Crocodile Fossil range: Late Cretaceous - Recent
Nile Crocodile
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Order: Crocodilia Family: Crocodylidae Cuvier, 1807
Genera
Mecistops Crocodylus Osteolaemus See full taxonomy. Late Cretaceous (100mya - 65mya refers to the second half of the Cretaceous Period, named after the famous white Chalk cliffs of southern England The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus) is an African Reptile of the family Crocodylidae. Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Crocodilia is an order of large Reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Period ( Campanian stage Baron Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier ( August 23 1769 &ndash May 13, 1832) was a French naturalist Year 1807 ( MDCCCVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The slender-snouted crocodile ( Crocodylus cataphractus) is a species of Crocodile. Crocodylus is one of three genera from the Crocodylinae subfamily extending from the Crocodylidae family The dwarf crocodile ( Osteolaemus tetraspis) is an African species of crocodile A crocodile is any Species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the Subfamily Crocodylinae)

A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the subfamily Crocodylinae). In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. In Biological classification, family ( Latin In Biological classification, family ( Latin The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the order Crocodilia: i. This article is about the taxonomic rank for the sequence of species in a taxonomic list see Taxonomic order In scientific classification used Crocodilia is an order of large Reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Period ( Campanian stage e. the true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae) and the gharials (family Gavialidae), or even the Crocodylomorpha which includes prehistoric crocodile relatives and ancestors. for differences between alligators and crocodiles please see Crocodilia An Alligator is a Crocodilian in the Genus Alligators and caimans are Archosaurs Species of Crocodilians and form the family Alligatoridae (sometimes regarded instead Alligators and caimans are Archosaurs Species of Crocodilians and form the family Alligatoridae (sometimes regarded instead The gharial ( Gavialis gangeticus) sometimes called the Indian gavial or gavial, is one of two surviving members of the family Gavialidae is a family of Reptiles within the order Crocodilia. The Crocodylomorpha are an important group of Archosaurs that include the Crocodilians and their extinct relatives Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Crocodiles tend to congregate in freshwater habitats like rivers, lakes, wetlands and sometimes in brackish water. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the A wetland is an area of Land consisting of Soil that is Saturated with Moisture, such as a Swamp, Marsh, or Bog They feed mostly on vertebrates like fish, reptiles, and mammals, sometimes on invertebrates like mollusks and crustaceans, depending on species. Vertebrates are members of the Subphylum Vertebrata, Chordates with backbones or spinal columns The grouping sometimes includes Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands An invertebrate is an Animal lacking a Vertebral column. The group includes 98% of all animal Species — all animals except those in the Chordate Molluscs are animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca. There are around 250000 extant Species within the phylum with an estimated 70000 Structure of crustaceans As Arthropods crustaceans have a stiff Exoskeleton, which must be shed to allow the animal to grow ( Ecdysis or molting They are an ancient lineage, and are believed to have changed little since the time of the dinosaurs. They are believed to be 200 million years old whereas dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago: crocodiles survived great extinction events. ^[1]

Contents 1 Description 1.1 Age 1.2 Size 1.3 Etymology 2 Biology and behaviour 2.1 Danger to humans 3 Taxonomy of the Crocodylidae 4 Differentiation from alligators 5 Crocodile products 6 References 7 Further reading 8 See also 9 External links

Description

Crocodiles are among the more biologically complex reptiles despite their prehistoric look. Gastralia (singular gastralium) are Dermal bones found in the ventral body wall of Crocodilian and Sphenodon species Unlike other reptiles, they have a diaphragm, cerebral cortex and four-chambered heart. For other types of diaphragm see Diaphragm. In the Anatomy of Mammals the thoracic diaphragm is a sheet of Muscle The cerebral cortex is a structure within the Brain that plays a key role in Memory, Attention, perceptual Awareness, Thought, The heart is a muscular organ in all Vertebrates responsible for pumping Blood through the Blood vessels by repeated rhythmic Their external morphology on the other hand is a sign of their aquatic and predatory lifestyle. A crocodile’s physical traits allow it to be a successful predator. They have a streamlined body that enables them to swim swiftly. Crocodiles also tuck their feet to their sides while swimming, which makes them faster by decreasing water resistance. They have webbed feet which, although not used to propel the animal through the water, allow it to make fast turns and sudden moves in the water or initiate swimming. Webbed feet are an advantage in shallower water where the animals sometimes move around by walking.

