Charibbean Crocodile Research Paper

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Species
A total of 14 extant species have been recognized. Further genetic study is needed for the confirmation of proposed species under the genus Osteolaemus, which is currentlymonotypic. Species name | Image | Distribution | Description/Comments | American crocodile(Crocodylus acutus) | | Throughout theCaribbean Basin, including many of theCaribbean islands andSouth Florida. | A larger sized species, with grayish color and a prominent V-shaped snout. Prefers brackish water but also inhabits lower stretches of rivers and true marine environments. This species is one of the rare species that exhibits sea-going behavior regularly, which explains the great distribution throughout the Caribbean. It is also found in hypersaline lakes such as Lago Enriquillo, in the Dominican Republic, which has one of the largest populations of this species.[8] Diet consists mostly of aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates. Classified as Vulnerable, but certain local populations under greater threat. | Slender-snouted crocodile(Crocodylus cataphractus) | | Central
andWestern Africa | A medium sized species with a narrow and elongated snout. Lives in freshwater habitats within tropical forests of the continent. Feeds mostly on fish but also other small to medium sized vertebrates. Possibly belongs to its own monotypic genus, Mecistops.[9] Insufficient data on conservation. | Orinoco crocodile(Crocodylus intermedius) | | Colombia andVenezuela | This is a large species with a relatively elongated snout and a pale tan coloration with scattered dark brown markings. Lives primarily in the Orinoco Basin. Despite having a rather narrow snout, preys on a wide variety of vertebrates, including large mammals. It is a Critically Endangered species. | Freshwater crocodile(Crocodylus johnsoni) | | Northern Australia | A smaller species with a narrow and elongated snout. It has a light brown coloration with darker bands on body and tail. Lives in rivers with considerable distance from the sea, to avoid confrontations with saltwater crocodiles. Feeds mostly on fish and other small vertebrates. | Philippine crocodile(Crocodylus mindorensis) | | Endemic to thePhilippines | This is a relatively small species with a rather broader snout. It has heavy dorsal armor and a golden-brown color that darkens as the animal matures. Prefers freshwater habitats and feeds on a variety of small to medium sized vertebrates. This species is Critically Endangered and in fact is the most severely threatened species of crocodile.[10] | Morelet's crocodile(Crocodylus moreletii) | | Atlantic regions of Mexico,Belize andGuatemala | A small to medium sized crocodile with a rather broad snout. It has a dark grayish-brown color and is found in mostly various freshwater habitats. Feeds on mammals, birds and reptiles. It is Conservation Dependent. | Nile crocodile(Crocodylus niloticus) | | Sub-saharan Africa | A large and aggressive species with a broad snout, especially in older animals. It has a dark bronze coloration and darkens as the animal matures. Lives in a variety of freshwater habitats but is also found in brackish water. It is an apex predator that is capable of taking a wide array of African vertebrates, including large ungulates and other predators.[11] This species is listed as Least Concern. | New Guinea crocodile(Crocodylus novaeguineae) | | The island ofNew Guinea | A smaller species of crocodile with grey-brown color and dark brown to black markings on the tail. The young have a narrower V-shaped snout that becomes wider as the animal matures. Prefers freshwaterhabitats, even though is tolerant to salt water, in order to avoid competition and predation by the saltwater crocodile. This species feeds on small to mid-sized vertebrates. | Mugger crocodile(Crocodylus palustris) | | The Indian subcontinentand surrounding countries | This a modest sized crocodile with a very broad snout and an alligator-like appearance. It has dark-grey to brown coloration with enlarged scutes around the neck, making it a considerably heavy armored species. Prefers slow mowing rivers, swamps and lakes. It can also be found in coastal swamps but avoids areas populated by saltwater crocodiles.[12] Feeds on a wide array of vertebrates. | Saltwater crocodile(Crocodylus porosus) | | ThroughoutSoutheast Asia,Northern Australia and surrounding waters | The largest living reptile and most aggressive of all crocodiles. It is a big-headed species and has a relatively broad snout, especially when older. The coloration is pale yellow with black stripes when young but dark greenish-drab colored as adults. Lives in brackish and marine environments as well as lower stretches ofrivers. This species has the greatest distribution of all crocodiles. Tagged specimens showed long-distance marine traveling behavior. It is the apex predator throughout its range and preys on virtually any animal within its reach. It is classified as Least Concern with several populations under greater risk.[13] | Cuban crocodile(Crocodylus rhombifer) | | Found only in the Zapata Swamp of Cuba | It is a small but extremely aggressive species of crocodile that prefers freshwater swamps.[14] The coloration is vibrant even as adults and the scales have a "pebbled" appearance.
It is a relatively terrestrial species with agile locomotion on land, sometimes displays terrestrial hunting. The snout is broad with a thick upper-jaw and large teeth. The unique characteristics and fossil record indicates a rather specialized diet in the past, preying on megafauna such as the giant sloth. This species sometimes displays pack-hunting behavior, which might have been the key to hunting large species in the past, despite its small size.[15] Today most prey are small to medium sized vertebrates. It is Critically Endangered, and yet the remaining wild population is under threat of hybridization.[16]
| Siamese crocodile(Crocodylus siamensis) | | Indonesia,Brunei, East Malaysia and southernIndochina | A fairly small sized crocodile that prefers freshwater habitats. It has a relatively broad snout and olive-green to dark green coloration. It feeds on a variety of small to mid-sized vertebrates. Listed as Critically Endangered, but might be already extinct in the wild, status is unknown.[17] | Desert crocodile(Crocodylus suchus) | | Western andCentral Africa | Recent studies revealed that this is distinct species from the larger Nile crocodile.[18][19] It is much smaller with a slightly narrower snout and is much smaller compared to its larger cousin. | Dwarf crocodile(Osteolaemus tetraspis) | | Western Africa | It is the smallest of all living crocodiles. Belongs to its own monotypic genus, however new studies indicate there might be two or even three distinct species.[20] It is a heavily armored species with uniform black coloration in adults but juveniles have a lighter brown banding. Lives in the tropical forests of Western Africa. Feeds on small vertebrates and large aquatic invertebrates. It is a fairly terrestrial species and exhibits terrestrial hunting, especially at night. This species is classified as Vulnerable. |