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SPECIES LIST

 

 

 

Here they are: Alligators, Caimans, Crocodiles and Gharials, 25 worldwide, all distinct. 

 

Slender-snouts. Wide snouts. Cold tolerance. Size. Aggression. Dentition. Color. Mating behavior. Scalation. Diet. Vocalization. Location. Adaptation. Evolution.

 

These are just a few of the numerous distinctions between the 25 recognized kinds of crocodilians on Earth. How do scientists keep track, so they may study them? If you're not familiar with the method, here's a simple walk-through.

 

Scientists employ a system called taxonomy, and despite some confusion in its perception, it is simply the classifying, or ordering, of animals.

 

NAMES

Determining the taxonomical, or scientific name, of a crocodilian based on scientific order is a simple puzzle. For example, the animal known as the Common/Spectacled Caiman is:

 

Caiman (GENUS) crocodilus (SPECIES);

 

So, the full name is: 

                       Caiman crocodilus

 

The subspecies of that same crocodilus, most commonly known as the Brown Caiman, is fuscus;  thus the full name of the subspecies is 

     Caiman crocodilus fuscus.

 

CHANGES

You may have heard or read of a species or subspecies

that is not listed on this page. Such ones have been excluded from the list here because they're generally

not recognized by most professionals since there is not enough data to support a classification as such.

 

The technology used in genetic study is advancing constantly, enabling researchers to discover genetic relationships

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Bill Moss

 

 

previously unknown - hence, the classifications are subject to change.

 

For example: One crocodile commonly referred to as the African Slender-snouted is under consideration for genus reclassification (Mecistops); furthermore, it appears that the reptile in Africa known as the Nile Crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus,  may be about to be reclassified into two distinct species by genetic science; the debate on how much influence DNA analysis should have on classification, however, flourishes anew with every laboratory discovery, since the complexity of the subject raises new issues.

 

In order to maintain consistency and avoid confusion with alternate names, the list below attempts to adhere to the rules of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature

 

This following list of the 25 living, or extant, species is reflective of the Linnean taxonomy system; remove the titles, such as "CLASS" or" PHYLUM", and you have the phylogenetic system, which does not recognize characteristics of form, or morphology, that animals have in common, but is based on genetic relationship.

     

 

NOTE

The "nominate" subspecies is the main one; scientific names are usually italicized, with the genus in upper case, species in lower case.

 

Pronunciation of the binomial scientific names need not be difficult: Go here for a simple tutorial. Learn it, and amaze your friends with your linguistic acumen!

· THE LIVING CROCODILIANS OF THE WORLD ·

(Alphabetically by Family.)

  Scientific Classification                           Most common English name(s)

KINGDOM: Animalia

  PHYLUM: Chordata

    CLASS: Reptilia

      SUPERORDER: Crocodylomorpha

        ORDER: Crocodylia

            DIVISION: Mesoeucrocodylia
             SUBDIVISION: Metasuchia
               INFRADIVISION: Neosuchia
              SUBORDER: Eusuchia
                  

                   FAMILY: Alligatoridae

                     GENUS: Alligator
                        SPECIES: mississippiensis    American Alligator; Florida Alligator, Gator, Mississippi Alligator
                                       sinensis                Chinese Alligator
                      GENUS: Caiman
                        SPECIES: crocodilus            
                                      Subspecies: apaporiensis
                                                       (possibly extinct)
Rio Apaporis (Apaporis River) Caiman/Cayman
                                                       crocodilus (nominate) Common Caiman; Spectacled Caiman/Cayman
                                                       fuscus Brown Caiman; Dusky Caiman/Cayman
                                       latirostris             Broad-snouted/Broad Headed Caiman/Cayman
                                       yacaré                 Yacaré (Jacaré) Caiman/Cayman
                      GENUS: Melanosuchus
                        SPECIES: niger                    Black Caiman/Cayman
                     GENUS: Paleosuchus
                        SPECIES: palpebrosus          Dwarf Caiman/Cayman; Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman/Cayman
                                     trigonatus
           
Smooth-front(ed) Caiman/Cayman; Schneider's Dwarf Caiman/Cayman; Wedge-head(ed) Caiman

               FAMILY: Crocodylidae

                    SUBFAMILY: Crocodylinae
                     GENUS: Crocodylus
                        SPECIES: acutus                 American Crocodile; Florida Crocodile
                                     intermedius         Orinoco Crocodile
                                     johnsoni
            
Johnston's Crocodile; Johnstone's Crocodile; Australian  Freshwater Crocodile
                                     mindorensis         Philippine Crocodile
                                     moreletii              Morelet's Crocodile; Mexican Crocodile
                                     niloticus*             Nile Crocodile; African Crocodile; Black Crocodile
                                     novaeguineae       New Guinea Crocodile
                                     palustris               Mugger Crocodile; Marsh Crocodile; Indian Crocodile
                                     porosus
               
 
Indopacific Crocodile; Saltwater Crocodile; Estuarine Crocodile
                                     rhombifer             Cuban Crocodile

                              siamensis         

Siamese Crocodile
                     GENUS: Mecistops   
                        SPECIES: cataphractus** African Slender-snouted Crocodile
                     GENUS: Osteolaemus***
                        SPECIES: osbornii Dwarf Crocodile
                                    tetraspis  Dwarf Crocodile
                                    -unnamed- Dwarf Crocodile
                   SUBFAMILY:Tomistominae                         
                      GENUS: Tomistoma
                        SPECIES: schlegelii
            
Tomistoma; Malayan Gharial/Gharyal; False Gharial/Gharyal; False Gavial
                 FAMILY: Gavialidae
                     GENUS: Gavialis
                        SPECIES: gangeticus         Gharial/Gharyal; Indian Gharial; Gavial; Indian Alligator; Nepali Gharial; Ganges Gharial
            

     

*May be separated into at least two distinct species, based on genetic analysis.
**Recently reclassified from genus Crocodylus.
***In December 2008 it was revealed that the genus Osteolaemus was determined by genetic analysis to consist of three species. The formerly accepted subspecies, osbornii, may be accepted as a second species, while the third is yet unnamed.
Revised  11.02.06
              8.30.08
              1.12.09
              3.01.10

REFERENCES:  

Checklist of Crocodilians, Tuatara, and Turtles of the World: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/turtcroclist/chklst1

.htm#Crocodylia; Crocodilians: Their Natural History and Captive, Husbandry, Ludwig Trutnau & Ralf Sommerlad; International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) International Code of Zoological Nomenclature: http://www.iczn.org/iczn/index.jsp

Mikko Haaramo's Philogeny Archives:http://www.fmnh.helsinki.

fi/users/haaramo/Metazoa/Deuterostoma/Chordata/Archosauria

/Crocodylia/Crocodyliformes.htm; University of Bristol Department of Earth Sciences MSc Palaeoebiology Programme: http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Fossilgroups/Crocodylomorpha

/Groups.html.

 

 

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