Crocodiles have a palatal flap, a rigid tissue at the back of the mouth that blocks the entry of water. The palate has a special path from the nostril to the glottis that bypasses the mouth. The nostrils are closed during submergence. Like other archosaurs, crocodilians are diapsid, although their post-temporal fenestrae are reduced. Archosaurs ( Greek for 'ruling lizards' are a group of Diapsid Reptiles represented by Modern birds and Crocodilians This group also Diapsids ("two arches" are a group of Reptiles that developed two holes ( Temporal fenestra) in each side of their Skulls about 300 Million The walls of the braincase are bony but they lack supratemporal and postfrontal bones. ^[1]

Crocodilian scales have pores that are believed to be sensory, analagous to the lateral line in fishes. In Fish, the lateral line is a Sense organ used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water They are particularly seen on their upper and lower jaws. Another possibility is that they are secretory, as they produce an oily substance that appears to flush mud off. ^[1]

Crocodiles are very fast over short distances, even out of water. They have extremely powerful jaws capable of biting down with immense force, by far the strongest bite of any animal. The crocodile's bite force is more than 5,000 pounds per square inch,^[2] compared to just 335 psi for a rottweiler, 400 psi for a large great white shark, or 800 to 1,000 psi for a hyena. The great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, also known as white pointer, white shark, or white death, is an exceptionally large lamniform The Hyaenidae is a Mammalian family of order Carnivora. The Hyaenidae family native to both African and Asian continents consists of four They have sharp teeth for tearing and holding onto flesh, but cannot open their mouth if it is held closed. Since crocodiles feed by grabbing and holding onto their prey, they have evolved powerful muscles that close the jaws and hold them shut. The jaws are opened, however, by a very weak set of muscles. Crocodiles can thus be subdued for study or transport by taping their jaws or holding their jaws shut with large rubber bands cut from automobile inner tubes. Duct tape (sometimes called duck tape; A rubber band (in some regions known as a binder, elastic band, lackey band, elastic blubber, "laggy band" or gumband') This article is about tires used on road Vehicles including pneumatic tires and solid tires. All crocodiles have sharp and powerful claws. They have limited lateral movement in their neck, so on land, physical protection can be found by just getting even a small tree between the crocodile's jaws and oneself.

Age

There is no reliable way of measuring crocodile age, although several techniques are used to derive a reasonable guess. The most common method is to measure lamellar growth rings in bones and teeth - each ring corresponds to a change in growth rate which typically occurs once a year between dry and wet seasons. ^[3] Bearing these inaccuracies in mind, the oldest crocodilians appear to be the largest species. C. porosus is estimated to live around 70 years on average, and there is limited evidence that some individuals may exceed 100 years. One of the oldest crocodiles recorded died in a zoo in Russia. A male freshwater crocodile at the Australia Zoo is estimated to be 130 years old. Australia Zoo is located in the Australian state of Queensland on the Sunshine Coast near Beerwah / Glass House Mountains. He was rescued from the wild by Bob Irwin and Steve Irwin after being shot twice by hunters. Bob Irwin (born c 1939/1940 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) is an Australian naturalist, animal Conservationist, and a pioneering Stephen Robert Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006 known simply as Steve Irwin and Nicknamed " The Crocodile Hunter " was an iconic As a result of the shootings, this crocodile (known affectionately as "Mr. Freshy") has lost his right eye. ^[4]

Size

Size greatly varies between species, from the dwarf crocodile to the enormous saltwater crocodile. The dwarf crocodile ( Osteolaemus tetraspis) is an African species of crocodile The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable Species of Palaeosuchus and Osteolaemus grow to an adult size of just 1 to 1. 5 m. Larger species can reach over 5m (16 ft) long and weigh well over 1200 kg (2,640 lb). Crocodilians show pronounced sexual dimorphism with males growing much larger and more rapidly than females. ^[1] Despite their large adult size, crocodiles start their life at around 20 cm (8 inches) long. The largest species of crocodile is the saltwater crocodile, found in northern Australia and throughout south-east Asia. The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable

