Caiman

Caiman

Deuterostomia

Caimans
Yacare Caiman, Caiman yacare
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Superorder: Crocodylomorpha
Order: Crocodylia
Family: Alligatoridae
Subfamily: Caimaninae
Brochu, 1999
Type species
Caiman fissipes
Spix, 1825
Genera

Caimans are alligatorid crocodylians within the subfamily Caimaninae. The group is one of two subfamilies of the family Alligatoridae, the other being alligators. Caimans inhabit Central and South America. They are relatively small crocodilians, with most species reaching lengths of only a few meters, although one species, the Black caiman, can exceed 4 metres (13 ft) in length. Several extinct forms are known, including Purussaurus, a giant Miocene genus that grew to 12 metres (39 ft) and the equally large Mourasuchus, which had a wide duck-like snout.[1]

Taxonomy

References

  1. ^ Brochu, C. A. (1999). "Phylogenetics, Taxonomy, and Historical Biogeography of Alligatoroidea". Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 6: 9–100. doi:10.2307/3889340. JSTOR 3889340. 



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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Caiman — Caïman (animal) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Caiman (genre). Nom vernaculaire ou nom normalisé ambigu : Le terme « Caïman  » s applique, en français, à plusieurs taxons distincts …   Wikipédia en Français

  • caïman — [ kaimɑ̃ ] n. m. • 1588; caymane 1584; esp. caiman; mot caraïbe 1 ♦ Reptile aquatique d Amérique tropicale et équatoriale (crocodiliens) à museau large et court. ⇒ alligator. Le caïman à lunettes. 2 ♦ (1895) Arg. Préparateur ou directeur d études …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • caiman — CAIMÁN, caimani, s.m. Specie de crocodil din America Centrală şi de Sud care are pe partea ventrală plăci osoase mobile. – Din fr. caïman. Trimis de viorelgrosu, 29.01.2003. Sursa: DEX 98  CAIMÁN2, caimani, s.m. (reg.) Persoană care însoţeşte în …   Dicționar Român

  • caiman — also cayman, 1570s, from Port. or Sp. caiman, from a Carib word, or perhaps from a Congo African word applied to the reptiles in the new world by African slaves. The name appears to be one of those like anaconda and bom, boma, which the… …   Etymology dictionary

  • caiman — [kā′mən] n. [ModL < Sp < Carib acayuman] any of a genus (Caiman) of Central and South American crocodilian reptiles similar to alligators …   English World dictionary

  • Caiman — Cai man, n. (Zo[ o]l.) See {Cayman}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • caimán — sustantivo masculino 1. (macho y hembra) Reptil de hocico ancho y aplanado, que cuando cierra la boca deja escondido el cuarto diente inferior, a diferencia del resto de los cocodrilos, aunque es de su mismo orden. 2. Origen: Colombia. Sustituto… …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

  • caimán — (Del taíno kaimán). 1. m. Reptil del orden de los Emidosaurios, propio de los ríos de América, muy parecido al cocodrilo, pero algo más pequeño, con el hocico obtuso y las membranas de los pies muy poco extensas. 2. Persona que con astucia y… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • caiman — (also cayman) ► NOUN ▪ a tropical American reptile similar to an alligator. ORIGIN Carib …   English terms dictionary

  • Caiman — Para el modelo de automóvil deportivo, véase Porsche Cayman. Para el Territorio Británico de Ultramar del mar Caribe, véase Islas Caimán. Para la obra de teatro de Antonio Buero Vallejo, véase Caimán (obra de teatro) …   Wikipedia Español

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