Spectacled caiman

Crocodile caiman ( Caiman crocodilus )

The crocodile or caiman (Northern ) spectacled caiman ( Caiman crocodilus ) is a representative of the family of alligators.

Features

The crocodile caiman has a maximum body length of about three meters, most specimens are, however, not greater than 2.50 meters. It has a wide mouth and is similar in its body proportions rather the genuine crocodiles. He is uniformly colored gray to olive brown. The skull shape, size and coloring, however, are highly variable and there are several subspecies: Common crocodile caiman (C. crocodylus crocodylus (Linnaeus, 1758) ), Rio Apaporis crocodile caiman (C. crocodylus apaporiensis Medem, 1955), Northern alligator caiman (C. crocodylus fuscus ) ( Cope, 1868) ) and Nicaragua crocodile caiman (C. crocodylus chiapasius ( Bocourt, 1876) ), the latter is controversial and may be identical with C. crocodylus fuscus. A DNA analysis of 2008 but comes to the conclusion that the spin-off is justified. The formerly run as a subspecies ( Southern ) spectacled caiman ( Caiman yacare ) is characterized mainly by dark markings on the muzzle. Both species have a similar web- glasses, bony cross bar between the anterior angles, which has led to the designation spectacled caiman.

Dissemination

Crocodile caiman come in a very large area to the north of South America against Bolivia. The only way under the Caymans also you meet them in Central America until after southern Mexico. Over the last few years they spread out also in the more eastern Puerto Rico. Regarding its habitat it is very adaptable and inhabits lakes, rivers, swamps, and even dug by men and irrigation ponds, reservoirs and ditches.

Way of life

Crocodile caiman build mounds of earth and plant material into which they lay up to 40 eggs. The nests are usually there in the riparian vegetation, but sometimes also on floating grass mats or in open terrain.

Juveniles feed mainly on insects and snails, which still account for a large proportion of the food later. Also, part of their diet of crustaceans and fish.