The largest recorded crocodile is a giant saltwater crocodile measured at 8. 6 meters (28. 2 feet) and 1352 kg weight (2870 lb) shot in Australia, Queensland in 1957 A "replica" of this crocodile has been made as a tourist attraction. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent ^[5] The largest living crocodile known is a 7. 1 m (25. 3 ft) long saltwater crocodile, in Orissa, India. The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable Orissa (ଓଡ଼ିଶା is a state located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It lives in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and in June 2006, was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records. The Bhitarkanika Mangroves are a Mangrove wetland in India 's Orissa state ^[6]

The other two larger certifiable records are both of 6. 2 m crocodiles. The first crocodile was shot in the Mary River in the Northern Territory of Australia in 1974 by poachers and measured by wildlife rangers. The Mary River flows in the Northern Territory of Australia and is a site of the Mary River National Park The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the center of the mainland continent as well as the central northern regions For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The second crocodile was killed in 1983 in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea. The Fly at, is the second longest River, after the Sepik, in Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea (or ˈpæpjuːə in Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania In this latter crocodile it was actually the skin that was measured by zoologist Jerome Montague, and as skins are known to underestimate the size of the actual animal, it is possible this crocodile was at least another 10 cm longer.

The largest crocodile ever held in captivity is an Estuarine/Siamese hybrid named Yai (Thai: ใหญ่, meaning big) (born 10 June, 1972) at the famous Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo, Thailand. Thai (th ภาษาไทย, transcription: phasa thai, transliteration:; pʰāːsǎːtʰāj is the national and Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem The Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo is an internationally renowned Crocodile Zoo in Bangkok, Thailand. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj This animal measures 6 m (19 feet) in length and weighs 1,114. 27 kg (2,450 lb. ).

Another huge captive specimen was a salt water crocodile named Gomek. The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable Gomek was a large Saltwater Crocodile captured by George Craig in Papua New Guinea. Gomek was captured by George Craig in Papua New Guinea and sold to St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida, USA. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Gomek died of heart disease in February 1997. When he died, he was 5. 5 m long - as confirmed by St. Augustine Alligator Farm - and probably between 70 and 80 years old.

Yet another enormous crocodile, named Gustave by the Africans who have seen him, is responsible for over 300 human deaths, and allegedly ate an entire hippopotamus. Gustave is a massive Nile crocodile living in Burundi. Estimated to be at least in length and weighing around 1 Ton, he is the largest crocodile ever He also stars in a film, titled Primeval. The crocodile's length is said to be anywhere between 20-30 feet long. Primeval is a 2007 horror Thriller film which was released on January 12, 2007. He lives along the Ruzizi River in Africa. The Ruzizi River flows from Lake Kivu to Lake Tanganyika in Central Africa, descending rapidly from about 1500 metres above sea level to about

Wildlife experts, however, argue that the largest crocodile so far found in the Bhitarkanika was almost 25 feet (7. 62 m) long, which could be traced from the skull preserved by the Kanika Royal Family. The crocodile was shot near Dhamara in 1926 and later its skull was preserved by the then Kanika King. Crocodile experts estimate the animal at about 7. 62 m long since the size of the skull was measured one seventh of the total length of the body.

Etymology

The English word crocodile comes from the Ancient Greek κροκόδīλος (krokódīlos) "lizard", used in the phrase ho krokódīlos ho potámios, "the lizard of the [Nile] river"[1] to refer to crocodiles in our current English sense. Saint Theodore of Amasea (d 306 Amasenus, now Amasya Turkey) is one of the Greek Military saints of the 4th century the earlier Patron saint Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c

There are several variant Greek forms of the word attested, including the later form κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos)[2] found cited in many English reference works[3]. In the Koine Greek of Roman times, krokódīlos and krokódeilos would have been pronounced identically, and either or both may be the source of the Latinized form crocodīlus used by the ancient Romans. Koine Greek (Κοινὴ Ἑλληνική, "common Greek" or, ciˈni ðiˈale̞kto̞s "the common dialect" is the popular form of Greek which emerged in The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Classical Latin is the form of the Latin language used by the ancient Romans in what is usually regarded as "classical" Latin literature. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC

Krokódīlos/krokódeilos itself is described in reference sources as a corruption of krokē ("pebbly"), and drīlos/dreilos supposedly meaning "worm" although attested only as "(man with circumcized) penis"[4]. It is unclear how well supported this analysis is. The meaning of krokē is explained as describing the skin texture of lizards (or crocodiles) in most sources, but is alternately claimed to refer to a supposed habit of (lizards or crocodiles) basking on pebbly ground[5].

