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118-409: The spectacled caiman ( Caiman crocodilus ), also known as the white caiman , common caiman , and speckled caiman , is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae . It is brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has a spectacle-like ridge between its eyes, which is where its common name come from. It grows to a length of 1.4–2.5 m (4 ft 7 in – 8 ft 2 in) and

236-484: A crown group (as opposed to a stem-based group ), Crocodylia is now restricted to only the last common ancestor of today's crocodilians and all of its descendants (living or extinct ). Crocodilia appears to be a Latinizing of the Greek κροκόδειλος ( crocodeilos ), which means both lizard and Nile crocodile . Crocodylia, as coined by Wermuth, in regards to the genus Crocodylus appears to be derived from

354-413: A "high walk" position, traveling with their legs erect rather than sprawling. Crocodilians have thick skin covered in non-overlapping scales. They have conical, peg-like teeth and a powerful bite. Like birds, crocodilians possess a four-chambered heart and lungs with unidirectional airflow. Like most other reptiles, they are ectotherms . Crocodilians are found mainly in the warmer and tropical areas of

472-445: A crocodilian shut tight. All species have a palatal valve, a membranous flap of skin at the back of the oral cavity that protects the oesophagus and trachea when the animal is underwater. This enables them to open their mouths underwater without drowning. Crocodilians typically remain underwater for fifteen minutes or less at a time, but some can hold their breath for up to two hours under ideal conditions. The maximum diving depth

590-446: A dark ring encircling the iris on some individuals, but is a result of the optical properties of the region between the cornea and sclera , not of pigments in the iris. Iris color is a highly complex phenomenon consisting of the combined effects of texture, pigmentation, fibrous tissue, and blood vessels within the iris stroma , which together make up an individual's epigenetic constitution in this context. An organism's "eye color"

708-399: A different way from those of other reptiles, a feature they share with some early archosaurs. One of the upper row of ankle bones, the ankle bone , moves with the tibia and fibula , while the heel bone moves with the foot and is where the ankle joint is located. The result is that the legs can be held almost vertically beneath the body when on land, and the foot swings during locomotion as

826-629: A few became herbivores . The earliest stage of crocodilian evolution was the protosuchians in the late Triassic and early Jurassic. They were followed by the mesosuchians , which diversified widely during the Jurassic and the Tertiary. The eusuchians first appeared during the Early Cretaceous , and includes modern crocodilians. Protosuchians were small, mostly terrestrial animals with short snouts and long limbs. They had bony armor in

944-401: A higher surface-area-to-volume ratio . The kidneys and excretory system are much the same as in other reptiles, but crocodilians do not have a bladder . In fresh water, the osmolality (the concentration of solutes that contribute to a solution's osmotic pressure ) in the plasma is much higher than it is in the surrounding water. The animals are well-hydrated, and the urine in the cloaca

1062-454: A left and right aorta which are connected by a hole called the Foramen of Panizza . Like birds and mammals, crocodilians have separate vessels that direct blood flow to the lungs and the rest of the body respectively. They also have unique cog-teeth-like valves that, when interlocked, direct blood to the left aorta and away from the lungs, and then back around the body. This system may allow

1180-581: A length of 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) for females and 1.4 metres (4.6 ft) for males. Usually, the more dominant individuals mature more quickly. There is no strict reproductive hierarchy in spectacled caiman, but studies show larger males have more success breeding. Specimens choose mates and engage in copulation from May to August, the wet season. The females build nests as a mound of dense vegetation, in areas that are close to water but not at risk of being flooded. The nests are over 1 metre (3.3 ft) in diameter and can be 40 centimetres (16 in) high, but

1298-431: A lighter underside. It has a greenish iris . and wrinkled eyelids. It changes color seasonally – during colder weather, the black pigment within its skin cells expands, making it appear darker. The species has an enlarged 4th tooth, and the teeth in its lower jaw penetrate into a socket in its upper jaw. It has a long snout that tapers moderately, with an unexpanded tip. Several ridges begin in front of its eyes and travel to

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1416-616: A member of the 'thoracosaurs', recovered as a sister taxon of Thoracosaurus within Gavialoidea, though it is uncertain whether 'thoracosaurs' were true gavialoids. Definitive alligatoroids first appeared during the Santonian - Campanian stages, while definitive longirostres first appeared during the Maastrichtian stage. The earliest known alligatoroids and gavialoids include highly derived forms, which indicates that

1534-471: A revision of many reptilian and amphibian names—argued strongly for "Crocodylia". However, it was not until the advent of cladistics and phylogenetic nomenclature that a more solid justification for one spelling over the other was proposed. Prior to 1988, Crocodilia was a group that encompassed the modern-day animals, as well as their more distant relatives now in the larger groups called Crocodylomorpha and Pseudosuchia . Under its current definition as

1652-699: A role in the crushing of food. Digestion takes place more quickly at higher temperatures. When digesting a meal, CO2-rich blood towards the lungs is redirected to the stomach, supplying more acid for the oxyntic glands . Compared to crocodiles, alligators digest more carbohydrates relative to protein. Crocodilians have a very low metabolic rate and consequently, low energy requirements. They can withstand extended fasting, living on stored fat . Even recently hatched crocodiles are able to survive 58 days without food, losing 23% of their bodyweight during this time. Crocodilians are ectotherms , relying mostly on their environment to control their body temperature. The sun's heat

1770-503: A similar diet to the black caiman ( Melanosuchus niger ) – both species eat mostly insects as juveniles and fish as adults. This causes interspecific competition , making it more difficult for the black caiman's population to recover. The spectacled caiman lives in parts of the Amazon rainforest that the black caiman was extirpated from. Conservation programs for this species are used in many countries. The most common form of conservation

