Gavialidae
Encyclopedia
Gavialidae is a family of reptile
s within the order Crocodilia
. Gavialidae consists of only one surviving species, the gharial
(Gavialis gangeticus), which is native to India
. Many extinct species are also known. The false gharial
(Tomistoma schlegelii) has sometimes been viewed as a member of this family due to general similarities in morphology and habit, but it is usually thought to be a member of the Crocodylidae family based on several characters including skull morphology. However, recent genetic studies show that the two species are very closely related, suggesting that they may in fact be in the same family.
Gavialids are large semi-aquatic reptiles, resembling crocodiles, but with a much thinner snout. The thin snout is used to catch fish, as gavialids lack the jaw strength to capture the large mammalian prey favoured by crocodiles and alligators of similar size.
Family Gavialdiae
In addition, the tomistomines might belong to this group or to Crocodylidae:
† Indicates extinct group
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s within the order Crocodilia
Crocodilia
Crocodilia is an order of large reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Period . They are the closest living relatives of birds, as the two groups are the only known survivors of the Archosauria...
. Gavialidae consists of only one surviving species, the gharial
Gharial
The gharial , , also called Indian gavial or gavial, is the only surviving member of the once well-represented family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodilians with long, slender snouts...
(Gavialis gangeticus), which is native to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Many extinct species are also known. The false gharial
False gharial
The false gharial , also known as the Malayan gharial, false gavial, or Tomistoma is a freshwater crocodile of the Crocodylidae family with a very thin and elongated snout...
(Tomistoma schlegelii) has sometimes been viewed as a member of this family due to general similarities in morphology and habit, but it is usually thought to be a member of the Crocodylidae family based on several characters including skull morphology. However, recent genetic studies show that the two species are very closely related, suggesting that they may in fact be in the same family.
Gavialids are large semi-aquatic reptiles, resembling crocodiles, but with a much thinner snout. The thin snout is used to catch fish, as gavialids lack the jaw strength to capture the large mammalian prey favoured by crocodiles and alligators of similar size.
Classification
Family Gavialdiae
- Subfamily Gavialinae
- Genus †EogavialisEogavialisEogavialis is an extinct gavialoid. It superficially resembles Tomistoma schlegelii, the extant false gharial, and consequently material from the genus was originally referred to Tomistoma...
- †Eogavialis africanus
- †Eogavialis andrewsi
- Genus Gavialis
- Gavialis gangeticus, gharialGharialThe gharial , , also called Indian gavial or gavial, is the only surviving member of the once well-represented family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodilians with long, slender snouts...
- Gavialis gangeticus, gharial
- Genus †Eogavialis
- Subfamily †GryposuchinaeGryposuchinaeGryposuchinae is an extinct subfamily of gavialid crocodylians. Gryposuchines lived mainly in South America during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs. Most were long-snouted coastal forms. The group was named in 2007 and includes genera such as Gryposuchus and Aktiogavialis.-Description:Gryposuchines...
- Genus †AktiogavialisAktiogavialisAktiogavialis is an extinct genus of crocodylian from the Oligocene Epoch some thirty million years ago. Only one species in the genus, Aktiogavialis puertoricensis, has been described so far....
- Genus †GryposuchusGryposuchusGryposuchus is an extinct genus of gavialoid crocodilian. It is the type genus of the subfamily Gryposuchinae. Fossils have been found from Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and the Peruvian Amazon. The genus existed during the early and middle Miocene epoch. One recently described species, G...
- Genus †IkanogavialisIkanogavialisIkanogavialis is an extinct genus of gryposuchine gavialoid crocodilian. Fossils have been found from the Urumaco Formation of Venezuela. The strata from which remains are found are late Miocene in age, rather than Pliocene as was once thought....
- Genus †SiquisiquesuchusSiquisiquesuchusSiquisiquesuchus is an extinct genus of gavialoid crocodilian...
- Genus †PiscogavialisPiscogavialisPiscogavialis is an extinct genus of gryposuchine gavialid crocodylian. The only species yet known is P. jugaliperforatus. Fossils of Piscogavialis have been found from the Mio-Pliocene Pisco Formation of the Sacaco Basin in southern Peru...
- Genus †HesperogavialisHesperogavialisHesperogavialis is an extinct genus of gryposuchine gavialid. Fossils have been found from Venezuela and Brazil that date back to the late Miocene and Pliocene...
- Genus †Aktiogavialis
In addition, the tomistomines might belong to this group or to Crocodylidae:
- Subfamily TomistominaeTomistominaeTomistominae is a subfamily of crocodylians that includes one living species, the False gharial. Many more extinct species are known, extending the range of the subfamily back to the Eocene epoch...
- Genus †KentisuchusKentisuchusKentisuchus is an extinct genus of tomistomine . It is considered one of the most basal members of the subfamily. Fossils have been found from England that date back to the early Eocene...
- Genus †GavialosuchusGavialosuchusGavialosuchus is an extinct tomistomine from the late Oligocene and Miocene of eastern North America and early Miocene of Europe. Three species have been named: the type species G. eggenburgensis from the early Miocene of Austria; G. americanus, from the late Miocene to early Pliocene of Florida;...
- Genus †ParatomistomaParatomistomaParatomistoma is an extinct genus of tomistomine crocodilian. It is based on CGM 42188, a partial posterior skull and lower jaw discovered at Wadi Hitan, Egypt, in Middle Eocene-age rocks of the Gehannam Formation. The skull is unfused but considered morphologically mature...
- Genus †ThecachampsaThecachampsaThecachampsa is an extinct genus of tomistomine crocodilian. Fossils have been found from the eastern United States in deposits that are late Oligocene in age. The type species is T. antiqua. Several other species have been erected. Those named in the 19th century were distinguished primarily by...
- Genus †RhamphosuchusRhamphosuchusRhamphosuchus is an extinct relative of the modern false gharial. It inhabited what is now the Indian sub-continent in the Miocene...
- Genus Tomistoma
- Tomistoma schlegelii, false gharialFalse gharialThe false gharial , also known as the Malayan gharial, false gavial, or Tomistoma is a freshwater crocodile of the Crocodylidae family with a very thin and elongated snout...
or Malayan gharial - †Tomistoma lusitanicum
- †Tomistoma cairense
- Tomistoma schlegelii, false gharial
- Genus †ToyotamaphimeiaToyotamaphimeiaToyotamaphimeia is an extinct genus of tomistomine from the Pleistocene of Japan closely related to the false gharial, which lived 400.000 years ago. This relationship is reflected in the fact that it was originally described as a member of the same genus, Tomistoma....
- Genus †Kentisuchus
† Indicates extinct group