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| name = ''Caiman''
| fossil_range = [[Miocene]]–[[Holocene|Present]], {{fossilrange|16|0|ref=<ref name="Rio2021">{{cite journal |last1=Rio |first1=Jonathan P. |last2=Mannion |first2=Philip D. |date=6 September 2021 |title=Phylogenetic analysis of a new morphological dataset elucidates the evolutionary history of Crocodylia and resolves the long-standing gharial problem |journal=[[PeerJ]] |volume=9 |pages=e12094 |pmid=34567843 | doi=10.7717/peerj.12094 |pmc=8428266 |doi-access=free}}</ref>}}
| taxon = Caiman
| display_parents = 2
| image = Caiman_yacare.jpg
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'''''Caiman''''' is a genus of [[caiman]]s within the [[alligatorid]] [[subfamily (biology)|subfamily]] [[Caimaninae]]. They inhabit [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]]. They are relatively small sized crocodilians, with all species reaching lengths of only a couple of meters and weighing {{convert|6|to|40|kg|lb|abbr=on}} on average.
==Classification==
The [[genus]] ''Caiman'' contains three [[extant taxon|extant]] (living) species: the [[Broad-snouted caiman]] ("Caiman latirostris"), the [[Spectacled caiman]] (''Caiman crocodilus''), and the [[Yacare caiman]] (''Caiman yacare''). There are also several [[extinct]] fossil species in the genus - possibly up to eight species. The genus ''Caiman'' belongs to the caiman [[subfamily]] [[Caimaninae]], and the relationships of the living species of caimans can be shown in the [[cladogram]] below, based on molecular DNA-based [[phylogenetic]] studies:<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bittencourt |first1=Pedro Senna |last2=Campos |first2=Zilca |last3=Muniz |first3=Fabio de Lima |last4=Marioni |first4=Boris |last5=Souza |first5=Bruno Campos |last6=Da Silveira |first6=Ronis |last7=de Thoisy |first7=Benoit |last8=Hrbek |first8=Tomas |last9=Farias |first9=Izeni Pires |date=22 March 2019 |title=Evidence of cryptic lineages within a small South American crocodilian: the Schneider’s dwarf caiman ''Paleosuchus trigonatus'' (Alligatoridae: Caimaninae) |journal=[[PeerJ]] |volume=7 |page=e6580 |doi=10.7717/peerj.6580 |pmid=30931177 |pmc=6433001 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
{{clade
|label1=[[Alligatoridae]]
|1={{clade
|label1=[[Caimaninae]]
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=''Paleosuchus palpebrosus'' [[Cuvier's dwarf caiman]]
|2=''Paleosuchus trigonatus'' [[Schneider's dwarf caiman]] }}
|label2=[[Jacarea]]
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=''Caiman crocodilus'' [[Spectacled caiman]]
|2=''Caiman yacare'' [[Yacare caiman]] }}
|2=''Caiman latirostris'' [[Broad-snouted caiman]] }}
|2=''Melanosuchus niger'' [[Black caiman]] }} }}
|label2=[[Alligatorinae]]
|2={{clade
|1=''Alligator sinensis'' [[Chinese alligator]]
|2=''Alligator mississippiensis'' [[American alligator]] }} }} }}
The below detailed cladogram of [[Caimaninae]] includes extinct fossil species, based on [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] analysis:<ref name="Cicade2020">{{Cite journal |last1=Cicade |first1=G.M. |last2=Fortier |first2=D. |last3=Hsiou |first3=A.S. |year=2020 |title=Taxonomic and phylogenetic review of Necrosuchus ionensis (Alligatoroidea: Caimaninae) and the early evolution and radiation of caimanines |journal=[[Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society]] |volume=189 |issue=2 |pages=657–669 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz051|doi-access=free }}</ref>
{{clade| style=font-size:85%;line-height:85%
|label1='''[[Caimaninae]]'''
|1={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Culebrasuchus mesoamericanus]]''
|2={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Gnatusuchus pebasensis]]''
|2={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Globidentosuchus brachyrostris]]''
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Eocaiman palaeocenicus]]''
|2={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Eocaiman itaboraiensis]]''
|2={{extinct}}''[[Eocaiman cavernensis]]''
}}}}
|2={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Kuttanacaiman iquitosensis]]''
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Bottosaurus harlani]]''
|2={{extinct}}''[[Tsoabichi greenriverensis]]''
}}
|2={{clade
|1=''Paleosuchus trigonatus'' [[Smooth-fronted caiman]]
|2=''Paleosuchus palpebrosus'' [[Cuvier's dwarf caiman]]
}}}}
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Caiman gasparinae]]''
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Mourasuchus amazonensis]]''
|2={{extinct}}''[[Mourasuchus pattersoni]]''
}}
|2={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Mourasuchus atopus]]''
|2={{extinct}}''[[Mourasuchus arendsi]]''
}}}}}}
|label2=[[Jacarea]]
|2={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Necrosuchus ionensis]]''
|2={{extinct}}UCMP 39978
|3={{extinct}}''[[Caiman wannlangstoni]]''
|4={{extinct}}''[[Centenariosuchus gilmorei]]''
|5={{extinct}}''[[Caiman brevirostris]]''
|6=''Melanosuchus niger'' [[Black caiman]]
|7=''Caiman latirostris'' [[Broad-snouted caiman]]
|8=''Caiman yacare'' [[Yacare caiman]]
|9=''Caiman crocodilus'' [[Spectacled caiman]]
|10={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Acresuchus pachytemporalis]]''
|2={{clade
|1={{extinct}}''[[Purussaurus neivensis]]''
|2={{extinct}}''[[Purussaurus mirandai]]''
|3={{extinct}}''[[Purussaurus brasiliensis]]''
}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
==Characteristics==
Caimans are similar to alligators in morphology but differ in having bony plates, known as [[osteoderm]]s, buried in the skin on the underside. The broad-snouted and spectacled caimans are characterised by having a bony ridge across the bridge of the nose just below the eyes.<ref name=Burton>{{cite book|author1=Burton, Maurice |author2=Burton, Robert |title=International Wildlife Encyclopedia: Brown bear – cheetah|url=https://archive.org/details/internationalwil10burt0 |url-access=registration |year=2002 |publisher=Marshall Cavendish |isbn=978-0-7614-7269-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/internationalwil10burt0/page/n65 358]–360}}</ref> The yacare caiman is the largest species in the genus, attaining an average adult length of {{convert|2.5|to|3|m|ft|abbr=on}},<ref>{{cite web |url=http://crocodilian.com/cnhc/csp_cyac.htm |title=''Caiman yacare'' (Daudin, 1802) |author=Briton, Adam |work=Crocodilian species list |
==Distribution and habitat==
This genus is present in Central and South America. The [[spectacled caiman]] (''Caiman crocodilus'') occurs in Central America and parts of the northern half of South America at altitudes of up to about {{convert|800|m|ft|-2|abbr=on}}. It is usually found in freshwater, but also visits the brackish water of estuaries on occasion. It has varying habitats including wetlands and slow-moving rivers and streams.<ref name=ADWcc>{{cite web |url=http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Caiman_crocodilus/ |title=''Caiman crocodilus'': Common caiman, spectacled caiman |author=Terry, Kayla |year=2010 |work=Animal Diversity Web |publisher=University of Michigan |
==Behaviour==
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{{Crocs}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q11001288|from2=Q272582|from3=Q644453|from4=Q756678|from5=Q104830572|from6=Q724767|from7=Q20080405}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Alligatoridae]]
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