1888-525: A single olfactory chamber and the vomeronasal organ disappears when they reach adulthood. Behavioural and olfactometer experiments indicate that crocodiles detect both air-borne and water-soluble chemicals and use their olfactory system for hunting. When above water, crocodiles enhance their ability to detect volatile odorants by gular pumping, a rhythmic movement of the floor of the pharynx . They appear to have lost their pineal organ , but still show signs of melatonin rhythms. The skin of crocodilians

2006-405: A single area can be determined the easiest by counting individuals in the dry season at night. The skin of the spectacled caiman is covered with osteoderms , which previously caused it to not be a major commercial target for its skin. However, harvesting of the skins of this caiman and others became very common in the 1950s, due to the declining stocks of crocodiles. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s,

2124-562: A study of this species in Puerto Rico, about 55% of adult specimens had plants in their diet, primarily grass and seeds. About 8% of adults and 6% of juveniles in the study had gastroliths in their stomach as well. Although the species has been suggested to control piranha populations, piranhas have not been found to be a normal diet component, unlike the yacare caiman . According to the Crocodilian Species List, it

2242-458: A subset of archosaurs that appeared about 235 million years ago and were the only survivors of the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event . The order includes the true crocodiles (family Crocodylidae), the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae ), and the gharial and false gharial (family Gavialidae ). Although the term "crocodiles" is sometimes used to refer to all of these, it

2360-505: A subspecies of C. crocodilus , is now usually considered a separate species. The Rio Apaporis caiman was believed to have become extinct by 1981, when the last known specimen died in a zoo. However, a specimen was captured in an expedition by Colombian conservation biologist Sergio Balaguera-Reina in 2018. Later, the subspecies was discovered again by wildlife biologist Forrest Galante for the television show Extinct or Alive in 2019 and identified by DNA sampling. Galante has advocated for

2478-434: A suitable concentration of salt in body fluids. Osmoregulation is related to the quantity of salts and water exchanged with the environment. Intake of water and salts takes place across the lining of the mouth, when water is drunk, incidentally while feeding, and when present in foods. Water is lost during breathing, and both salts and water are lost in the urine and faeces, through the skin, and via salt-excreting glands on

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2596-636: A weight of 7–40 kg (15–88 lb), with males being both longer and heavier than females. Its diet varies seasonally, commonly consisting of crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians and snails. Breeding occurs from May to August and 14–40 eggs are laid in July and August. This crocodilian has a large range and population; it is native to much of Latin America , and has been introduced to the United States , Cuba , and Puerto Rico . The spectacled caiman

2714-460: Is able to live in human-inhabited areas. The adult population of this crocodilian is estimated to be in the millions and stable. About four million spectacled caimans are found in Venezuela and surveys have shown that it is expected to increase. This is an example of how well the species is able to adapt. However, populations are not doing well in other countries, such as Peru . The population in

2832-481: Is abundant and dilute, nitrogen being excreted as ammonium bicarbonate . Sodium loss is low and mainly takes place through the skin in freshwater conditions. In seawater, the opposite is true. The osmolality in the plasma is lower than the surrounding water, which is dehydrating for the animal. The cloacal urine is much more concentrated, white, and opaque, with the nitrogenous waste being mostly excreted as insoluble uric acid . Iris (anatomy) The word "iris"

2950-470: Is actually the color of one's iris, the cornea being transparent and the white sclera entirely outside the area of interest. Melanin is yellowish to dark hazel in the stromal pigment cells, and black in the iris pigment epithelium , which lies in a thin but very opaque layer across the back of the iris. Most human irises also show a condensation of the brownish stromal melanin in the thin anterior border layer, which by its position has an overt influence on

3068-417: Is clad in non-overlapping scales known as scutes which are covered with in beta-keratin . Many of the scutes are strengthened by bony plates known as osteoderms . They are most numerous on the back and neck of the animal. The belly and underside of the tail possess rows of broad, flat and square-shaped scales. In between crocodilian scales are hinge areas which consist mainly of alpha-keratin . Underneath

3186-504: Is derived from the Greek word for " rainbow ", also its goddess plus messenger of the gods in the Iliad , because of the many colours of this eye part. The iris consists of two layers: the front pigmented fibrovascular layer known as a stroma and, behind the stroma, pigmented epithelial cells. The stroma is connected to a sphincter muscle ( sphincter pupillae ), which contracts

3304-456: Is diversity in snout and tooth shape, all crocodilian species have essentially the same body morphology. They have solidly built lizard-like bodies with wide, cylindrical torsos, flat heads, long snouts, short necks and tails compressed from side-to-side. Their limbs are reduced in size; the front feet have five mostly non-webbed digits, and the hind feet have four webbed digits and an extra fifth. The pelvis and ribs of crocodilians are modified;

3422-429: Is important to the developing eggs, so females build their nests in a way that insulates them from extreme temperature changes. As the vegetation in the nests decays, the nests produce heat which can keep the eggs about 5 °C (9 °F) warmer than if they were insulated by mud alone. Heat not only incubates the eggs, but also determines the sex of the developing caimans ( temperature-dependent sex determination ). When

3540-508: Is less ambiguous to use "crocodilians". Extant crocodilians have long flat heads with long snouts and tails compressed on the sides, with their eyes, ears, and nostrils at the top of the head. Alligators and caimans tend to have broader U-shaped jaws, that when closed, only show the upper teeth, while crocodiles usually have narrower V-shaped jaws with both rows of teeth visible when closed. Gharials have extremely slender and elongated jaws. All crocodilians are good swimmers and can move on land in

