White caiman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spectacled caiman |
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| In Tobago river of Trinidad & Tobago | |
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Caiman
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C. crocodilus
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| Binomial name | |
| Caiman crocodilus Schneilder, 1801
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| Map of caiman distribution | |
| Synonyms | |
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C. sclerops Schneider, 1801 C. caiman Daudin, 1802 C. alligator? Blumenbach, 1807 C. punctulatus Spix, 1825 'C. vallifrons Natterer, 1841 C. longiscuta Gray, 1862 C. multiscuta Gray, 1869 C. hirticollis Gray, 1869 C. lacordairei Borre, 1869 |
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The spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus), or the common caiman, is a medium sized crocodilian species that lives in the wetland areas of South America. This size of this species generally can get up to between 6 to 8.2 feet (1.8 to 2.5 m). The spectacled caiman gets its name from the bony ridge between its eyes, looking like a pair of eyeglasses. As the seasons get colder, this caiman can change colors. Spectacled caimans have been known to eat insects, crustaceans, and mollusks.
In captivity
According to ISIS, there are known to be 170 spectacled caimans in zoos.
Images for kids
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Spectacled caiman head, with the ridge between the eyes visible
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Spectacled caimans in Monterrico, Guatemala
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Los Llanos, Venezuela
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C. crocodilus in Monterrico, Guatemala
See also
In Spanish: Caimán de anteojos para niños
