Species of crocodilian native to the Neotropics

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spectacled caiman</span>

Spectacled caiman

<p>The <b>spectacled caiman</b> (<i><b>Caiman crocodilus</b></i>), also known as the <b>white caiman</b>,<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-resource_6-0"><a href="#cite_note-resource-6" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 6;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[6]</span></a></span> <b>common caiman</b>,<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-itis_7-0"><a href="#cite_note-itis-7" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 7;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[7]</span></a></span> and <b>speckled caiman</b>,<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-tropical_8-0"><a href="#cite_note-tropical-8" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 8;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[8]</span></a></span> is a <a href="/en/Crocodilian" title="Crocodilian" class="mw-redirect wl">crocodilian</a> in the family <a href="/en/Alligatoridae" title="Alligatoridae" class="wl">Alligatoridae</a>. It is brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has a spectacle-like ridge between its eyes, which is where its common name come from. It grows to a length of <span>1.4–2.5</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>m (4</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>ft 7</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>in</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>– 8</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>ft 2</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>in)</span> and a weight of <span>7–40</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>kg (15–88</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>lb)</span>, with males being both longer and heavier than females. Its diet varies seasonally, commonly consisting of crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians and snails. Breeding occurs from May to August and 14–40 eggs are laid in July and August. This crocodilian has a large range and population; it is native to much of <a href="/en/Latin_America" title="Latin America" class="wl">Latin America</a>, and has been introduced to the <a href="/en/United_States" title="United States" class="wl">United States</a>, <a href="/en/Cuba" title="Cuba" class="wl">Cuba</a>, and <a href="/en/Puerto_Rico" title="Puerto Rico" class="wl">Puerto Rico</a>.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Species of crocodilian native to the Neotropics</div>
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</span><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn"><b>Quick facts: Spectacled caiman Temporal range  Pleistocene...</b> <span class='arrow'>▼</span></header> <table class="infobox biota mobile-collapse-element" style="text-align: left; width: 200px; font-size: 100%">
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<th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme">Spectacled caiman<br><div style="font-size: 85%;">Temporal range: <a href="/en/Pleistocene" title="Pleistocene" class="wl">Pleistocene</a> - <a href="/en/Holocene" title="Holocene" class="wl">Present</a>, <br><span class="noprint"><span style="display:inline-block;">2.58–0<span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Megaannum" title="Megaannum" class="mw-redirect wl">Ma</a></span><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-Rio2021_1-0"><a href="#cite_note-Rio2021-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[1]</span></a></span> <div id="Timeline-row" style="margin: 4px auto 0; clear:both; width:220px; padding:0px; height:18px; overflow:visible; white-space:nowrap; border:1px #666; border-style:solid none; position:relative; z-index:0; font-size:97%;">
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; left:0px; width:207.23076923077px; padding-left:5px; text-align:left; background-color:rgb(254,217,106); background-image: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(255,255,255,1), rgba(254,217,106,1) 15%, rgba(254,217,106,1));" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Precambrian" title="Precambrian" class="wl">PreꞒ</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(127,160,86); left:37.636923076923px; width:18.073846153846px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Cambrian" title="Cambrian" class="wl">Ꞓ</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(0,146,112); left:55.710769230769px; width:14.08px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Ordovician" title="Ordovician" class="wl">O</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(179,225,182); left:69.790769230769px; width:8.3261538461539px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Silurian" title="Silurian" class="wl">S</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(203,140,55); left:78.116923076923px; width:20.409230769231px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Devonian" title="Devonian" class="wl">D</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(103,165,153); left:98.526153846154px; width:20.307692307692px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Carboniferous" title="Carboniferous" class="wl">C</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(240,64,40); left:118.83384615385px; width:15.907015384615px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Permian" title="Permian" class="wl">P</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(129,43,146); left:134.74086153846px; width:17.092984615385px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Triassic" title="Triassic" class="wl">T</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(52,178,201); left:151.83384615385px; width:19.089230769231px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Jurassic" title="Jurassic" class="wl">J</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(127,198,78); left:170.92307692308px; width:26.738461538462px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Cretaceous" title="Cretaceous" class="wl">K</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(253,154,82); left:197.66153846154px; width:14.543692307692px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Paleogene" title="Paleogene" class="wl">Pg</a></div>
<div style="position:absolute; height:100%; text-align:center; background-color:rgb(255,230,25); left:212.20523076923px; width:6.9215384615385px;" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Neogene" title="Neogene" class="wl">N</a></div>
<div id="end-border" style="position:absolute; height:100%; background-color:#666; width:1px; left:219px" class="notheme"></div><div style="margin:0 auto; line-height:0; clear:both; width:220px; padding:0px; height:8px; overflow:visible; background-color:transparent; position:relative; top:-4px; z-index:100;" class="notheme">
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<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/File:Caiman_crocodilus_llanos.JPG" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Caiman_crocodilus_llanos.JPG"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Caiman_crocodilus_llanos.JPG/220px-Caiman_crocodilus_llanos.JPG" decoding="async" data-file-width="3456" data-file-height="2304" data-file-type="bitmap" height="147" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Caiman_crocodilus_llanos.JPG/330px-Caiman_crocodilus_llanos.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Caiman_crocodilus_llanos.JPG/440px-Caiman_crocodilus_llanos.JPG 2x" alt="Caiman_crocodilus_llanos.JPG"></a></span></td></tr>
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<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 88%">In Llanos, Venezuela</td></tr>