3658-404: Is located on the inner border. The back surface is covered by a heavily pigmented epithelial layer that is two cells thick (the iris pigment epithelium), but the front surface has no epithelium. This anterior surface projects as the dilator muscles. The high pigment content blocks light from passing through the iris to the retina, restricting it to the pupil. The outer edge of the iris, known as

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3776-418: Is not fully understood, but it has been suggested that they may be mechanosensory organs. There are prominent paired integumentary glands in skin folds on the throat, and others in the side walls of the cloaca. Various functions for these have been suggested. They may play a part in communication, as indirect evidence suggest that they secrete pheromones used in courtship or nesting. The skin of crocodilians

3894-476: Is on Appendix II of CITES , C. c. apaporiensis Appendix I, and C. c. fuscus Appendix II. Crocodilian Crocodylia ( / k r ɒ k ə ˈ d ɪ l i ə / ) is an order of semiaquatic , predatory reptiles known as crocodilians . They first appeared during the Late Cretaceous and are the closest living relatives of birds . Crocodilians are a type of crocodylomorph pseudosuchian ,

4012-560: Is permanently erect and relies on cloacal muscles to protrude it out and elastic ligaments and a tendon to pull it back in. The gonads are located near the kidneys . Crocodilians range in size from the Paleosuchus and Osteolaemus species, which reach 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in), to the saltwater crocodile and Nile crocodile, which reach 6 m (20 ft) and weigh up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb), though some prehistoric species such as

4130-549: Is probably a generalist species , being able to adapt to a variety of prey. The spectacled caiman uses nine different vocalizations and 13 visual displays to communicate with individuals of its species. Both adults and young produce calls for group cohesion . Males are known to communicate by moving their tail to a certain position, such as making it vertical or arched. Juveniles vocalize when in distress and adult females emit calls to warn young of threats. The spectacled caiman reaches sexual maturity from four to seven years old, at

4248-415: Is seen; if not, they will remain blue or gray. All the contributing factors towards eye color and its variation are not fully understood. Autosomal recessive/dominant traits in iris color are inherent in other species, but coloration can follow a different pattern. Heterochromia (also known as a heterochromia iridis or heterochromia iridum) is an ocular condition in which one iris is a different color from

4366-416: Is the main means of warming for any crocodilian, while immersion in water may either raise its temperature via conduction , or cool the animal in hot weather. The main method for regulating its temperature is behavioural. Temperate-living alligators may start the day by basking in the sun on land, and move into the water for the afternoon, with parts of the back breaking the surface so it can still be warmed by

4484-526: Is the use of cropping, which consists of manually reducing the numbers of several wild and abundant species. Long-term effects of cropping have yet to be discovered; more surveys have been recommended. Farming or ranching programs have also been used as conservation efforts for the species, but seem to be more expensive and possibly less effective. A conservation program in Colombia, which existed from 2004 to 2006, bred spectacled caimans in captivity and released

4602-443: Is tough and can withstand damage from conspecifics , and the immune system is effective enough to heal wounds within a few days. In the genus Crocodylus the skin contains chromatophores , allowing them to change color from dark to light and vice versa. The crocodilian has perhaps the most complex vertebrate circulatory system . It has a four-chambered heart and two ventricles , an unusual trait among extant reptiles, and both

4720-501: Is unknown, but crocodiles can dive to at least 20 m (66 ft). Vocalizing is produced by vibrating vocal folds in the larynx . The folds of the American alligator have a complex morphology consisting of epithelium , lamina propria and muscle, and according to Riede et al. (2015), "it is reasonable to expect species-specific morphologies in vocal folds/analogues as far back as basal reptiles". Crocodilian vocal folds lack

4838-468: Is usually maintained between 25 and 35 °C (77 and 95 °F), and mainly stays in the range 30 to 33 °C (86 to 91 °F). Both the American and Chinese alligator can be found in areas that sometimes experience periods of frost in winter. In cold weather, they remain submerged with their tails in deeper, less cold water and their nostrils just projecting through the surface. If ice forms on

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4956-402: Is very adaptable. It prefers habitats with calm water containing floating vegetation, usually flooding and drying seasonally. It is most common in low-lying areas, but has been found at elevations of up to 800 m (2,600 ft). In Brazil, the species lives in the rivers Amazon , Araguaia , Araguari , Itapicuru , Rio Negro , Paranaíba , Solimões , Tapajós , Tocantins , and Xingu . It

5074-477: The Americas , Africa , Asia and Oceania . They usually inhabit freshwater habitats , but some can live in saltier environments and even swim out to sea. They have a largely carnivorous diet. Some species like the gharial are specialized feeders, while others like the saltwater crocodile have generalized diets. Crocodilians are generally solitary and territorial , though they sometimes hunt in groups. During

5192-741: The Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. It was followed by crocodilians such as the Planocraniidae , the so-called 'hoofed crocodiles', in the Palaeogene . Spanning the Cretaceous and Palaeogene periods is the genus Borealosuchus of North America, with six species, though its phylogenetic position is not settled. The three primary branches of Crocodilia had diverged by the Late Cretaceous . The possible earliest-known members of

5310-409: The cartilaginous processes of the ribs allow the thorax to collapse when submerging and the structure of the pelvis can accommodate large amounts of food, or more air in the lungs. Both sexes have a cloaca , a single chamber and outlet near the tail into which the intestinal , urinary and genital tracts open. It houses the penis in males and the clitoris in females. The crocodilian penis

