Difference between revisions of "Crocodile" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Taxobox_begin | color = pink | name = Crocodiles}}
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{{otheruses}}
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{{Taxobox_image | image = [[image:NileCrocodile.jpg|Nile Crocodile|240px]] | caption = [[Nile Crocodile]]}}
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{{Taxobox
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{{Taxobox_begin_placement | color = pink}}
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| color = pink
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{{Taxobox_regnum_entry | taxon = [[Animal]]ia}}
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| name = Crocodiles
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{{Taxobox_phylum_entry | taxon = [[Chordate|Chordata]]}}
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| fossil_range = [[Late Cretaceous]] - Recent
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{{Taxobox_classis_entry | taxon = [[Reptile|Reptilia]]}}
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| image = NileCrocodile.jpg
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{{Taxobox_ordo_entry | taxon = [[Crocodilia]]}}
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| image_caption = [[Nile Crocodile]]
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{{Taxobox_familia_entry | taxon = '''Crocodylidae'''}}<br/>{{Taxobox authority | author = [[Georges Cuvier|Cuvier]] | date = [[1807]]}}
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| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
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{{Taxobox_end_placement}}
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| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
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{{Taxobox_section_subdivision | color = pink | plural_taxon = Genera}}
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| classis = [[Reptile|Sauropsida]]
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* ''[[Mecistops]]''
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| unranked_classis = [[Archosauria]]
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| ordo = [[Crocodilia]]
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| familia = '''Crocodylidae'''
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| familia_authority = [[Georges Cuvier|Cuvier]], [[1807]]
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| subdivision_ranks = Genera
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| subdivision =
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* ''[[Mecistops]]
 
* ''[[Crocodylus]]''
 
* ''[[Crocodylus]]''
 
* ''[[Osteolaemus]]''
 
* ''[[Osteolaemus]]''
 
'''See [[Crocodile#Taxonomy of the Crocodylidae|full taxonomy]].'''
 
'''See [[Crocodile#Taxonomy of the Crocodylidae|full taxonomy]].'''
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{{Taxobox_end}}
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}}
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A '''crocodile''' is any [[species]] belonging to the [[family (biology)|family]] '''Crocodylidae''' (sometimes classified instead as the [[subfamily]] '''Crocodylinae'''). The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the [[order (biology)|order]] [[Crocodilia]]: i.e. the true crocodiles, the [[alligator]]s and [[caiman]]s (family [[Alligatoridae]]) and the [[gharial]] (family [[Gavialidae]]).  
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A '''crocodile''' is any [[species]] belonging to the [[family (biology)|family]] '''Crocodylidae''' (sometimes classified instead as the [[subfamily]] '''Crocodylinae'''). The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the [[order (biology)|order]] [[Crocodilia]]: i.e. the true crocodiles, the [[alligator]]s and [[caiman]]s (family [[Alligatoridae]]) and the [[gharial]]s (family [[Gavialidae]]), or even the [[Crocodylomorpha]] which includes prehistoric crocodile relatives and ancestors. Crocodiles are large aquatic [[reptile]]s that live throughout the [[Tropics]] in [[Africa]], [[Asia]], the [[Americas]] and [[Australia]]. Crocodiles tend to congregate in freshwater habitats like [[river]]s, [[lake]]s, [[wetland]]s and sometimes in [[brackish]] water. Some species, notably the [[Saltwater Crocodile]] of Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands often live along the [[coastal]] areas. It is also known to venture far out to sea. They mostly feed on [[vertebrate]]s like [[fish]], [[reptile]]s, and [[mammal]]s, sometimes with [[invertebrate]]s like [[mollusk]]s and [[crustacean]]s, depending on species. They are an ancient lineage, and are believed to have changed little since the time of the dinosaurs.
  
