Cuban crocodile
| Cuban crocodile | ||||||||||||
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Cuban crocodile ( Crocodylus rhombifer ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Crocodylus rhombifer | ||||||||||||
| ( Cuvier , 1807) |
The Cuban or diamond crocodile ( Crocodylus rhombifer ) is a species from the family of real crocodiles , which lives as an endemic in the freshwater swamps of the Caribbean island of Cuba . The species hybridizes with the closely related American crocodile and is threatened with extinction.
features
The Cuban crocodile reaches a maximum body length of about 3.50 meters, but according to reports from the 19th century it is also said to be up to five meters long. The snout of this type has a bulge in the area of the nostrils as well as on the eyes, which make them appear very short. Behind the eyes, the animals have characteristic protrusions that are somewhat reminiscent of horns. The coloring of the young animals is a rich golden brown with black markings made up of spots and transverse bands, the adult animals are dark gray to black and have golden yellow spots.
distribution
The endemic area of the Cuban crocodiles is restricted to the island of Cuba. Here you can only find them in the swamps area of the Zapata Peninsula and on Isla de la Juventud . They were more widespread until the 19th century and could also be found south of the capital Havana and in the vicinity of Pinar del Río . Fossils have also been found on Grand Cayman .
Way of life
Very little is known about the biology of the Cuban crocodiles. Like the American crocodiles ( Crocodylus acutus ), they also create pit nests. They feed on fish , turtles and small mammals . The Cuban crocodile goes high more often than other crocodiles and also has stronger legs. Cuban giant sloth fossils also show bite marks from Cuban crocodiles. This indicates that this crocodile, with its strong legs and former size, was able to hunt larger prey ashore.
Danger
The number of adult animals of the Cuban crocodile is estimated between 3000 and 5000 animals. The population is particularly vulnerable due to its very limited range, which is why the species is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN on the Red List of Endangered Species . The main sources of danger are hunting and hybridization with the American crocodile .
literature
- Charles A. Ross (Ed.): Crocodiles and Alligators - Development, Biology and Distribution , Orbis Verlag Niedernhausen 2002
- Joachim Brock: Crocodiles - A life with armored lizards , Natur und Tier Verlag Münster 1998
Web links
- Crocodylus rhombifer in The Reptile Database
- Crocodylus rhombifer inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: Targarona, RR, Soberón, RR, Cotayo, L. & Tabet, MA and Thorbjarnarson, J. (IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group), 2008. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Crocodilian Species - Cuban Crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer). Retrieved April 7, 2020 .