Paleosuchus

Young smooth forehead caimans ( Paleosuchus palpebrosus )

The smooth front caiman ( Paleosuchus ) are a genus of crocodiles ( Crocodilia ) from the tropical rainforests of South America. These are of two kinds, the wedge head - smooth forehead Cayman ( Paleosuchus trigonatus ) and the brows - smooth forehead Cayman ( Paleosuchus palpebrosus ).

Features

The living today smooth forehead caimans reach a maximum body length of 1.50 to 1.70 meters, so it is relatively small crocodile species. The legs of the animals are relatively long and give them a very high gear, reminiscent of the mammals. The neck signs and the signs of the tail are large and triangular, the edges very sharp. Other features of the smooth forehead caimans are the brown eyes and the absence of a bony ridge between the eyes, hence the name of the group. Overall, the body and the tail is heavily ossified.

Dissemination

Both species also live inside the tropical rainforests of the Amazon and Orinoco, the brows - smooth forehead Cayman in the area of ​​the Rio São Francisco, the Paraná and Paraguay. Here you will find the brows - smooth forehead Cayman especially in the area of the flooded forest areas, the wedge head smooth forehead Cayman in the smaller streams and rivers.

Way of life

Smooth forehead caimans build mounds of earth and plant material, which they hide in the undergrowth.

Place 30 to 60 eggs.

Juveniles feed mainly on insects, hunt, however, from a relatively small size, even snakes, birds and lizards. Full-grown caimans feed addition of small mammals.