Caiman 36-VII
SAUROPSIDA
Crocodylia
  
 
Alligators, crocodiles and caimans, like this one, are more closely related to birds than to other "reptiles," but are included with reptiles by convention.



Chapter Outline
  1. Description of Sauropsida
  2. Classification of Sauropsida
  3. Sphenodontia
  4. Squamata
  5. Serpentes
  6. Testudines
  7. Crocodylia
  8. Paleo Sauropsida

Tree
NCBI Tree | Paleo Tree



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In addition to the turtles, the other main division of Archelosauria is Archosauria. Archosauria splits between Crocodylia and Dinosauria. Dinosauria contains the dinosaurs, which are the topic of the next page. The birds that live on earth today are a subdivision of Dinosauria and they will be explored in the next chapter.

  • Sauropsida
    • Lepidosauria
      • Sphenodontia - Tuataras (36-III)
      • Squamata - Lizards and Snakes (36-IV)
        • Dibamidae (bottom of this page)
        • Xenodermidae (bottom of this page)
        • Bifurcata
          • Gekkota - Geckos
          • Unidentata
            • Scinciformata - Skinks, Spinytail Lizards, Plated Lizards
            • Episquamata
              • Laterata
              • Toxicofera
                • Anguimorpha
                • Iguania
                • Serpentes (36-V)
        • >>> Paleo Tree - Mosasaurs, etc.
    • Archelosauria
      • Testudinata
        • Testudines - Turtles (36-VI)
      • Archosauria
        • Crocodylia - Crocodiles, Alligators and Caimans
        • Dinosauria - Dinosaurs
          • Ornithischia
          • Saurischia
            • (various dinosaurs)
            • Aves - Birds (Chapter 37)

The order Crocodylia is split between the family Alligatoridae and Longirostres. Longirostres contains the families Crocodylidae and Gavialidae.

As of 2024, 6 species of Crocodylia have been observed in iNaturalist in the US and 27 throughout the world. Only the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) and the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) are native to the US.

  • FAMILY ALLIGATORIDAE
    • SUBFAMILY ALLIGATORINAE
      • American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) - 2 (Everglades, Okefenokee), 6 (Omaha Zoo), 9 (ABQ Biopark)
      • Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis) - 6 (St. Louis Zoo), 9 (ABQ Biopark), Tulsa Zoo
    • SUBFAMILY CAIMANINAE
      • Spectacled Caiman or Common Caiman (Caiman crocodilus) - NOAH - 6 (SCZ and Omaha Zoos)
      • Broad-Nosed Caiman (Caiman latirostris) - 6 (SCZ)
      • Black Caiman (Melanosuchus niger)
      • Dwarf Caiman (Paleosuchus sp.) - 6 (Omaha Zoo)
  • LONGIROSTRES
    • FAMILY CROCODYLIDAE
      • American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) - 2 (Everglades)
      • Philippine Crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) - 6 (Omaha Zoo)
      • Cuban Crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer) - 6 (SCZ)
      • Slender-Snouted Crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus) - 6 (KC Zoo)
      • Dwarf Crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis)
    • FAMILY GAVIALIDAE
      • SUBFAMILY GAVIALINAE
        • Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)
      • SUBFAMILY TOMISTOMINAE
        • False Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii)

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