Caimans

Caimans belong to the Caimaninans subfamily and crocodiles. Like all crocodiles, caiman are types of reptiles. They formed one of the two subfamilies of the family Alligatoridae (other subfamily contains crocodiles).

Present caiman taxonomy of living looks like this:

Subfamily Caimaninae

Genus Paleosuchus

+ Dwarf Caiman Cuvier, Paleosuchus palpebrosus

+ Fine-fronted Caiman, Paleosuchus trigonatus

Genus Caiman

+ Yacare Caiman, Caiman yacare

+ Berkacamata Caiman, Caiman Crocodilus

# Rio Apaporis Caiman, C. c. apaporiensis

# Brown Caiman, C. c. fuscus

+ Broad-snouted Caiman, Caiman latirostris

Genus Melanosuchus

+ Black Caiman, Melanosuchus niger

This subfamily contains the genera now extinct, but I just registered genera containing species now living.

Caiman crocodile looks like a smaller but growing. The smallest species of all species of caiman crocodile is Cuvier called dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus), which grew into a 1.5 m ft / 5 of the caiman is sheer Largest Black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), which grew into a 6 m / 20 ft and is one of America's largest animal South.

Caiman found in South and Central America and is found in rivers, streams and lakes. The berkacamata caiman (Caiman Crocodilus) can also be found in the southern part of Florida where he has established breeding populations when released into the wild. Species used to be popular pets issued when grown too big for the owner, showing the important points: caiman crocodile smaller than the other and may seem more suitable as pets, but important to remember that we still will need the space and resources to sustain large animals. Even Cuvier adult dwarf caiman are large animals that would require lots of space.

The black caiman is unique in the fact that crocodiles never lost her baby lines provide an attractive pattern. Most crocodiles are born with baby lines that help them blend with the vegetation and hide from predators. Other crocodiles lose their lines as they grow larger while the black caiman make them.

Caiman lay 14-60 eggs, depending on the size and species. The eggs are placed in a mound excavated by the female. The female guard the nest and then indirectly protect young people from its territory. Eggs of different species recorded different times to hatch but about 70 days should be considered normal. The temperature in the nest decide sex baby caiman.

Most of the caiman endangered species. The main reason the population decline and habitat damage to the skin and meat hunting and egg collection. Conservation efforts made to save some of the most endangered species.