The form crocodrillus is attested in Medieval Latin[6]. Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the Liturgical language of the medieval It is not clear whether this is a medieval corruption or derives from alternate Greco-Latin forms (late Greek korkodrillos and korkodrillion are attested[7]).

A (further) corrupted form cocodrille is found in Old French and was borrowed into Middle English as cocodril(le). Old French was the Romance Dialect continuum spoken in territories which span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of The Modern English form crocodile was adapted directly from the Classical Latin crocodīlus in the 16th Century, replacing the earlier form. Modern English is the form of the English language spoken since the Great Vowel Shift, completed in roughly 1550

The use of -y- in the scientific name Crocodylus (and forms derived from it) is a corruption introduced by Laurenti (1768). Crocodylus is one of three genera from the Crocodylinae subfamily extending from the Crocodylidae family Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti ( December 4, 1735 - February 17, 1805) was an Austrian naturalist.

Biology and behaviour

Crocodiles are ambush hunters, waiting for fish or land animals to come close, then rushing out to attack. As cold-blooded predators, they are lethargic, therefore survive long periods without food, and rarely need to actively go hunting. Despite their slow appearance, crocodiles are top predators in their environment, and various species have been observed attacking and killing sharks. Sharks ( Superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of Fish with a full cartilaginous Skeleton and a highly streamlined body ^[7] A famous exception is the Egyptian Plover which is said to enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the crocodile. The Egyptian Plover, Pluvianus aegyptius, is a Wader, the only member of the genus Pluvianus. This article is about the biological phenomenon for other uses see Symbiosis (disambiguation The term symbiosis (from the Greek According to unauthenticated reports, the plover feeds on parasites that infest the crocodile's mouth and the reptile will open its jaws and allow the bird to enter to clean out the mouth (Richford and Mead 2003).

Many large crocodilians swallow stones (called gastroliths or stomach stones) and they are believed to be of use in acting as ballast to balance their body. Other suggestions have been made that they may have a function similar to that of grit in birds, which is in crushing food. ^[1]

Salt glands are present in the tongues of most crocodylids and they have a pore opening on the surface of the tongue. They appear to be similar to those in marine turtles, however these seem to be absent in Alligatoridae. ^[1]

Crocodilians can produce sounds during distress and in aggressive displays. They can also hear well and the tympanic membranes are concealed by flat flaps that may be raised or lowered by muscles. ^[1]

Crocodiles eat fish, birds, mammals and occasionally smaller crocodiles. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America.

Crocodiles are protected in many parts of the world, but they also are farmed commercially. Their hide is tanned and used to make leather goods such as shoes and handbags, whilst crocodile meat is also considered a delicacy. In American English, a purse is a small Bag, also called a handbag or a pocketbook. The most commonly farmed species are the Saltwater and Nile crocodiles, while a hybrid of the Saltwater and the rare Siamese crocodile is also bred in Asian farms. Farming has resulted in an increase in the Saltwater crocodile population in Australia, as eggs are usually harvested from the wild, so landowners have an incentive to conserve crocodile habitat. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

Crocodiles are more closely related to birds and dinosaurs than to most animals classified as reptiles, the three being included in the group Archosauria ('ruling reptiles'). Archosaurs ( Greek for 'ruling lizards' are a group of Diapsid Reptiles represented by Modern birds and Crocodilians This group also See Crocodilia for more information. Crocodilia is an order of large Reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Period ( Campanian stage

Crocodile embryos do not have sex chromosomes, and unlike humans sex is not determined genetically. Sex is determined by temperature, with males produced at around 31. 6 degrees celsius, and females produced at slightly lower and higher temperatures. The average incubation period is around 80 days, and also is dependent upon temperature. ^[8]