5428-564: The cladogram below, based on molecular DNA-based phylogenetic studies: Paleosuchus palpebrosus Cuvier's dwarf caiman Paleosuchus trigonatus Schneider's dwarf caiman Caiman crocodilus Spectacled caiman Caiman yacare Yacare caiman Caiman latirostris Broad-snouted caiman Melanosuchus niger Black caiman Alligator sinensis Chinese alligator Alligator mississippiensis American alligator The spectacled caiman has four recognized subspecies: The yacare caiman ( Caiman yacare ), while previously thought to be

5546-406: The depth of field . Very few humans possess the ability to exert direct voluntary control over their iris muscles, which grants them the ability to dilate and constrict their pupils on command. However, there is no clear purpose or advantage to this. The iris is usually strongly pigmented , with the color typically ranging between brown, hazel, green, gray, and blue. Occasionally, the color of

5664-442: The eardrums are protected by flaps that can be opened or closed by muscles. Crocodilians have a wide hearing range , with sensitivity comparable to most birds and many mammals. Hearing in crocodilians does not degrade as the animal gets older as they can regrow and replace hair cells . The well-developed trigeminal nerve allows them to detect vibrations in the water (such as those made by potential prey). Crocodilians have just

5782-532: The genus Caiman , the other two being the Yacare caiman ( Caiman yacare ) and the Broad-snouted caiman ( Caiman latirostris ). There are also several extinct fossil species in the genus Caiman , possibly up to eight species. The spectacled caiman is a member of the caiman subfamily Caimaninae , and is one of six living species of caiman. It is most closely related to the yacare caiman, as shown in

5900-529: The pancreas , spleen , small intestine , and liver also function more efficiently. When submerged, a crocodilian's heart may beat at only one or two beats a minute, with little blood flow to the muscle. When it rises and takes a breath, its heart rate almost immediately speeds up, and the muscles receive newly oxygenated blood. Unlike many marine mammals , crocodilians have little myoglobin to store oxygen in their muscles. During diving, an increasing concentration of bicarbonate ions causes haemoglobin in

6018-406: The pterygoid bones . This allowed the animal to breathe through its nostrils while its mouth was open underwater. The eusuchians continued this process with the interior nostrils now opening through an aperture in the pterygoid bones. The vertebrae of eusuchians had one convex and one concave articulating surface. The oldest known eusuchian is Hylaeochampsa vectiana from the Early Cretaceous of

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6136-533: The First was dubbed dikoros (having two irises) for his patent heterochromia since his right iris had a darker color than the left one. In contrast, heterochromia and variegated iris patterns are common in veterinary practice. Siberian Husky dogs show heterochromia, possibly analogous to the genetically determined Waardenburg syndrome of humans. Some white cat fancies (e.g., white Turkish Angora or white Turkish Van cats) may show striking heterochromia, with

6254-703: The Rio Apaporis caiman to be considered a distinct species, while Balaguera-Reina maintains its official status as a subspecies. The spectacled caiman is a small to medium-sized crocodilian. Females generally grow to no more than 1.08 to 1.4 m (3 ft 7 in to 4 ft 7 in) (the lower size typical upon the onset of sexual maturity), but can rarely grow to nearly 2 m (6 ft 7 in). Adult males can regularly reach 1.5 to 1.8 m (4 ft 11 in to 5 ft 11 in) while large mature ones grow to 2.0 to 2.5 m (6 ft 7 in to 8 ft 2 in), although relatively few get to

6372-665: The United States; in the latter, it is sometimes mislabeled as the American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis ). Invasive populations have become established in South Florida , with isolated records further north in the state. Genetic study indicates two separate introduction events into Florida. It is intolerant to cold climates, so its range is unlikely to expand to further north than Florida. It usually lives in forests, inland bodies of fresh water (such as wetlands and rivers), grasslands, shrublands , and savannas, but

6490-536: The ancient Greek κρόκη ( kroke )—meaning shingle or pebble—and δρîλος or δρεîλος ( dr(e)ilos ) for "worm". The name may refer to the animal's habit of resting on the pebbled shores of the Nile . Crocodilians, and birds, are members of the Archosaur clade. Archosaurs are distinguished from other reptiles particularly by two sets of extra openings in the skull: the antorbital fenestra located in front of

6608-428: The animal needs to stop or steer in a different direction, the limbs are splayed out. Swimming is normally achieved with gentle sinuous movements of the tail, but they can move faster when pursuing or being pursued. Crocodilians are less well-adapted for moving on land, and are unusual among vertebrates in having two different means of terrestrial locomotion: the "high walk" and the "low walk". Their ankle joints flex in

6726-642: The animal's eye socket and the mandibular fenestra on the jaw. Archosaurs comprise two main groups: the Pseudosuchia (crocodilians and their relatives), and the Avemetatarsalia ( dinosaurs , pterosaurs , and their relatives). The split between these two is assumed to have happened close to the Permian–Triassic extinction event (informally known as the Great Dying). Crocodylomorpha ,

6844-462: The animals to remain submerged for a longer period, but this explanation has been questioned. Other possible reasons for the peculiar circulatory system include assistance with thermoregulatory needs, prevention of pulmonary oedema , or faster recovery from metabolic acidosis . Retaining carbon dioxide within the body permits an increase in the rate of gastric acid secretion and thus the efficiency of digestion, and other gastrointestinal organs such as

6962-403: The ankle rotates. The limbs move much the same as in other quadrupeds , with the left forelimb moving first, followed by the right hindlimb, then right forelimb, and finally left hindlimb, and repeat. The high walk of crocodilians, with the belly and most of the tail held off the ground and the limbs held directly under the bodies, resembles that of mammals and birds. The low walk is similar to

7080-443: The anterior ciliary body provide a secondary pathway for aqueous humour to drain from the eye. The iris is divided into two major regions: The collarette is the thickest region of the iris, separating the pupillary portion from the ciliary portion. The collarette is a vestige of the coating of the embryonic pupil. It is typically defined as the region where the sphincter muscle and dilator muscle overlap. Radial ridges extend from

