchus
      Orthogenysuchus is an extinct genus of caimanine alligatorid. Fossils have been found from the Wasatch Beds of the Willwood Formation of Wyoming, deposited during the early Eocene. The type species is O. olseni. The holotype, known as AMNH 5178, is the only known specimen belonging to the genus...

      (extinct)
    • Genus Tsoabichi
      Tsoabichi
      Tsoabichi is an extinct genus of alligatoroid. Fossils are known from the Eocene Green River Formation in Wyoming, and date back to the Wasatchian. The genus was named and described in 2010, with the type species being T. greenriverensis...

      (extinct)
    • Genus Caiman
      Caiman (genus)
      Caimans are alligatorid crocodylians within the subfamily Caimaninae. Caimans inhabit Central and South America. They are relatively small crocodilians, with most species reaching lengths of only a few meters, although one species, the Black caiman, can exceed in length.-Brain:In Caiman the dura...

      • Yacare Caiman
        Yacare Caiman
        The Yacare caiman is a species of caiman found in central South America, including northeastern Argentina, Uruguay eastern Bolivia, central/south-west Brazil, and the rivers of Paraguay...

        , Caiman yacare
      • Spectacled Caiman
        Spectacled Caiman
        The spectacled caiman , also known as the white caiman or common caiman, is a crocodilian reptile found in much of Central and South America. It lives in a range of lowland wetland and riverine habitat types and can tolerate salt water as well as fresh; due in part to this adaptability it is the...

        , Caiman crocodilus
        • Rio Apaporis Caiman, C. c. apaporiensis
        • Brown Caiman, C. c. fuscus
      • Caiman lutescans (extinct)
      • Caiman sorontans (extinct) - Not reported in the literature, probably a 'nomen nudum
        Nomen nudum
        The phrase nomen nudum is a Latin term, meaning "naked name", used in taxonomy...

        '
      • Broad-snouted Caiman
        Broad-snouted Caiman
        The broad-snouted caiman is a crocodilian reptile found in eastern and central South America, including southeastern Brazil, northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia. It is found mostly in freshwater marshes, swamps, and mangroves. Usually, in still or very slow moving waters...

        , Caiman latirostris
    • Genus Melanosuchus
      • Melanosuchus fisheri (extinct)
      • Black Caiman
        Black Caiman
        The black caiman is a crocodilian. It is a carnivorous reptile that lives along slow-moving rivers and lakes, in the seasonally flooded savannas of the Amazon basin, and in other freshwater habitats in South America. Once common, it was hunted to near extinction primarily for its commercially...

        , Melanosuchus niger
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