Some species of crocodilians are known to have attacked humans. Females lay eggs in holes or in mounds and, unlike most other reptiles, care for their hatched young. During breeding, dominant males try to monopolise available females. Crocodilians are typically solitary and territorial, though cooperative feeding does occur. They are largely carnivorous, the various species feeding on animals such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs, birds, and mammals some species like the Indian gharial are specialised feeders, while others like the saltwater crocodile have generalised diets.
They have a four-chambered heart and, somewhat like birds, a unidirectional looping system of airflow within the lungs, but like other living reptiles they are ectotherms.Ĭrocodilians are found mainly in lowlands in the tropics, but alligators also live in the southeastern United States and the Yangtze River in China. They have conical, peg-like teeth and a powerful bite.
#The forest wiki alligator skin#
Their skin is thick and covered in non-overlapping scales. They swim well and can move on land in a "high walk" and a "low walk", while smaller species are even capable of galloping. Large, solidly built, lizard-like reptiles, crocodilians have long flattened snouts, laterally compressed tails, and eyes, ears, and nostrils at the top of the head. Although the term 'crocodiles' is sometimes used to refer to all of these, crocodilians is a less ambiguous vernacular term for members of this group. The order Crocodilia includes the true crocodiles (family Crocodylidae), the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae), and the gharial and false gharial (family Gavialidae). Members of the order's total group, the clade Pseudosuchia, appeared about 250 million years ago in the Early Triassic period, and diversified during the Mesozoic era. They first appeared 95 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period ( Cenomanian stage) and are the closest living relatives of birds, as the two groups are the only known survivors of the Archosauria. Clockwise from top-left: saltwater crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus), American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis), and gharial ( Gavialis gangeticus)Ĭrocodylia distribution on land (green) and at sea (blue)Ĭrocodilia (or Crocodylia, both / k r ɒ k ə ˈ d ɪ l i ə/) is an order of mostly large, predatory, semiaquatic reptiles, known as crocodilians.