7198-443: The belly outward, and the diaphragmaticus pulls the liver back. When exhaling, the internal intercostal muscles push the ribs inward, while the rectus abdominis pulls the hips and liver forwards and the belly inward. Crocodilians can also use these muscles to adjust the position of their lungs, controlling their buoyancy in the water. An animal sinks when the lungs are pulled towards the tail and floats when they move back towards

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7316-404: The blood from the calcium and magnesium in these dermal bones act as a buffer during prolonged submersion when increasing levels of carbon dioxide would otherwise cause acidosis . Some scutes contain a single pore known as an integumentary sense organ. Crocodiles and gharials have these on large parts of their bodies, while alligators and caimans only have them on the head. Their exact function

7434-604: The blood to release oxygen for the muscles. Crocodilians were traditionally thought to breathe like mammals, with airflow moving in and out tidally, but studies published in 2010 and 2013 conclude that crocodilians breathe more like birds , with airflow moving in a unidirectional loop within the lungs. When a crocodilian inhales, air flows through the trachea and into two primary bronchi , or airways, which split off into narrower secondary passageways. The air continues to move through these, then into even narrower tertiary airways, and then into other secondary airways which were bypassed

7552-619: The blood vessels, collagen in the vessel and stroma) is the most important element. Rayleigh scattering and Tyndall scattering , (which also happen in the sky) and diffraction also occur. Raman scattering , and constructive interference , as in the feathers of birds, do not contribute to the color of the eye, but interference phenomena are important in the brilliantly colored iris pigment cells ( iridophores ) in many animals. Interference effects can occur at both molecular and light-microscopic scales, and are often associated (in melanin-bearing cells) with quasicrystalline formations, which enhance

7670-587: The breeding season, dominant males try to monopolize available females. Females lay their eggs in holes or mounds, and similar to many birds, care for their hatched young. Some species of crocodilians (particularly the Nile crocodile ) are known to have attacked humans . Humans are the greatest threat to crocodilian populations through activities that include hunting, poaching, and habitat destruction , but farming of crocodilians has greatly reduced unlawful trading in wild skins. Artistic and literary representations of crocodilians have appeared in human cultures around

7788-485: The elasticity of mammalian ones; but the larynx is still capable of complex motor control similar to birds and mammals and can adequately control its fundamental frequency . Crocodilian teeth can only hold onto prey, and food is swallowed unchewed. The stomach consists of a grinding gizzard and a digestive chamber. Indigestible items are regurgitated as pellets. The stomach is more acidic than that of any other vertebrate and contains ridges for gastroliths , which play

7906-414: The exact size depends on the resources available. Eggs are laid in July and August; the species very rarely nests in the winter, as the temperature is too low for the eggs. Clutch size is 22 on average, but can range from 14 to 40. Larger females have been known to lay larger eggs compared to smaller females. Females stay close to their nests during the incubation period, as several species, such as lizards in

8024-596: The eye clean. When a crocodilian leaves the water and dries off, this substance is visible as "tears". While eyesight is fairly good in air, it is significantly weakened underwater. Crocodilians appear to have gone through a "nocturnal bottleneck" early in their history with their eyes losing traits like sclerotic rings , an annular pad of the lens and colored cone oil droplets , giving them dichromatic vision (red-green colorblindness). Since then, some crocodilians appear to have re-evolved full colour vision . The ears are adapted for hearing both in air and underwater, and

8142-413: The first time. The air then flows back into the primary airways and is exhaled. The lungs of crocodilians are attached to the liver and the pelvis by the diaphragmaticus muscle ( analogous of the diaphragm in mammals). During inhalation, the external intercostal muscles expand the ribs, allowing the animal to take in more air, while the ischiopubis muscle causes the hips to swing downwards and push

8260-419: The form of two rows of plates extending from head to tail; this armor would still be found in later species. Their vertebrae were convex on the two main articulating surfaces, and the secondary palate was little developed as it consisted only of a maxilla . The mesosuchians saw a fusion of the palatine bones to the secondary palate and a great extension of the nasal passages behind the palatine and in front of

8378-545: The genus Tupinambis , have been known to destroy nests and prey on the eggs. White-nosed coatis and foxes also raid nests. Flooding and human egg collecting can also be a threat to the nests. In a study in the Central Amazonia assessing reproductive similarities between C. crocodilus and Melanochus niger, research found that they indiscriminately separate their nests at larger distances than other species in this family, most likely to avoid predation. Temperature

8496-486: The group may be Portugalosuchus and Zholsuchus from the Cenomanian - Turonian stages. The classification of Portugalosuchus has been disputed by some researchers who claimed that it may be outside the crown group crocodilians. The morphology-based phylogenetic analyses based on the new neuroanatomical data obtained from its skull using micro-CT scans suggested that this taxon is a crown group crocodilian and

8614-616: The group that later give rise to modern crocodilians, emerged in the Late Triassic . While the most basal crocodylomorphs were large, the ones that gave rise to crocodilians were small, slender, and leggy. This evolutionary grade, the so-called " sphenosuchians " first appeared around Carnian of the Late Triassic . They ate small, fast prey and survived into the Late Jurassic . As the Triassic ended, crocodylomorphs became

8732-409: The head. This allows them to move through the water without creating disturbances that could alert potential prey. They can also spin and twist by moving their lungs laterally. Swimming and diving crocodilians appear to rely on lung volume more for buoyancy than oxygen storage. Just before diving, the animal exhales to reduce its lung volume and reach negative buoyancy. When diving, the nostrils of

