Note: The length of skull for crocodiles does not include the mandibles.

ALLIGATORS AND CAIMANS:

American Alligator (Alligator mississipiensis) Once common from Eastern Texas to the southern tip of Virginia, the American Alligator is now restricted to an area between the Rio Grande River in Eastern Texas and Northern Florida. A broad snouted creature, the American Alligator has about 80 massive teeth, which help it feed on hard food, such as turtles, as well as fish. Length of skull: 24 inches. Price $440.00

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Broad-snouted Caiman (Caiman latirostris)     A very wide snouted form with a marked ridge on the muzzle, it is restricted to the eastern part of South America outside the Amazon drainage. They feed principally on hard food such as snails, crabs and crustaceans. Length of skull 8 inches. Price: $139.00

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Schneider's Smooth-fronted Caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus)     A small and primitive caiman found in the Amazon and Orinoco drainages, attains a length of 2.25 meters (7 feet). Their eyes are covered by a bony scute called a palpebral bone, which has been cast as part of the skull. Length of skull 10.1 inches.   Price: $139.00

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Cuvier's Smooth-fronted (Dwarf) Caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) A bit smaller than the other Smooth-fronted Caiman, reaching a length of 1.7 meters (5 feet). Palpebral bones cast with the skull. Skull length 7 inches. Price: $139.00

CROCODILES:

American crocodile (Crocodilus acutus) The American Crocodile is restricted to extreme southern Florida; its distribution throughout Central and South America suggests that it is a recent arrival there. The northernmost specimens, such as the one cast, have a relatively broad snout; captivity also seems to result in broadening of the snout. This is the biggest American Crocodile skull we have ever seen! Length of skull: 31 inches. Price: $460.00

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African Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolamis tetraspis)      A relatively primitive crocodilian, the Dwarf Crocodile is endangered throughout its range. Length of skull 10.6 inches. Price: $159.00

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West African Long-snouted Crocodile (Crocodilus cataphractus)      Principally a denizen of rivers, marshes and pools in rainforest areas, this crocodilian grows to a length of 3 meters (9 feet). Feeds primarily on fish, as suggested by the elongate, narrow snout. Length of skull 16 inches. Price: $240.00

GAVIALS:

False Gavial (Tomistoma schlegeli) Native to Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand and Malaysia, the False Gavial has a more restricted distribution than does the Gavial. Similarly long and narrow snouted, the False Gavial has been observed to eat monkeys as well as fish; the False Gavial has a total of about 80 teeth. Length of skull:19.5 inches. Price $240.00 Ganges Gavial (Gavialis gangeticus)     A native of Southeast Asia including Pakistan and India, the Gavial is a long, slender snouted fish eater armed with a long battery of relatively small, sharp teeth, numbering about 100 in all. Skull length 31 inches. Price: $450.00   Black Caiman (Melanosuchus niger) The black caiman can grow to at least 4 meters (13 feet) in length, making it the largest member of the Alligatoridae family and the largest predator in the Amazon basin. They eat fish, including piranhas, electric eels, birds, turtles, and land-dwelling animals like the capybara and deer when they come to the water to get a drink. Larger specimens can take tapirs, cougars, anacondas and jaguars. Their teeth are designed to grab but not rip, so they swallow their food whole after drowning it. Length of skull 23.3 inches. Price: $460.00 Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodilus porosus) The saltwater or estuarine crocodile is the largest of all living reptiles. It is found in suitable habitat throughout Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Length of skull: 27.6 inches. Price $480.00   Nile Crocodile (Crocodilus niloticus) The Nile crocodile is one of the 3 species of crocodiles found in Africa, and the second largest species of crocodile. Nile crocodiles can be found throughout most of Africa south of the Sahara, and on the island of Madagascar. The Nile crocodile can, and sometimes will, easily snatch and devour a human. Length of skull 18.0 inches. Price: $240.00

Crocodile References:
References we have found useful dealing with crocodilians are:

Steel, Rodney 1989 Crocodiles, Christopher Helm, London.
This book contains good sketches of the head of each of the living species.

Steel, Rodney 1973 Crocodylia, Gustav Fisher Verlag, Stuttgart.
A technical review of all living and fossil crocodiles, it contains descriptions of the skulls of all the living species, and illustrations of most, though some of the illustrations are semi-schematic.

URL: http://www.azdrybones.com/crocodylia.htm
Last Updated: August 26, 2007
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