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Spectacled caiman
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Spectacled caiman
The spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus), also known as the white caiman, common caiman, and speckled caiman, is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae. It is brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has a spectacle-like ridge between its eyes, which is where its common name come from. It grows to a length of 1.4–2.5 m (4 ft 7 in – 8 ft 2 in) and a weight of 7–40 kg (15–88 lb), with males being both longer and heavier than females. Its diet varies seasonally, commonly consisting of crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians and snails. Breeding occurs from May to August and 14–40 eggs are laid in July and August. This crocodilian has a large range and population; it is native to much of Latin America, and has been introduced to the United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.
The spectacled caiman was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, originally as Lacerta crocodilus. It has since been redescribed several times, including as Caiman sclerops by Schneider in 1801. Although Caiman crocodilus is now the scientific name of the species, some scientists still prefer using sclerops, as having crocodilus as the scientific name for a caiman may cause confusion.
The spectacled caiman is one of three extant (living) species of the genus Caiman, the other two being the Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare) and the Broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris). There are also several extinct fossil species in the genus Caiman, possibly up to eight species. The spectacled caiman is a member of the caiman subfamily Caimaninae, and is one of six living species of caiman. It is most closely related to the yacare caiman, as shown in the cladogram below, based on molecular DNA-based phylogenetic studies:
The spectacled caiman has four recognized subspecies:
The yacare caiman (Caiman yacare), while previously thought to be a subspecies of C. crocodilus, is now usually considered a separate species.
The Rio Apaporis caiman was believed to have become extinct by 1981, when the last known specimen died in a zoo. However, a specimen was captured in an expedition by Colombian conservation biologist Sergio Balaguera-Reina in 2018. Later, the subspecies was discovered again by wildlife biologist Forrest Galante for the television show Extinct or Alive in 2019 and identified by DNA sampling. Galante has advocated for the Rio Apaporis caiman to be considered a distinct species, while Balaguera-Reina maintains its official status as a subspecies.
The spectacled caiman has the largest range of any caiman, spanning from 17 different countries and of any New World crocodilian. It is found in various countries throughout the Americas. It lives in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela, and may also be extant in Belize and Bolivia. In Brazil, the species lives in the rivers Amazon, Araguaia, Araguari, Itapicuru, Rio Negro, Paranaíba, Solimões, Tapajós, Tocantins, and Xingu.
It has been introduced to Isla de la Juventud in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Florida in the United States. In Florida, it is sometimes misidentified as the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Invasive populations have become established in South Florida, with isolated records further north in the state. Genetic study indicates two separate introduction events into Florida.
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Spectacled caiman
The spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus), also known as the white caiman, common caiman, and speckled caiman, is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae. It is brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has a spectacle-like ridge between its eyes, which is where its common name come from. It grows to a length of 1.4–2.5 m (4 ft 7 in – 8 ft 2 in) and a weight of 7–40 kg (15–88 lb), with males being both longer and heavier than females. Its diet varies seasonally, commonly consisting of crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians and snails. Breeding occurs from May to August and 14–40 eggs are laid in July and August. This crocodilian has a large range and population; it is native to much of Latin America, and has been introduced to the United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.
The spectacled caiman was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, originally as Lacerta crocodilus. It has since been redescribed several times, including as Caiman sclerops by Schneider in 1801. Although Caiman crocodilus is now the scientific name of the species, some scientists still prefer using sclerops, as having crocodilus as the scientific name for a caiman may cause confusion.
The spectacled caiman is one of three extant (living) species of the genus Caiman, the other two being the Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare) and the Broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris). There are also several extinct fossil species in the genus Caiman, possibly up to eight species. The spectacled caiman is a member of the caiman subfamily Caimaninae, and is one of six living species of caiman. It is most closely related to the yacare caiman, as shown in the cladogram below, based on molecular DNA-based phylogenetic studies:
The spectacled caiman has four recognized subspecies:
The yacare caiman (Caiman yacare), while previously thought to be a subspecies of C. crocodilus, is now usually considered a separate species.
The Rio Apaporis caiman was believed to have become extinct by 1981, when the last known specimen died in a zoo. However, a specimen was captured in an expedition by Colombian conservation biologist Sergio Balaguera-Reina in 2018. Later, the subspecies was discovered again by wildlife biologist Forrest Galante for the television show Extinct or Alive in 2019 and identified by DNA sampling. Galante has advocated for the Rio Apaporis caiman to be considered a distinct species, while Balaguera-Reina maintains its official status as a subspecies.
The spectacled caiman has the largest range of any caiman, spanning from 17 different countries and of any New World crocodilian. It is found in various countries throughout the Americas. It lives in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela, and may also be extant in Belize and Bolivia. In Brazil, the species lives in the rivers Amazon, Araguaia, Araguari, Itapicuru, Rio Negro, Paranaíba, Solimões, Tapajós, Tocantins, and Xingu.
It has been introduced to Isla de la Juventud in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Florida in the United States. In Florida, it is sometimes misidentified as the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Invasive populations have become established in South Florida, with isolated records further north in the state. Genetic study indicates two separate introduction events into Florida.
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