8850-488: The high walk, but without the body being raised, and is quite different from the sprawling walk of salamanders and lizards. The animal can change from one walk to the other instantaneously, but the high walk is the usual means of locomotion on land. The animal may push its body up and use this form immediately, or may take one or two strides of low walk before raising the body higher. Unlike most other land vertebrates, when crocodilians increase their pace of travel they increase

8968-459: The hind limbs launching the body forward and the fore limbs subsequently taking the weight. Next, the hind limbs swing forward as the spine flexes dorso-ventrally , and this sequence of movements is repeated. During terrestrial locomotion, a crocodilian can keep its back and tail straight, since the scales are attached to the vertebrae by muscles. Whether on land or in water, crocodilians can jump or leap by pressing their tails and hind limbs against

9086-405: The iris is due to a lack of pigmentation, as in the pinkish-white of oculocutaneous albinism , or to obscuration of its pigment by blood vessels, as in the red of an abnormally vascularised iris. Despite the wide range of colors, the only pigment that contributes substantially to normal iris color is the dark pigment melanin . The quantity of melanin pigment in the iris is one factor in determining

9204-554: The jaws are closed as their teeth fit into grooves along the outside lining of the upper jaw. By contrast the lower teeth of alligators and caimans normally fit into holes along the inside lining of the upper jaw. Thus they are hidden when the jaws are closed. Crocodilians are homodonts , meaning each of their teeth are all of the same type (they do not possess different tooth types, such as canines and molars) and polyphyodonts are able to replace each of their approximately 80 teeth up to 50 times in their 35- to 75-year lifespan. They are

9322-436: The jaws are larger and more powerful than the ones that open them, and a crocodilian's jaws can be held shut by a person fairly easily. Conversely, the jaws are extremely difficult to pry open. The powerful closing muscles attach at the middle of the lower jaw and the jaw hinge attaches behind the atlanto-occipital joint , giving the animal a wide gape. A folded membrane holds the tongue stationary. Crocodilians have some of

9440-657: The largest range of any caiman, and of any New World crocodilian. It is found in various countries throughout the Americas. It lives in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela, and may also be extant in Belize and Bolivia. It has been introduced to Isla de la Juventud in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Florida in

9558-425: The late Cretaceous Deinosuchus were even larger at up to about 11 m (36 ft) and 3,450 kg (7,610 lb). They tend to be sexually dimorphic , with males much larger than females. Crocodilians are excellent swimmers. During aquatic locomotion , the muscular tail undulates from side to side to drive the animal through the water while the limbs are held close to the body to reduce drag . When

9676-419: The layers of the iris are: The stroma and the anterior border layer of the iris are derived from the neural crest , and behind the stroma of the iris, the sphincter pupillae and dilator pupillae muscles, as well as the iris epithelium, develop from optic cup neuroectoderm. The iris controls the size of the pupil by means of contracting the iris sphincter muscle and/or the iris dilator muscle . The size of

9794-699: The long-snouted gavialids more closely related to crocodiles than to alligators, with the new grouping of gavialids and crocodiles named Longirostres . Below is a cladogram from 2021 showing the relationships of the major extant crocodilian groups. This analysis was based off mitochondrial DNA , including that of the recently extinct Voay robustus : Caiman [REDACTED] Melanosuchus [REDACTED] Paleosuchus [REDACTED] Alligator [REDACTED] Crocodylus [REDACTED] † Voay Mecistops [REDACTED] Osteolaemus [REDACTED] Gavialis [REDACTED] Tomistoma [REDACTED] Though there

9912-469: The most common animals in this species' diet are crabs, other crustaceans, fish, mammals, snails and other molluscs. Other animals that have been known to be a part of its diet include amphibians, arachnids , birds, myriapods , reptiles (lizards, snakes, and turtles), and small mammals . Older animals are capable of taking larger, mammalian prey (e.g. wild pigs). Cannibalism has been reported under such conditions. It has also been known to eat plant matter; in

10030-452: The most common pattern being one uniformly blue, the other copper, orange, yellow, or green. Striking variation within the same iris is also common in some animals, and is the norm in some species. Several herding breeds, particularly those with a blue merle coat color (such as Australian Shepherds and Border Collies ) may show well-defined blue areas within a brown iris, as well as separate blue and darker eyes. Some horses (usually within

10148-456: The only non-mammalian vertebrates with tooth sockets . Next to each full-grown tooth there is a small replacement tooth and an odontogenic stem cell in the dental lamina , which can be activated when required. Tooth replacement slows and eventually stops as the animal ages. The eyes, ears and nostrils of crocodilians are at the top of the head. This allows them to stalk their prey with most of their bodies underwater. When in bright light,

10266-473: The only surviving pseudosuchians. During the early Jurassic period, the dinosaurs became dominant on land, and the crocodylomorphs underwent major adaptive diversifications to fill ecological niches vacated by recently extinguished groups. Mesozoic crocodylomorphs had a much greater diversity of forms than modern crocodilians. Some became small fast-moving insectivores , others specialist fish-eaters , still others marine and terrestrial carnivores , and

10384-446: The optical effects. Interference is recognised by characteristic dependence of color on the angle of view, as seen in eyespots of some butterfly wings , although the chemical components remain the same. White babies are usually born blue-eyed since no pigment is in the stroma, and their eyes appear blue due to scattering and selective absorption from the posterior epithelium. If melanin is deposited substantially, brown or black color

10502-410: The other iris (complete heterochromia), or where the part of one iris is a different color from the remainder (partial heterochromia or sectoral heterochromia). Uncommon in humans, it is often an indicator of ocular disease, such as chronic iritis or diffuse iris melanoma, but may also occur as a normal variant. Sectors or patches of strikingly different colors in the same iris are less common. Anastasius