<tr style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme">
<th colspan="2"><div style="text-align: center"><a href="/en/Conservation_status" title="Conservation status" class="wl">Conservation status</a></div></th></tr>
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<td colspan="2"><div style="text-align: center"><span class="mw-default-size"><span><img loading="lazy" alt="Status_iucn3.1_LC.svg" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Status_iucn3.1_LC.svg/220px-Status_iucn3.1_LC.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="137" data-file-type="drawing" height="59" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Status_iucn3.1_LC.svg/330px-Status_iucn3.1_LC.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Status_iucn3.1_LC.svg/440px-Status_iucn3.1_LC.svg.png 2x"></span></span><br><a href="/en/Least_Concern" title="Least Concern" class="mw-redirect wl">Least Concern</a> <small><span>&nbsp;</span>(<a href="/en/IUCN_Red_List" title="IUCN Red List" class="wl">IUCN 3.1</a>)<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_2-0"><a href="#cite_note-iucn_status_19_November_2021-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[2]</span></a></span></small></div></td></tr>

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<td colspan="2"><div style="text-align: center"><a href="/en/CITES" title="CITES" class="wl">CITES</a> Appendix II<small><span>&nbsp;</span>(<a href="/en/CITES" title="CITES" class="wl">CITES</a>)<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="#cite_note-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[3]</span></a></span></small></div></td></tr>
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<th colspan="2" style="min-width:15em; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Taxonomy_(biology)" title="Taxonomy (biology)" class="wl">Scientific classification</a> <span class="plainlinks" style="font-size:smaller; float:right; padding-right:0.4em; margin-left:-3em;"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/Template:Taxonomy/Caiman" title="edit" class="image wl"><img loading="lazy"alt="edit" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Red_Pencil_Icon.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="16" data-file-height="16" data-file-type="bitmap" height="16" width="16"></a></span></span></th></tr>
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<td>Kingdom:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Animal" title="Animal" class="wl">Animalia</a></td></tr>
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<td>Phylum:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Chordate" title="Chordate" class="wl">Chordata</a></td></tr>
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<td>Class:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Reptile" title="Reptile" class="wl">Reptilia</a></td></tr>
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<td>Order:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Crocodilia" title="Crocodilia" class="wl">Crocodilia</a></td></tr>
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<td>Family:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Alligatoridae" title="Alligatoridae" class="wl">Alligatoridae</a></td></tr>
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<td>Subfamily:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Caiman" title="Caiman" class="wl">Caimaninae</a></td></tr>
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<td><i>Clade</i>:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Jacarea" title="Jacarea" class="wl">Jacarea</a></td></tr>
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<td>Genus:</td>
<td><a href="/en/Caiman_(genus)" title="Caiman (genus)" class="wl"><i>Caiman</i></a></td></tr>
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<td>Species:</td>
<td><div style="display:inline" class="species"><i><b>C.<span>&nbsp;</span>crocodilus</b></i></div></td></tr>








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<th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Binomial_nomenclature" title="Binomial nomenclature" class="wl">Binomial name</a></th></tr>
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<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><b><span class="binomial"><i>Caiman crocodilus</i></span></b><br><div style="font-size: 85%;"><a href="/en/Carl_Linnaeus" title="Carl Linnaeus" class="wl">Linnaeus</a>, <a href="/en/10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae" title="10th edition of Systema Naturae" class="wl">1758</a></div></td></tr>
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<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/File:Caiman_crocodylus_Distribution.png" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Caiman_crocodylus_Distribution.png"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Caiman_crocodylus_Distribution.png/220px-Caiman_crocodylus_Distribution.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="353" data-file-height="386" data-file-type="bitmap" height="241" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Caiman_crocodylus_Distribution.png/330px-Caiman_crocodylus_Distribution.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Caiman_crocodylus_Distribution.png 2x" alt="Caiman_crocodylus_Distribution.png"></a></span></td></tr>
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<td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 88%">Native range (green)</td></tr>










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<th colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)" class="notheme"><a href="/en/Synonym_(taxonomy)" title="Synonym (taxonomy)" class="wl">Synonyms</a><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-cites1_4-0"><a href="#cite_note-cites1-4" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 4;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[4]</span></a></span></th></tr>
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<td colspan="2" style="text-align: left">
<ul><li><i>Jacaretinga crocodilus</i> <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small></li>
<li><i>Lacerta crocodilus</i> <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small></li>
<li><i>Caiman sclerops</i> <small>Schneider, 1801</small></li>
<li><i>Crocodilus sclerops</i> <small>Schneider, 1801</small></li>
<li><i>Caiman yacare</i> <small><a href="/en/François_Marie_Daudin" title="François Marie Daudin" class="wl">Daudin</a>, 1802</small></li>
<li><i>Crocodilus caiman</i> <small>Daudin, 1802</small></li>
<li><i>Jacare hirticollis</i> <small>Gray, 1867</small></li>
<li><i>?<a href="/en/Caiman_venezuelensis" title="Caiman venezuelensis" class="wl">Caiman venezuelensis</a></i> <small>Fortier &amp; Rincón, 2013</small><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-5"><a href="#cite_note-5" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 5;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[5]</span></a></span></li></ul></td></tr>


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The spectacled caiman , also known as the white caiman, is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae. It is brownish-, greenish-, or yellowish-gray colored and has a spectacle-like ridge between its eyes, which is where its common name come from. It grows to a length of 1.4–2.5 m and a weight of 7–40 kg , with males being both longer and heavier than females. Its diet varies seasonally, commonly consisting of crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians and snails. Breeding occurs from May to August and 14–40 eggs are laid in July and August. This crocodilian has a large range and population; it is native to much of Latin America, and has been introduced to the United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. 