Interesting Facts
- Dwarf Caimans are often distinguished by the unusual shape of their head . The skull sits very high and the snout makes an upturned curl. The structure of the skull suggests that they make use of burrows as shelter during the day.
- The diet of the Dwarf Caiman, including invertebrates , is a result of the structure of their teeth -- and vice versa. The short and backward curved feature is efficient in dining on invertebrates.
Common Names
Click on the language to view common names.
Common Names in English:
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman, Cuvier's Smooth-Fronted Caiman, Dwarf Caiman, Dwarf Caiman, Cuvier's Smooth-Fronted Caiman, Musky Caiman
Common Names in German:
Brauen-Glattstirnkaimans
Description
Physical Description
Species Paleosuchus palpebrosus
Length
of males is 4' 6" (about 1.5 m
) and females 3' 9" (about 1.2 m).
Color for juveniles
is brown with blank
banding
.
Adults
are darker, though their heads
appear to be a lighter brown.
Unique shaped head; short and smooth
.
Upper jaw overlaps the lower.
Skin
is tough and considered poor quality compared to other crocodilian.
Heavy scales
cover
the back as well as the belly (serving as protection as a result of size).
Habitat
Semi aquatic ; living in swamps , ponds , and lakes
Biology
Diet
Aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates (some fish); crustaceans, crabs, mollusks, and shrimp
Reproduction
The females use mounds for egg
laying
, which are usually made of mud
and are hidden. Hatchings
do not occur until after 90 days and parental involvement decreases after birth. The sex of the offspring is determined by the incubation
temperature
within the nest
. High temperatures usually produce
males, while females are produced
in low temperatures.
A film coats
the newborns, therefore they must remain on land
the first day while the covering dries. The layer is used for protection and prevents mold and other such growths on the body.
Behavior
Dwarf caimans are usually found alone or in pairs.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom:
Animalia
(
)
- animals
- Phylum:
Chordata
()
- Chordates
- Class:
Reptilia
()
- Reptiles
- Order:
Crocodylia
()
- Family:
Crocodylidae (Alligatoridae) Crocodylia
()
- Genus:
Paleosuchus
()
- (Cuvier, 1807)
- Specific name:
palpebrosus
- Cuvier
- Scientific name: - Paleosuchus palpebrosus Cuvier
- Specific name:
palpebrosus
- Cuvier
- Genus:
Paleosuchus
(
- Family:
Crocodylidae (Alligatoridae) Crocodylia
(
- Order:
Crocodylia
(
- Class:
Reptilia
(
- Phylum:
Chordata
(
Unambiguous Synonyms
- Alligator palpebrosus Duméril and Bibron 1836: 67
- Alligator palpebrosus — DumÉril & Bibron 1836: 67
- Champsa gibbiceps Natterer 1840: 324
- Champsa palpebrosa Wagler 1830: 140
- Crocodilus palpebrosus Cuvier 1807: 35
- Jacaretinga moschifer SPIX 1825 /i> (Fide Duméril and Bibron 1836: 69)
- Palaeosuchus palpebrosus (Cuvier, 1807)
- Paleosuchus palpebrosus — Gorzula & SeÑaris 1999
- Paleosuchus palpebrosus — King & Burke 1989
Notes
Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: Uetz P.
Similar Species
Members of the genus Paleosuchus
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 4 species and subspecies in this genus:
P. palpebrosus (Cuvier's Smooth-Fronted Caiman) · P. trigomatus (Schneider's Smooth-Fronted Caiman) · P. trigonatus (Schneider's Smooth-Fronted Caiman) · P. trigonotus
More Info
- Search for Pictures: images.google.com
- Search for Scholarly Articles: Google Scholar
- Search using Scientific Name and Vernacular Names: All the Web | AltaVista Canada | AltaVista | Excite | Google | HotBot | Lycos
- Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books
Further Reading
- Contents and index to volume 12, numbers 1 to 19, Zoological series / Wilfred H. Osgood. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History, 1929. ENG url p. 518, p. viii.
- Crocodile Specialist Group. For more information, see the Specialist Group website
- Cuvier (1807) Ann. Natl. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 10: 8-86.
- Cuvier, G. Sur les diff and amp;eacute;rentes especes de crocodiles vivans et sur leurs caracteres distinctifs. Ann. Natl. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 10: 8-86., 1807.
- Duméril & Bibron (1836) Erpetologie Générale, Vol.3.
- Gorzula & Señaris (1999) Contrib. herpetof. Venezuelan Guayana. I.
- Hoogmoed et al. (1991) Zoologische Mededelingen 65: 53-88
- Hoogmoed, M.S., Gruber, U. (1983): Spix and Wagler type specimens of reptiles and amphibians in the Natural History Musea in Munich (Germany) and Leiden (The Netherlands). - Spixiana Supplement, München 9, pp. [319-415]
- King, F. W. and R. L. Burke, eds. 1989. Crocodilian, Tuatara, and Turtle Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Association of Systematics Collections. Washington, D.C. ISBN: 0-942924-15-0.
- Magnusson (1992) Cat. Amer. Amph. Rept. 554 1992: 1-2
- Medem (1953) Rev. Colomb. Antropologia 1 (1): 409-419
- Medem (1967) Atas do Simp.sobre Biota Amaz. 3: 141-162
- Medem (1972) Rev. Acad. Colomb. Ci., Ex., Fis., Nat. 53: 33-36
- Miscellaneous publication - University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History. Lawrence, University of Kansas, 1946-1996. ENG url p. 194.
- Natterer (1840) Ann. naturhist. Hof. Mus. Wien 2: 322
- Nickel et al. (2004) Draco 5 (20): 4-19
- Notes on South American caimans, by Karl P. Schmidt. Reports on results of the Captain Marshall Field expeditions. Chicago, 1928. ENG url p. 209, p. 210, p. 211, p. 212, p. 229.
- Scott et al. (1990) Vida Silv. Neotrop. 2 (2): 43-51
- Spix et al. (1825) Animalia nova Brasil.
- The crocodilian genus Paleosuchus. [Chicago]Chicago Natural History Museum, 1958. ENG url p. 229, p. 230, p. 231, p. 232, p. 233, p. 238, p. 243, p. 244, p. 245.
- The South American herpetofauna: its origin, evolution, and dispersal / William E. Duellman, editor. Lawrence, Kan.: Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, 1979. ENG url p. 296.
- Thireau et al. (1998) The Linnean 13 (4): 38-45
- Vaillant (1898) Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris (3) 10: 143-212
- Wermuth & Fuchs (1978) Bestimmen Krokodilen Häute.
- Ziegler et al. (2004) Draco 5 (20): 28-31
- Ziegler et al. (2004) Draco 5 (20): 39-47
Notes
Contributors
- Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 and ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed October 7, 2006.
- Clark, M. A. WhoZoo.
- Crocodile Specialist Group 1996. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 18, 2008.
- Crocodile Specialist Group 1996. Paleosuchus palpebrosus. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. and lt;www.iucnredlist.org and gt;. Downloaded on 21 October 2006.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 27, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.
- Uetz, Peter. The Reptile Database
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 27, 2008:
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology: Terrestrial vertebrate specimens
- SysTax
- SysTax: Zoologische Staatssammlung Munchen
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2543281
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Rep-23306
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 551814
- IUCN ID: 46587
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 71181
Curator for this page: Marco de Andrade. Date last reviewed: 12/30/1899