10620-414: The other stromal components. Sometimes, lipofuscin , a yellow "wear and tear" pigment, also enters into the visible eye color, especially in aged or diseased green eyes. The optical mechanisms by which the nonpigmented stromal components influence eye color are complex, and many erroneous statements exist in the literature. Simple selective absorption and reflection by biological molecules ( hemoglobin in

10738-510: The overall color. The degree of dispersion of the melanin, which is in subcellular bundles called melanosomes , has some influence on the observed color, but melanosomes in the iris of humans and other vertebrates are not mobile, and the degree of pigment dispersion cannot be reversed. Abnormal clumping of melanosomes does occur in disease and may lead to irreversible changes in iris color (see heterochromia , below). Colors other than brown or black are due to selective reflection and absorption from

10856-455: The periphery to the pupillary zone, to supply the iris with blood vessels. The root of the iris is the thinnest and most peripheral. The muscle cells of the iris are smooth muscle in mammals and amphibians, but are striated muscle in reptiles (including birds). Many fish have neither, and, as a result, their irises are unable to dilate and contract, so that the pupil always remains of a fixed size. From anterior (front) to posterior (back),

10974-413: The phenotypic eye color of an organism. Structurally, this huge molecule is only slightly different from its equivalent found in skin and hair . Iris color is due to variable amounts of eumelanin (brown/black melanins) and pheomelanin (red/yellow melanins) produced by melanocytes. More of the former is found in brown-eyed people and of the latter in blue- and green-eyed people. The limbal ring appears as

11092-408: The pupil in a circular motion, and a set of dilator muscles ( dilator pupillae ), which pull the iris radially to enlarge the pupil, pulling it in folds. The sphincter pupillae is the opposing muscle of the dilator pupillae. The pupil's diameter, and thus the inner border of the iris, changes size when constricting or dilating. The outer border of the iris does not change size. The constricting muscle

11210-401: The pupils is dependent on many factors (including light, emotional state, cognitive load, arousal, stimulation), and can range from less than 2 mm in diameter, to as large as 9 mm in diameter. However, there is considerable variation in maximal pupil diameter by individual humans, and decreases with age. The irises also contract the pupils when accommodation is initiated, to increase

11328-401: The pupils of a crocodilian contract into narrow slits, whereas in darkness they become large circles. This is typical for animals that hunt at night. Crocodilians also possess a tapetum lucidum which enhances vision in low light. When the animal completely submerges, the nictitating membranes cover its eyes. In addition, glands on the nictitating membrane secrete a salty lubricant that keeps

11446-489: The rainy season, males become aggressive and territorial. Spectacled caiman have Müller glial cells in their eyes that contribute to excellent night vision. Usually hunting at night, the diet of the spectacled caiman varies seasonally. During the wet season, it primarily eats snails and freshwater crabs, while it mostly eats fish in the dry season. Smaller specimens tend to eat more insects and freshwater shrimp, while larger ones more frequently consume mammals and fish. Overall,

11564-445: The root, is attached to the sclera and the anterior ciliary body . The iris and ciliary body together are known as the anterior uvea . Just in front of the root of the iris is the region referred to as the trabecular meshwork , through which the aqueous humour constantly drains out of the eye, with the result that diseases of the iris often have important effects on intraocular pressure and indirectly on vision. The iris along with

11682-501: The same home range, as this allows it to access resources normally lost to these other species. Specimens that have been introduced to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the United States negatively impact the native animals there. They are believed to have been the main reason for the likely extirpation of the Cuban crocodile ( Crocodylus rhombifer ) from the Isla de la Juventud , Cuba. The species has

11800-546: The size limits if cut and trimmed. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), further surveys of the species would help with future conservation plans. The spectacled caiman is listed as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List , due to its large range and population globally, following two assessments as threatened in 1986 and 1988. The subspecies C. c. crocodilus

11918-441: The species was frequently traded, causing its population to decrease in some areas. Its skin was often exported from South America and utilized primarily for leather; at least 6 million skins were exported from Colombia from 1996 to 2015. However, conservation efforts since have caused a significant reduction in the number of skins exported. In most countries, hunting this species is legal. Venezuela permits hunting every fall, provided

12036-424: The speed at which the lower half of each limb (rather than the whole leg) swings forward, so stride length increases while stride duration decreases. Though typically slow on land, crocodilians can produce brief bursts of speed, and some can run at 12 to 14 km/h (7.5 to 8.7 mph) for short distances. In some small species such as the freshwater crocodile , a running can progress to galloping. This involves

12154-868: The strongest bite forces in the animal kingdom. In a study published in 2003, an American alligator's bite force was measured at up to 2,125 lbf (9.45 kN). In a 2012 study, a saltwater crocodile's bite force was measured even higher, at 3,700 lbf (16 kN). This study also found no correlation between bite force and snout shape. Nevertheless, the gharial's extremely slender jaws are relatively weak and built more for quick jaw closure. The bite force of Deinosuchus may have measured 23,000 lbf (100 kN), even greater than that of theropod dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus . Crocodilian teeth vary from dull and rounded to sharp and pointy. Broad-snouted species have teeth that vary in size, while those of slender-snouted species are more consistent. In general both rows of teeth are visible on crocodiles and gharials when

12272-585: The subject of debate and conflicting results. Many studies and their resulting cladograms , or "family trees" of crocodilians, have found the "short-snouted" families of Crocodylidae and Alligatoridae to be close relatives, with the long-snouted Gavialidae as a divergent branch of the tree. The resulting group of short-snouted species, named Brevirostres , was supported mainly by morphological studies which analyzed skeletal features alone. However, recent molecular studies using DNA sequencing of living crocodilians have rejected this distinct group Brevirostres, with