It has been observed that crocodiles may possess a form of homing instinct. Homing is the inherent Ability of an Animal to Navigate towards an original Location through unfamiliar areas Three rogue saltwater crocodiles were relocated 400 kilometres by helicopter in northern Australia but had returned to their original locations within three weeks, based on data obtained from tracking devices attached to the reptiles. History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. ^[9]

The land speed record for a crocodile is 17 km/m (11 mph) measured in a galloping Australian freshwater crocodile. An object's Speed across land is measured by difference in movement between the object and the land beneath it The freshwater crocodile ( Crocodylus johnsoni) also known as the Australian freshwater crocodile, Johnston's crocodile or colloquially as freshie ^[10] Maximum speed varies from species to species. Certain types of crocodiles can indeed gallop, including Cuban crocodiles, New Guinea crocodiles, African dwarf crocodiles and even smaller Nile crocodiles. The dwarf crocodile ( Osteolaemus tetraspis) is an African species of crocodile The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus) is an African Reptile of the family Crocodylidae. For most species, the fastest they can move is a kind of "belly run", where the body moves in a snake-like fashion, limbs splayed out to either side paddling away frantically while the tail whips to and fro. Crocodiles can reach speeds of 10 or 11 km/h (around 7 mph) when they "belly run", and often faster if they're slipping down muddy tidal riverbanks. It is possible for a human to outrun a crocodile; the best way to do so is to run in a straight line rather than zig-zagging back and forth. Another form of locomotion is the "high walk" where the body is raised clear off the ground.

Crocodiles do not have sweat glands, so they release heat through their mouths. Consequently, they often sleep with their mouth open and may even pant like a dog. ^[11]

Danger to humans

Main article: Crocodile attacks

The larger species of crocodiles are very dangerous to humans. Crocodile attacks on people are not uncommon in places where Crocodiles are native In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. The main danger that crocodiles pose is not their ability to run after a person but their ability to strike before the person can react. The Saltwater and Nile Crocodiles are the most dangerous, killing hundreds of people each year in parts of south-east Asia and Africa. The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus) is an African Reptile of the family Crocodylidae. Mugger crocodiles and possibly the endangered Black Caiman, are also very dangerous to humans. The mugger crocodile ( Crocodylus palustris) (literally "crocodile of the Marsh " also called the Iranian, marsh, muggar The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger is a crocodilian It is a Carnivorous Reptile that lives along slow-moving Rivers and Lakes American alligators are less aggressive and rarely assault humans without provocation. The American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, (known colloquially as simply gator) is one of the two living Species of Alligator, a genus The most deaths in a single crocodile attack incident may have occurred during the Battle of Ramree Island, on February 19, 1945, in Burma. The Battle of Ramree Island was fought for six weeks during January and February 1945 as part of the British Fourteenth Army 1944/45 offensive on the Southern Front Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Nine hundred soldiers of an Imperial Japanese Army unit, in an attempt to retreat from the Royal Navy and rejoin a larger battalion of the Japanese infantry, crossed through ten miles of mangrove swamps which contained Saltwater Crocodiles. The Imperial Japanese Army ( IJA) ( Kyūjitai: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国陸軍 Romaji: Dai-Nippon Teikoku The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics. Twenty Japanese soldiers were captured alive by the British, and almost five hundred are known to have escaped Ramree. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Many of the remainder may have been eaten by the crocodiles, although gunfire from the British troops was undoubtedly a contributory factor.

Taxonomy of the Crocodylidae

Most species are grouped into the genus Crocodylus. The slender-snouted crocodile ( Crocodylus cataphractus) is a species of Crocodile. La Manzanilla is a small Mexican Town of approximately 1000 inhabitants employed in Fishing, local Palapa Restaurants small Hotels A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic The rhree other living genera of this family are both monotypic: Mecistops and Osteolaemus. Monotypic is an adjective that refers to a taxonomic group with only one type: In Botany, "monotypic" means that a Taxon has only The slender-snouted crocodile ( Crocodylus cataphractus) is a species of Crocodile. The dwarf crocodile ( Osteolaemus tetraspis) is an African species of crocodile