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
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[[Image:Crocodilelyd5.png|thumb|250px|Crocodiles, like dinosaurs, have the abdominal ribs modified into ''gastralia'']]
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Crocodiles are the most advanced of all reptiles despite their prehistoric look. Unlike other reptiles they have a four-chambered [[heart]], [[diaphragm]] and [[cerebral cortex]]. Their external morphology on the other hand is a sign of their aquatic and predatory lifestyle. A crocodile’s physical traits allow it to be a successful [[predator]]. They have a streamlined body that enables them to swim faster. They also tuck their feet to their sides while swimming, which makes the animal even faster, by decreasing the water resistance. They have webbed feet which, although not used to propel the animal through the water, allow it to make fast turns and sudden moves in the water or initiate swimming. Webbed feet are an advantage in shallower water where the animals sometimes move around by walking.
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Crocodiles are very fast over short distances, even out of water. They have extremely powerful jaws capable of biting down with 3,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, and sharp teeth for tearing flesh, but cannot open their mouth if it is held closed. There are stories of people escaping from the long-snouted [[Nile Crocodile]] by holding its jaws shut. [[zoology|Zoologists]] will often subdue crocodiles for study or transport by [[duct tape|taping]] their jaws or holding their jaws shut with large [[rubber band]]s cut from automobile [[tire|inner tube]]s.  All large crocodiles also have sharp and powerful claws.  They have limited lateral movement in their neck, so on land protection can be found by getting even a small tree between the crocodile's jaws and oneself.
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===Age===
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There is no reliable way of measuring crocodile age, although several techniques could be used to derive a reasonable guess. The most common method is to measure lamellar growth rings in bones and teeth - each ring corresponds to a change in growth rate which typically occurs once a year between dry and wet seasons.<ref>Britton, Adam. [http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cnhc/cbd-faq-q3.htm Crocodilian Biology Database, FAQ. "How long do crocodiles live for?"]. Retrieved 9/11/2006.</ref> Bearing these inaccuracies in mind, the oldest crocodilians appear to be the largest species. C. porosus is estimated to live around 70 years on average, and there is limited evidence that some individuals may exceed 100 years. One of the oldest crocodiles recorded died in a zoo in Russia apparently aged 115 years old.<ref>Britton, Adam. [http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cnhc/cbd-faq-q3.htm Crocodilian Biology Database, FAQ. "How long do crocodiles live for?"]. Retrieved 9/11/2006.</ref>
 
[[Image:Bristol.zoo.westafrican.dwarf.croc.arp.jpg|thumb|left|200px|West African dwarf crocodile from the forests of West and West Central Africa]]
 
[[Image:Bristol.zoo.westafrican.dwarf.croc.arp.jpg|thumb|left|200px|West African dwarf crocodile from the forests of West and West Central Africa]]
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The crocodiles (colloquially called ''crocs''), are large aquatic [[reptile]]s that live throughout the [[Tropics]] in [[Africa]], [[Asia]], the [[Americas]] and [[Australia]]. Crocodiles tend to congregate in slow-moving rivers and lakes, and feed on a wide variety of living and dead [[mammal]]s and [[fish]]. Some species, notably the [[Saltwater Crocodile]] of Australia and the Pacific islands, have been known to venture far out to sea. They are an ancient lineage, and are believed to have changed little since the time of the dinosaurs.
 
  
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The larger species of crocodiles can be very dangerous to humans.  The [[Saltwater Crocodile|Saltwater]] and [[Nile Crocodile]]s are the most dangerous, killing hundreds of people each year in parts of South-East Asia and Africa.  [[American Alligators]], and possibly the endangered [[Black Caiman]], are also dangerous to humans.
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A male freshwater crocodile at the [[Australia Zoo]] is estimated to be 130 years old.  He was rescued from the wild by [[Bob Irwin]] and [[Steve Irwin]] after being shot twice by hunters.  As a result of the shootings, this crocodile (known affectionately as "Mr. Freshy") has lost his right eye.<ref>[http://www.australiazoo.com.au/our-animals/amazing-animals/reptiles/?reptile=crocodilians&animal=freshwater_crocodile#Mr%20Freshy profile of Mr Freshy at Australia Zoo website], accessed [[1 February]] [[2007]]</ref>
  
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Crocodiles are very fast over short distances, even out of water. They have extremely powerful jaws and sharp teeth for tearing flesh, but cannot open their mouth if it is held closed, hence there are stories of people escaping from the long-snouted [[Nile Crocodile]] by holding its jaws shut.  Indeed, [[zoology|zoologists]] will often subdue crocodiles for study or transport by [[duct tape|taping]] their jaws or holding their jaws shut with large [[rubber band]]s cut from automobile [[tire|inner tube]]s.  All large crocodiles also have sharp welters and powerful claws.  They have limited lateral movement in their neck, so on land one can find protection by getting even a small tree between the crocodile's jaws and oneself.
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===Size===
  
