Crocodilians-Crocodiles, Alligators, Caimans, and Gharials

These reptiles are in the family of crocodilians. I have provided statistics of each and every crocodile, alligator, caiman, and gharial existing on preset day Earth. They list the scientific name, mass, length, distribution, and conservation status of each crocodilian.

1. Crocodilians: (Crocodiles, Alligators, Caimans, and G harials) By: Saagar Parikh

2. What are crocodilians? The Crocodilia or Crocodylia are an order of large, predatory, semiaquatic reptiles. They appeared 83.5 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period and are the closest living relatives of birds. Large, solidly built, lizard-like reptiles, crocodilians have long flattened snouts, laterally compressed tails, and eyes, ears, and nostrils at the top of the head. Their skin is thick and covered in non-overlapping scales. They have conical , peg-like teeth and a powerful bite. They swim well and can move on land in a "high walk" and a "low walk", while smaller species are even capable of galloping. Conservation Status

3. Alligators

4. American Alligator Scientific Name :  Alligator mississippiensis Mass : 507 lbs . (Male) 201 lbs. (Female) Length :  11–15 ft. (Male ) 9.8 ft . (Female) Distribution: Southeastern United States

5. Chinese Alligator Scientific Name :  Alligator sinensis Mass: 80 lbs. Length :  5 ft. Distribution: South of Yangtze River, China

6. Caimans

7. Black Caiman Scientific Name: Melanosuchus niger Mass: 660-880 lbs. Length : 9.2-14 ft . Distribution: Amazon basin, and other  freshwater habitats of South America

8. Broad-Snouted Caiman Scientific Name: Caiman latirostris Mass: 64-137   lbs. Length: 6.6-8.2   ft. Distribution: E astern and Central  South America

9. Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman Scientific Name:   Paleosuchus palpebrosus Mass: 13-15 lbs. Length: 4.6  ft. (Male ) 3.9  ft. (Female) Distribution: Northern and Central  South America

10. Smoothed-Fronted C aiman Scientific Name: Paleosuchus trigonatus Mass: 20-44 lbs. Length: 3.9-5.2   ft. Distribution: Amazon  and Orinoco Basins in South America

11. Spectacled Caiman Scientific Name :  Caiman crocodilus Mass : 15-88 lbs. Length : 5.9-6.6 ft . (Male ) 4.9-5.6 ft . (Female) Distribution: Central and South America

12. Scientific Name: Caiman yacare Mass: 128 lbs. (Male) 31-51 lbs. (Female) Length: 6.6-8.2  ft . (Male) 4.6 ft. (Female) Distribution: Central South A merica Yacare Caiman

13. Crocodiles

14. Dwarf Crocodile Scientific Name: Osteolaemus tetraspis Mass: 40-71   lbs. Length: 4.9-6.2 ft. Distribution: Sub-Saharan  West Africa and West Central Africa

15. American Crocodile Scientific Name: Crocodylus acutus Mass: 842   lbs. (Male) 381 lbs. (Female) Length: 9.5-13.8 ft. (Male) 8.2-9.8 ft. (Female) Distribution: The Caribbean Islands , Southern Florida, the Greater Antilles, Southern Mexico, Central America, Colombia  and  Ecuador

16. Australian Freshwater Crocodile Scientific Name: Crocodylus johnsoni Mass: 150 lbs. (Male) 88 lbs. (Female) Length: 7.5-9.8   ft. (Male) 6.9 ft. (Female) Distribution: Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory in Australia

17. Cuban Crocodile Scientific Name: Crocodylus rhombifer Mass: 150–180  lbs. Length: 6.9–7.5  ft. Distribution: Cuba's  Zapata Swamp and the Isle of Youth

18. False Gharial Scientific Name: Tomistoma schlegelii Mass: 420-460   lbs. (Male) 205 lbs. (Female) Length: 11.8-12.8 ft. (Male) 10.6 ft. (Female) Distribution: Peninsular Malaysia,  Sarawak, and  Indonesia (Sumatra, and  Borneo), unknown if they remain in  Java

19. Morelet’s Crocodile Scientific Name: Crocodylus moreletii Mass: 84–128  lbs. Length: 13-14 ft. Distribution:   Central America  and along the Gulf of Mexico stretching through Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and South Texas and along the Rio Grande.

20. Mugger Crocodile Scientific Name: Crocodylus palustris Mass: 88-440 lbs. Length: 13-16 ft. Distribution: Parts of India , Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, the southern tip of  Iran

21. New Guinea Crocodile Scientific Name : Crocodylus novaeguineae Mass : N/A Length : 11 ft. (Male) 8.9 ft. (Female) Distribution : Papua New Guinea, Papua, and West Papua

22. Nile Crocodile Scientific Name: Crocodylus niloticus Mass : 150-1,540 lbs. Length : 9.2-16.6 ft. Distribution : Most of Africa, Madagascar, and the Mediterranean

23. Orinoco Crocodile Scientific Name : Crocodylus intermedius Mass : 838-1,400 lbs. (Male) 496-699 lbs. (Female) Length : 12-16 ft. (Male) 9.8-10.8 ft. (Female) Distribution: Orinoco River basin in Colombia and Venezuela, Trinidad, and the Llanos Foothills

24. Philippine Crocodile Scientific Name: Crocodylus mindorensis Mass : N/A Length : 10 ft. Distribution : Scattered Marshes throughout the Philippines

25. Saltwater Crocodile Scientific Name: Crocodylus porosus Mass : 880–3,000   lbs. Length: 14-17 ft. (Male) 9.8 ft. (Female ) Distribution : Parts of India, Sri Lanka, I ndochina, and much of Indonesia and Australia

26. Slender-Snouted Crocodile Scientific Name : Mecistops cataphractus Mass : 276-717 lbs. Length : 8.2 ft. Distribution : Parts of Africa

27. Siamese Crocodile Scientific Name: Crocodylus siamensis Mass : 88-154 lbs. Length: 6.9 ft. Distribution : Indonesia,   Brunei, East Malaysia, Laos Cambodia, Burma, Thailand , and  Vietnam

28. Gharials

29. Indian Gharial Scientific Name :   Gavialis gangeticus Mass: 351-551   lbs. Length : 9.8-16.4   ft. on average (Male) 8.9-12.3   ft. on average (Female) Distribution: Few n ational parks across parts of India and Nepal