• Family Crocodylidae
  • Subfamily Mekosuchinae (extinct)
  • Subfamily Crocodylinae
    • Genus Crocodylus
      • Crocodylus acutus , American Crocodile
      • Crocodylus intermedius , Orinoco Crocodile
      • Crocodylus johnsoni, Freshwater Crocodile
      • Crocodylus mindorensis, Philippine Crocodile
      • Crocodylus moreletii , Morelet's Crocodile or Mexican Crocodile
      • Crocodylus niloticus, Nile Crocodile or African Crocodile (the subspecies found in Madagascar is sometimes called the Black Crocodile)
      • Crocodylus novaeguineae, New Guinea Crocodile
      • Crocodylus palustris, Mugger Crocodile, Marsh Crocodile, or Indian Crocodile
      • Crocodylus porosus , Saltwater Crocodile or Estuarine Crocodile
      • Crocodylus rhombifer , Cuban Crocodile
      • Crocodylus siamensis, Siamese Crocodile
    • Genus Mecistops
      • Mecistpos cataphractus, Slender-snouted Crocodile (Recent DNA studies suggest that this species may actually be more basal than Crocodylus, and belong in its own genus, Mecistops)
    • Genus Osteolaemus
      • Osteolaemus tetraspis, Dwarf Crocodile (there has been controversy whether or not this is actually two species; current thinking is that there is one species with 2 subspecies: O. Mekosuchinae was a subfamily of Crocodiles from Australia and the South Pacific that have now become extinct Crocodylus is one of three genera from the Crocodylinae subfamily extending from the Crocodylidae family The American crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus) is the most widespread of the four extant species of Crocodiles from the Americas. The American crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus) is the most widespread of the four extant species of Crocodiles from the Americas. The Orinoco Crocodile, Crocodylus intermedius, is a Critically endangered Crocodile found in freshwater in northern South America, in particular The Orinoco Crocodile, Crocodylus intermedius, is a Critically endangered Crocodile found in freshwater in northern South America, in particular The freshwater crocodile ( Crocodylus johnsoni) also known as the Australian freshwater crocodile, Johnston's crocodile or colloquially as freshie The freshwater crocodile ( Crocodylus johnsoni) also known as the Australian freshwater crocodile, Johnston's crocodile or colloquially as freshie The Philippine crocodile ( Crocodylus mindorensis) is a Crocodile found only in the Philippines. The Philippine crocodile ( Crocodylus mindorensis) is a Crocodile found only in the Philippines. History The Morelet crocodile was discovered in Mexico in 1850 (1 and named after the French naturalist whom made the discovery P History The Morelet crocodile was discovered in Mexico in 1850 (1 and named after the French naturalist whom made the discovery P The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus) is an African Reptile of the family Crocodylidae. The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus) is an African Reptile of the family Crocodylidae. The New Guinea crocodile ( Crocodylus novaeguineae) is a small species of Crocodile found on the island of New Guinea. The New Guinea crocodile ( Crocodylus novaeguineae) is a small species of Crocodile found on the island of New Guinea. The mugger crocodile ( Crocodylus palustris) (literally "crocodile of the Marsh " also called the Iranian, marsh, muggar The mugger crocodile ( Crocodylus palustris) (literally "crocodile of the Marsh " also called the Iranian, marsh, muggar The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable The Cuban crocodile ( Crocodylus rhombifer) is a small species (2 The Cuban crocodile ( Crocodylus rhombifer) is a small species (2 The Siamese crocodile ( Crocodylus siamensis) is a freshwater Crocodile native to Indonesia, ( Borneo and possibly Java) Brunei The Siamese crocodile ( Crocodylus siamensis) is a freshwater Crocodile native to Indonesia, ( Borneo and possibly Java) Brunei The slender-snouted crocodile ( Crocodylus cataphractus) is a species of Crocodile. The slender-snouted crocodile ( Crocodylus cataphractus) is a species of Crocodile. The slender-snouted crocodile ( Crocodylus cataphractus) is a species of Crocodile. Crocodylus is one of three genera from the Crocodylinae subfamily extending from the Crocodylidae family The slender-snouted crocodile ( Crocodylus cataphractus) is a species of Crocodile. The dwarf crocodile ( Osteolaemus tetraspis) is an African species of crocodile The dwarf crocodile ( Osteolaemus tetraspis) is an African species of crocodile The dwarf crocodile ( Osteolaemus tetraspis) is an African species of crocodile tetraspis tetraspis & O. t. osborni)
    • Genus †Euthecodon
    • Genus †Rimasuchus (formerly Crocodylus lloydi)
    • Genus †Asiatosuchus

