Alligatoridae

Chinese alligator ( Alligator sinensis)

• True alligators ( Alligatorinae )
• Caimans ( Caimaninae )
• † Diplocynodontinae

The Gators are a family of crocodiles. In it, the Real alligators and caimans are summarized. Their lives and their metabolism run slower than their relatives, the genuine crocodiles, and also the remainder of their development is slowed down in comparison to these. However, by this quieter way of life, they are twice as old as their relatives.

Characteristics and lifestyle

During the Chinese alligator can be a maximum of 2.2 meters in length, the maximum length for the Mississippi alligators is up to 6 meters. When the alligators the mandibular teeth bite in contrast to the crocodiles not against the upper teeth, rather they are directed inward. Since the teeth of the upper jaw are on the outside, its mouth closed only they are visible. The crocodile caiman and spectacled caiman in this regard are obviously exceptions.

Both prefer to live in swamps and lakes, but also in rivers and eat each prey, which they can get hold of. The alligator is at her mother up to 70 eggs, which they can hatch at once, very caring. She moves ten weeks only a few meters from the mound of mud and leaves off, with whom she has laid the eggs. After the small, roughly 20 centimeters long alligators are hatched, it carries the mother to the water, where they spend the next few months together.

The natural habitat of alligators are America ( American alligator and the American caimans ) and the People's Republic of China ( Chinese alligator )

Threats and conservation

The stock of alligators was very vulnerable, as bags and garments made ​​from crocodile leather fashion were. Alligators are since then both in China and in America under protection and now the stock grows primarily in North America and parts of South America for most species strong again.

System

• Alligators ( Alligatoridae Gray, 1844) Subfamily: Alligatorinae Gray, 1844 Genre: Real alligators ( Alligator Cuvier, 1807) American Alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis ( Daudin, 1802) )
• Chinese alligator ( Alligator sinensis Fauvel, 1879)

• Genus: Genuine caiman ( Caiman Spix, 1825) Crocodile caiman ( Caiman crocodylus (Linnaeus, 1758) )
• Spectacled caiman ( Caiman yacare ( Daudin, 1801) ) (status disputed)
• Broad-snouted caiman ( Caiman latirostris ( Daudin, 1801) )

• Black Caiman ( Melanosuchus niger ( Spix, 1825) )

• Wedge head - smooth forehead Cayman ( Paleosuchus trigonatus (Schneider, 1801) )
• Brow smooth forehead Cayman ( Paleosuchus palpebrosus ( Cuvier, 1807) )

The exact relationships of the alligators among themselves and with other groups within the crocodiles are so far largely unknown, an accepted hypothesis is reproduced here.

Genuine caiman ( Caiman )

Black Caimans ( Melanosuchus )

Smooth forehead caimans ( Palaeosuchus )

True alligators ( Alligatorinae )