Caiman (genus): Difference between revisions

| type_species = ''[[Caiman fissipescrocodilus]]''

| type_species_authority = SpixLinnaeus, 18251758

'''''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 fewcouple of meters and weighing {{convert|6|to|40|kg|lb|abbr=on}} on average.

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://booksarchive.google.comorg/books?id=WLIOwLemzyQC&pgdetails/internationalwil10burt0 |url-access=PA358registration |year=2002 |publisher=Marshall Cavendish |isbn=978-0-7614-7269-8 |pages=358–360[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 |accessdateaccess-date=2015-09-09}}</ref> the spectacled caiman reaches {{convert|2|to|2.5|m|ft|abbr=on}}, with the female rather smaller,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://crocodilian.com/cnhc/csp_ccro.htm |title=''Caiman crocodilus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) |author=Briton, Adam |work=Crocodilian species list |accessdateaccess-date=2015-09-09 |archive-date=2015-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022054929/http://crocodilian.com/cnhc/csp_ccro.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the broad-snouted caiman is the smallest, more typically measuring {{convert|1.8|to|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} for males and {{convert|1.2|to|1.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} for females.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://crocodilian.com/cnhc/csp_clat.htm |title=''Caiman latirostris'' (Daudin, 1801) |author=Briton, Adam |work=Crocodilian species list |accessdateaccess-date=2015-09-09}}</ref>

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 |accessdateaccess-date=2015-09-08}}</ref> The [[yacare caiman]] (''Caiman yacare'') occurs in the central part of southern South America, particularly in the [[Pantanal]] region, the largest tropical wetland area in the world, which is flooded seasonally by the [[Paraguay River]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Yacare caiman: The Comeback Croc |author=Smith, Roff |url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/07/yacare-caiman/smith-text |newspaper=National Geographic |date=2013-07-01 |accessdateaccess-date=2015-09-08 |archive-date=2017-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731184219/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/07/yacare-caiman/smith-text |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[broad-snouted caiman]] (''Caiman latirostris'') occurs in central and eastern South America, its range including southeastern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern [[Argentina]], within the drainage systems of the [[Paraná River|Paraná]], [[Paraguay River|Paraguay]], [[Uruguay River|Uruguay]] and [[São Francisco River]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iucncsg.org/365_docs/attachments/protarea/04_c-c7ff4560.pdf |title=Broad-snouted Caiman: ''Caiman latirostris'' |author1=Verdade, Luciano M. |author2=Larriera, Alejandro |author3=Piña, Carlos I. |publisher=IUCN |accessdateaccess-date=2015-09-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308154704/http://www.iucncsg.org/365_docs/attachments/protarea/04_C-c7ff4560.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-08 }}</ref>

Caimans spendsspend much of their time basking on mudflats or in sunlit, muddy jungle streams. In the dry season, large numbers may accumulate in pools as the surrounding land dries up. They can move on land with some rapidity, hiss when disturbed, and young individuals can inflate themselves before opening their jaws aggressively. Caimans do not usually attack humans but domestic livestock are at risk. They seize their prey and drag it underwater to drown it. They may observe a potential prey, swim away, submerge and return to attack the floating bird or drinking mammal from underwater. Juvenile caimans feed on crustaceans and molluscs while larger animals feed on amphibians, fish, birds, mammals and reptiles.<ref name=Burton/>

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