Not to be confused with caiman lizards (a kind of lizard) or blue iguanas, which are sometimes called Grand Cayman iguanas.
For the genus, see Caiman (genus). For other uses, see Caiman (disambiguation).
Caimans
Temporal range: Paleocene–Present, 66–0 Ma
PreꞒ
Ꞓ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Yacare caiman, Caiman yacare
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Reptilia
Clade:
Archosauromorpha
Clade:
Archosauriformes
Order:
Crocodilia
Family:
Alligatoridae
Subfamily:
Caimaninae Brochu, 1999
Type genus
Caiman
Spix, 1825
Genera and species
See below
A caiman (/ˈkeɪmən/; also cayman as a variant spelling[1] from Taíno kaiman[2][additional citation(s) needed]) is an alligatorid belonging to the subfamily Caimaninae, one of two primary lineages within the Alligatoridae family, the other being alligators. Caimans are native to Central and South America and inhabit marshes, swamps, lakes, and mangrove rivers. They have scaly skin and live a fairly nocturnal existence. They are relatively small-sized crocodilians with an average maximum weight of 6 to 40 kg (13 to 88 lb) depending on species, with the exception of the black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), which can grow more than 4 m (13 ft) in length and weigh in excess of 1,000 kg (2,200 Ib). The black caiman is the largest caiman species in the world and is found in the slow-moving rivers and lakes that surround the Amazon basin. The smallest species is the Cuvier's dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus), which grows to 1.2 to 1.5 m (3.9 to 4.9 ft) long. There are six different species of caiman found throughout the watery jungle habitats of Central and Southern America. The average length for most of the other caiman species is about 2 to 2.5 m (6.6 to 8.2 ft) long.
Caimans are distinguished from alligators, their closest relatives, by a few defining features: a lack of a bony septum between the nostrils, ventral armor composed of overlapping bony scutes formed from two parts united by a suture, and longer and sharper teeth than alligators, plus caimans tend to be more agile and crocodile-like in their movements.[3] The calcium rivets on caiman scales make their hides stiffer.
Several extinct forms are known, including Purussaurus, a giant Miocene genus that grew to 12 m (39 ft) and the equally large Mourasuchus, which had a wide duck-like snout.[4]
^Dictionary.com, retrieved February 16, 2021
^Patte, Marie-France (2010). "Arawak vs. Lokono. What's in a name?". In Faraclas, Nicholas (ed.). In a Sea of Heteroglossia: Pluri-Lingualism, Pluri-Culturalism, and Pluri-Identification in the Caribbean. Curaçao: Fundashon pa Planifikashon di Idioma & Universiteit van de Nederlandse Antillen. p. 80. ISBN 978-99904-2-300-6.
^Guggisberg, C.A.W. (1972). Crocodiles: Their Natural History, Folklore, and Conservation. David & Charles. p. 195. ISBN 978-0-7153-5272-4.
^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.
A caiman (/ˈkeɪmən/; also cayman as a variant spelling from Taíno kaiman[additional citation(s) needed]) is an alligatorid belonging to the subfamily Caimaninae...
The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) is a crocodilian reptile endemic to South America. With a maximum length of around 5 to 6 m (16 to 20 ft) and a mass...
yacare caiman (Caiman yacare), also known commonly as the jacare caiman, Paraguayan caiman, piranha caiman, red caiman, and southern spectacled caiman, is...
The spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus), also known as the white caiman, common caiman, and speckled caiman, is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae...
The Caiman is an MRAP with a V-hull design based on the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) and Low Signature Armored Cab (LSAC), initially developed...
The Caiman (Italian: Il caimano, referring to the caiman) is a 2006 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Nanni Moretti and starring Silvio Orlando and...
The northern caiman lizard (Dracaena guianensis) is a species of lizard found in northern South America. The northern caiman lizard is built similarly...
Paraguay caiman lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae. It is found in Northern Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia. Paraguay caiman lizards are...
tankōbon volumes. Dorohedoro tells the story of the amnesiac reptilian-headed Caiman, working together with his friend Nikaido to recover his memories and survive...
contexts. HT-29 Caimán Spanish Army designation for NH90 GSPA TTH. MRH-90 Taipan Australian Defence Force designation for NH90 TTH. NH90 TTH Caïman French Army...
spellings of the name included allagarta and alagarto. Alligators and caimans split in North America during the early Tertiary or late Cretaceous (about...
Cécile Fatiman, a Vodou mambo, presided over the religious ceremony at Bois Caïman, in August 1791, that served as the catalyst to the 1791 slave revolt which...
USS Caiman (SS-323), a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy that was later transferred to the Turkish Naval Forces in 1972 under...
Roche Caïman (French pronunciation: [ʁɔʃ kaimɑ̃]) is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Mahé. It has a football stadium...
Europeans. The Cayman Islands got their name from the word for crocodile (caiman) in the language of the Arawak-Taíno people. It is believed that the first...
semiaquatic reptiles, which includes true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans, and the gharial and false gharial. A member of this order is called a...
Melanosuchus is a genus of caiman. The black caiman of South America is the sole extant (living) species, and is the largest living member of the subfamily...