Some of the extinct relatives of true crocodiles, members of the larger group Crocodylomorpha, were herbivorous. The Crocodylomorpha are an important group of Archosaurs that include the Crocodilians and their extinct relatives

Differentiation from alligators

While often confused, alligators and crocodiles belong to separate taxonomic families. for differences between alligators and crocodiles please see Crocodilia An Alligator is a Crocodilian in the Genus As for appearance, one generally reliable rule is that alligators have U-shaped heads, while crocodiles' heads are V-shaped.

Alligators tend to be clumsier on both land and water than crocodiles, and are reportedly less aggressive. Some zoo keepers have reportedly been able to take more liberties with alligators than with crocodiles. When cleaning alligator pools, some zoo keepers can tread on alligators without soliciting a response, though crocodiles almost invariably react aggressively. ^[12]

The alligator's upper jaw is wider than its lower jaw. The teeth in the lower jaw fit into small depressions in the upper jaw. The upper and lower jaws of the crocodile are the same width, and teeth in the lower jaw fit fall along the edge or outside the upper jaw when the mouth is closed. When the crocodile's mouth is closed, the large fourth tooth in the lower jaw fits into a constriction in the upper jaw. ^[13]

Crocodile products

Crocodile leather can be made into goods such as wallets, briefcases, purses, handbags, belts, hats, and shoes.

Crocodile is consumed in some countries, such as Australia, Ethiopia, Thailand, South Africa and also Cuba (in pickled form); it can also be found in specialty restaurants in some parts of the United States. The meat is white and its nutritional composition compares favourably with that of other meats. It tends to have a slightly higher cholesterol level than other meats. Crocodile meat has a delicate flavour; some describe it as a cross between chicken and crab. Crocodile meat can be complemented by the use of marinades. Cuts of meat include backstrap and tail fillet.

Crocodile oil has been used for centuries as a natural healing skin balm.

References

Further reading

• Iskandar, DT (2000). Turtles and Crocodiles of Insular Southeast Asia and New Guinea. ITB, Bandung.
• Crocodilian Biology Database, FAQ. "How long do crocodiles live for?" Adam Britton. [8]
• Crocodilian Biology Database, FAQ. "How fast can a crocodile run?" Adam Britton. [9]
• Richford, Andrew S. , and Christopher J. Mead (2003). "Pratincoles and Coursers", in Christopher Perrins (Ed. Professor Christopher Miles "Chris" Perrins, (b 1935 LVO FRS is a British biologist ): Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds. Firefly Books, 252–253. ISBN 1-55297-777-3.  

See also

• Crocodile attacks
• crocodile exoskeleton
• Mekosuchine crocodiles
• Crocodiles in sewers
• The Crocodile Hunter
• Steve Irwin
• Gustave (crocodile)
• crocodillin

External links

• Crocodilian Online
• Crocodilian Biology Database
• Crocodile Attacks in Australia
• BBC news finds powerful agent in crocodile blood

Crocodile attacks on people are not uncommon in places where Crocodiles are native The crocodile exoskeleton consists of the protective dermal and epidermal components of the Integumentary system in animals of the order Mekosuchinae was a subfamily of Crocodiles from Australia and the South Pacific that have now become extinct Sewer alligator stories are part of an Urban legend that date back to the late 1920s and early 1930s The Crocodile Hunter was a wildlife Stephen Robert Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006 known simply as Steve Irwin and Nicknamed " The Crocodile Hunter " was an iconic Gustave is a massive Nile crocodile living in Burundi. Estimated to be at least in length and weighing around 1 Ton, he is the largest crocodile ever Crocodillin is an Antibacterial substance found in Crocodile Blood.

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