One surefire way to distinguish between caimans and alligators is to look inside of their mouths. Caimans live in Central and South America.Īlligators are usually bigger than caimans, but black caimans are the exception to this rule. ![]() Caimans also have stronger overbites with upper jaws that are more visibly distended than alligators.Īlligators live in North America. If you know what you’re looking for, however, you can tell where they differ.įor starters, alligators have conical teeth while caimans have sharper, more jagged ones. ![]() These variations can be harder to spot since caimans and alligators are so closely related. What is the difference between a caiman and an alligator? There are more differences, but they’re genetic or chromosomal rather than something that can be detected with the naked eye. Crocodiles don’t have this luxury their upper and lower jaws have an even length, so when their teeth come together, the lower ones tend to jut out like spikes. Like humans, caimans have an overbite that allows their jaws to comfortably close because their upper teeth slide in front of their lower ones. ![]() Caimans have rounded U-shaped snouts while crocodiles have sharper and more V-shaped ones.Īnother difference can be found in their teeth. The biggest difference between a caiman and a crocodile is their snout. What is the difference between a caiman and a crocodile? It comes from the Greek words meaning “black” (melas) and “crocodile” (soukhos). The scientific name of the black caiman is melanosuchus niger. It’s part of the caiman species, and it’s covered in black scales. The origins of “black caiman” are pretty straightforward. To put it simply, alligators and caimans have more in common with each other than with crocodiles. Family: Alligatoridae (alligators, caimans)Ĭrocodiles occupy the same class and order, but their family is called “crocodylidae” rather than “alligatoridae.” They come from the same ancestors, but they branch off and do their own thing.Order: Crocodilia (alligators, crocodiles, caimans).Alligators, crocodiles and caimans occupy a tangled family tree. No, but you can be forgiven for getting confused. It’s a little like humans growing gray hair: Juveniles have vivid bands whereas older males and females have faded ones. They have large eyes that are primed for nocturnal hunting, and their snouts are sculpted with bony ridges that extend down their faces.Īdditionally, black caimans have white or yellow bands around their flanks that will gradually dull as they get older. Despite their name, their coloring can range from a true black to a mottled gray, brown, tan, or olive. What does the black caiman look like?īlack caimans are large and dark-scaled. Would you like to learn more about this savage, stealthy species? Here are just a few black caiman facts to get to know them better. It’s one of the largest crocodilian species in South America’s Amazon jungle, and it’s also one of the deadliest. Its shining eyes are focused on a wild pig taking a drink from the river, and in the light of the moon, it makes a sharp, decisive snap.Ĭongratulations! You’ve just witnessed the hunting process of the black caiman. There’s a dark shadow gliding through the water. Why is the black caiman considered a keystone species? How long does it take for young black caimans to leave their families? Can black caimans co-exist with other species? How many young black caimans survive to adulthood? How many eggs does the black caiman lay? What do they look like? When is the breeding season for black caimans? ![]() Has the black caiman ever faced extinction? What eats a black caiman? Predators and Threats
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