12390-450: The substrate and launching themselves into the air. A fast entry into water from a muddy bank can be effected by plunging to the ground, twisting the body from side to side and splaying out the limbs. The snout shape of crocodilians varies between species. Alligators and caimans generally have wider, U-shaped snouts while those of crocodiles are typically narrower and V-shaped. The gharial's are extremely elongated. The muscles that close

12508-406: The sun. At night it remains submerged, and its temperature slowly falls. The basking period is longer in winter. Tropical crocodiles bask briefly in the morning but then move into the water for rest of the day. They may also move to land at nightfall, as it is cooler. Gaping with the mouth can provide cooling by evaporation from the mouth lining. By these means, the temperature range of crocodilians

12626-463: The surface, the dermis is thick with collagen . Both the head and jaws lack actual scales and are instead covered in tight keratinised skin that is fused directly to the bones of the skull and which over time develop a pattern of cracks as the skull develops. The skin on the neck and sides is loose. The scutes contain blood vessels and may act to absorb or release heat during thermoregulation . Research also suggests that alkaline ions released into

12744-798: The temperature inside the nest is about 32 °C (90 °F) or higher, the caimans become female, and otherwise become male. Young hatch after 90 days, with 20–25 percent of eggs hatching successfully. They are yellow with black spots, a coloration which fades away as they grow older, with a length of 20–23 centimetres (7.9–9.1 in). Parents raise their young in crèches , with one female taking care of her own, as well as several others' offspring. They take care of their young for 12–18 months. Young are threatened by various predators, such as raptors (like hawks ) and wader birds (like herons ), causing most to die in their first year. These juveniles are also preyed upon by large fish, large snakes (such as anacondas ), and other crocodilians. The spectacled caiman has

12862-627: The time of the actual divergence between the three lineages must have been a pre-Campanian event. Additionally, scientists conclude that environmental factors played a major role in the evolution of crocodilians and their ancestors, with warmer climate being associated with high evolutionary rates and large body sizes. Crocodylia is cladistically defined as the last common ancestor of Gavialis gangeticus (the gharial ), Alligator mississippiensis ( American alligator ), and Crocodylus rhombifer (the Cuban crocodile ) and all of its descendants. The phylogenetic relationships of crocodilians has been

12980-434: The tip of its snout. Its common name comes from a bony ridge between its eyes, which gives the appearance of a pair of spectacles. The spectacled caiman is the most widely distributed New World crocodilian, and is the most geographically variable species in the Americas, making it a highly adaptable species. The spectacled caiman can move rapidly when threatened, but is usually immobile, resting on shores or partly in water. In

13098-415: The tongue, though these are only present in crocodiles and gharials. The skin is a largely effective barrier to both water and ions, and gaping causes water loss by evaporation. Large animals are better able to maintain homeostasis at times of osmotic stress than smaller ones. Newly hatched crocodilians are much less tolerant of exposure to salt water than are older juveniles, presumably because they have

13216-519: The total number of kills in the season does not exceed 150,000. Because of its adaptability and wide distribution, habitat loss does not affect the species significantly globally. It is reasonably resilient to hunting as well, as hunters usually focus on large males and the species reproduces at a small size. However, it is severely threatened in Colombia, primarily the subspecies C. c. fuscus and sometimes C. c. crocodilus . The spectacled caiman benefits from overhunting of competitive species which occupy

13334-501: The upper size. The maximum reported size for the species is 2.64 m (8 ft 8 in). The body mass of most adults is between 7 and 40 kg (15 and 88 lb), with males typically being considerably heavier than females. Some males in the Llanos have been reported to grow to up to 58 kg (128 lb). The upperside of the species is mostly brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has dark brown crossbands, with

13452-419: The water, they maintain ice-free breathing holes, and there have been occasions when their snouts have become frozen into the ice. Temperature sensing probes implanted in wild American alligators have found that their core body temperatures can descend to around 5 °C (41 °F), but as long as they remain able to breathe they show no ill effects when the weather warms up. All crocodilians need to maintain

13570-446: The white, spotted, palomino, or cremello groups of breeds) may show amber, brown, white and blue all within the same eye, without any sign of eye disease. One eye with a white or bluish-white iris is also known as a "walleye". Iridology (also known as iridodiagnosis) is an alternative medicine technique whose proponents believe that patterns, colors, and other characteristics of the iris can be examined to determine information about

13688-418: The world since Ancient Egypt . "Crocodilia" and "Crocodylia" have been used interchangeably for decades starting with Schmidt's redescription of the group from the formerly defunct term Loricata . Schmidt used the older term "Crocodilia", based on Owen 's original name for the group. Wermuth opted for "Crocodylia" as the proper name, basing it on the type genus Crocodylus ( Laurenti , 1768). Dundee—in

13806-438: The young into the wild at one year old. A similar program released over 15,000 juveniles into wetlands from 2005 to 2009. Previously, Colombia restricted the exportation of spectacled caiman skins to ones shorter than 1.2 metres (3.9 ft), but as of 2011 there are now only size limits for some individual pieces of the skin, rather than the overall size of the skin. These limits are less effective, as large skins could accord with

13924-443: Was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, originally as Lacerta crocodilus . It has since been redescribed several times, including as Caiman sclerops by Schneider in 1801. Although Caiman crocodilus is now the scientific name of the species, some scientists still prefer using sclerops , as having crocodilus as the scientific name for a caiman may cause confusion. The spectacled caiman is one of three extant (living) species of

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