Caiman

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Caimans
Temporal range:
PaleocenePresent, 60–0 Ma
Caiman yacare.jpg
Yacare Caiman, Caiman yacare
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Superorder: Crocodylomorpha
Order: Crocodilia
Family: Alligatoridae
Subfamily: Caimaninae
Brochu, 1999
Type species
Caiman latirostris
Genera and Species

See below

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A caimán is an alligatorid crocodilian belonging to the subfamily Caimaninae, one of two primary lineages within Alligatoridae, the other being alligators.

Description

Caimans inhabit Central and South America. They are relatively mid-small sized crocodilians, with the smallest being Cuvier's dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus), which grows to 1 m (3 ft) long, and the largest being the black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), which can grow to  5 m (15 ft) or more. Caimans are distinguished from alligators, their closest (and more widely-known) relatives, by a few defining features: a lack of a bony septum between the nostrils, ventral armor composed of overlapping bony scutes formed from two parts united by a suture, and relatively longer, more slender teeth than those that alligators possess. Several extinct forms are known, including Purussaurus, a giant Miocene genus that grew to 12 m (39 ft) and the equally large Mourasuchus, which had a wide duck-like snout.[1]

Taxonomy

Spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus)
Broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris)
Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare)
Black caiman (Melanosuchus niger)
Cuvier's dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus)
Smooth-fronted caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus)

Phylogeny

Below is a cladogram modified from Brochu (2011).[2]

 Alligatoridae 

Alligatorinae


 Caimaninae 

<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Eocaiman cavernensis




<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Necrosuchus ionensis



<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Tsoabichi greenriverensis




Paleosuchus palpebrosus



Paleosuchus trigonatus





<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Mourasuchus



<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Orthogenysuchus olseni




<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Purussaurus mirandai



<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Purussaurus neivensis




 Jacarea 


Caiman crocodilus



Caiman yacare





Caiman latirostris



UCMP 39978 (referred to Caiman lutescens)




<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Melanosuchus fisheri



Melanosuchus niger








Below is a cladogram modified from Hastings et al. (2013).[3]



<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Stangerochampsa mccabei




<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Brachychampsa montana



<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Brachychampsa sealeyi



 Alligatoridae 

Alligatorinae


 Caimaninae 

<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Culebrasuchus mesoamericanus




<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Eocaiman cavernensis




<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Tsoabichi greenriverensis





Paleosuchus palpebrosus



Paleosuchus trigonatus






<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Centenariosuchus gilmorei




<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Purussaurus neivensis




<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Mourasuchus



<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Orthogenysuchus olseni








Caiman crocodilus



Caiman yacare





Caiman latirostris



<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Caiman lutescens




<templatestyles src="Noitalic/styles.css"/>Melanosuchus fisheri



Melanosuchus niger












References

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mk:Кајмани