Crocodiles

Crocodiles are reptiles belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified as subfamily Crocodylinae not). However this term is often used to mean all the crocodiles, that all animals owned by crocodilia sequence that includes crocodiles, caiman and gharials (gavials) as well. A more accurate way to refer to these animals is to say, when referring only to Crocodile Crocodylidae family and crocodiles when referring to crocodilia public order.

Crocodiles are large water mammals that can be found throughout the tropical world. Crocodiles have been around for 200 million years and changed very little over the years. They survived the mass destruction that killed the dinosaurs and today are found in Africa, Asia, Australia and America. Especially crocodile found in freshwater, but some species can also be found in brackish water. Estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) can wander into the marine environment but also usually found in freshwater or brackish.

Different crocodile species differ in the length of 1 m / 3.3 ft until almost 9 m / 30 ft is the smallest species of crocodile found in Palaeosuchus Osteolaemus growing clan and 100-150 cm / 3.3 to 5 feet long. The world's largest crocodile species is saltwater crocodiles. The largest recorded specimen of this species is 8.6 m (28 ft) and weighs 1352 kg (2980 pounds). But that's a rare case and 5 m / 16 ft and 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) is considered more normal, although some specimens that grow large enough as the previous example shows mentioned. Saltwater crocodiles are also the most famous of all the crocodiles, and when people think about crocodiles they usually think of the saltwater crocodile or Nile (Crocodylus niloticus). It is not known how long a crocodile can be but we know that they can exceed 100 years. Freshwater crocodile in captivity in Australia estimated to be 130 years old.

Crocodiles are ambush hunters that eat fish, birds, reptiles and mammals and invertebrates. Even large crocodiles are known to eat shark, and they would not hesitate to preying smaller members of its own species. Diet slightly different between species, but all the crocodiles are predators. They are "cold blooded" like all reptiles that allow them to survive long without food. This means that they rarely need to actively pursue and thus can be opportunistic. Large species of crocodiles swallow stones and exact purpose of this still mysterious. Some believe this is to help digest food, while others believe they are used as weights to help crocodiles keep his balance.

Many species belonging to the genus Crocodylus crocodiles but a few species of this genus found outside. Taxonomy crocodile was being reviewed and changes may be made for classification as soon as possible. One of these changes is that the Slender-snouted crocodiles may be transferred to its own genus, Mecistops, because the findings obtained through DNA analysis.

Family Crocodylidae

Subfamily Crocodylinae

Genus Crocodylus

Crocodylus acutus +, Crocodile United

+ Crocodylus cataphractus, Slender-snouted crocodile

+ Crocodylus intermedius, Orinoco Crocodile

+ Crocodylus johnsoni, Freshwater Crocodile

+ Crocodylus mindorensis, Philippine Crocodile

+ Crocodylus moreletii, Morelet Crocodile or Crocodile Mexico

Crocodylus niloticus +, Nile crocodile or alligator Africa

+ Crocodylus novaeguineae New Guinea Crocodile

Crocodylus palustris +, pirate Crocodile, Marsh Crocodile, or Indian Crocodile

Crocodylus porosus +, Crocodile or Crocodile estuary estuary

+ Crocodylus rhombifer, Crocodile Cuba

Crocodylus siamensis +, Siamese Crocodile

Genus Osteolaemus

+ Osteolaemus tetraspis, Dwarf Crocodile

Genus Asiatosuchus (no living creatures)

Genus Euthecodon (no living creatures)

Genus Rimasuchus (no living creatures)

Genus Voay (no living creatures)

Crocodile eggs are buried in mounds created and maintained by women. Eggs have sex chromosomes and sex determining lineage was not determined by the temperature in the mound. Men grow by around 31.6 ° C. Women grow at a lower temperature and higher. Temperature also affects how long will it take for eggs to hatch (time range also varies from species to species) hatch usually happens after about 80 days. The female crocodile crocodile took him in her mouth and bring them into the water. This led to the myth that female crocodile will eat their own young from the nest directly. He also will protect the baby crocs from other crocs which may have for defending its territory.

Crocodile populations worldwide endangered and protected. Many conservation efforts put in to protect this population and a number of exciting results have been achieved in some areas. Agriculture crocodiles have a positive effect of a young alligator eggs collected from nature as to create economic incentives for landowners to ensure that their land is a good crocodile habitat.

Alligator is one of the few animals that hunt for food for humans and some species can be dangerous. Nile crocodiles and saltwater crocodiles will try to preying on humans and are responsible for 100 deaths per year in Africa and Southeast Asia. Crocodile robbers (Crocodylus palustris) can also be dangerous for humans.