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Crocodiles are ambush hunters, waiting for fish or land animals to come close, then rushing out to attack. As cold-blooded predators, they can survive long periods without food, and rarely need to actively go hunting. The crocodile's bite strength is up to 3,000 pounds per square inch, comparing to just 100 psi for a large dog. Despite their slow appearance, crocodiles are the top predators in their environment, and various species have been observed attacking and killing [[lion]]s, large [[ungulate]]s and even [[shark]]s. A famous exception is the [[Egyptian Plover]] which is said to enjoy a [[symbiotic]] relationship with the crocodile. According to unauthenticated reports, the plover feeds on parasites that infest the crocodile's mouth and the reptile will open its jaws and allow the bird to enter to clean out the mouth.
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[[Image:LargeCroc.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Large Crocodile in captivity in Australia]]
  
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Crocodiles eat fish, birds, mammals and occasionally smaller crocodiles.
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Size greatly varies between species, from the [[dwarf crocodile]] to the enormous [[saltwater crocodile]]. Large species can reach over 5 or 6 meters long and weigh well over 1200 kg (2,640 lb.). Despite their large adult size, crocodiles start their life at around 20 cm long. The largest species of crocodile is the Saltwater Crocodile, found in northern Australia and throughout [[South-east Asia]]. According to some scientists,{{who}} there are no truly reliable records of any non-prehistoric crocodiles over 8.64 m.
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Wild crocodiles are protected in many parts of the world, but they also are farmed commercially. Their hide is tanned and used to make leather goods such as shoes and [[handbag]]s, whilst crocodile meat is also considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. The most commonly farmed species are the Saltwater and Nile crocodiles, while a hybrid of the Saltwater and the rare [[Siamese Crocodile]] is also bred in Asian farms.  Farming has resulted in an increase in the Saltwater Crocodile population in [[Australia]], as eggs are usually harvested from the wild, so landowners have an incentive to conserve crocodile habitat.
 
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Crocodiles are more closely related to birds and dinosaurs than to most animals classified as reptiles (though all of these are thought to probably be more closely related to each other than to [[Turtle|Testudines]] (turtles and tortoises), and have correspondingly unusual features for reptiles, such as a four-chambered heart). See [[Crocodilia]] for more information.
 
  
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== Largest crocodiles ==
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In the town of [[Normanton, Queensland]], Australia, there is an 8.63 meter fibreglass mould of a crocodile called "Krys the Croc.," shot in 1958 by Krystina Pawloski, who found the animal on a sandbank on the Norman River.<ref> AAP. [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/09/23/1032734114239.html "Steve Irwin's nothing on One Shot Krys"]. ''The Age'' Melbourne, 24 September 2002. Retrieved 8 January 2007.</ref>
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[[Image:LargeCroc.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Large Crocodile in captivity in Australia]]
 
  
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The largest species of crocodile, also Earth's largest reptile, is the Saltwater Crocodile, found in northern Australia and throughout [[South-east Asia]].
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The other two larger certifiable records of complete crocodile are both of 6.2 m crocodiles.  The first crocodile was shot in the Mary River in the Northern Territory of Australia in 1974 by poachers and measured by wildlife rangers.  The second crocodile was killed in 1983 in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea.  In this latter crocodile it was actually the skin that was measured by zoologist Jerome Montague, and as skins are known to underestimate the size of the actual animal, it is possible this crocodile was at least another 10 cm longer.
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[[Image:Sweetheart.gif|thumb|left|200px|Sweetheart, a large saltwater crocodile that attacked boats]]
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[[Image:Crocrodile Farm Thailand.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo, Bangkok]]
  
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According to scientists there are no truly reliable records of any non-prehistoric crocodiles over 28 feet 4 inches (8.64m). In the town of [[Normanton, Queensland]], Australia, there is a fibreglass mould of a crocodile called "Krys the Croc", shot in 1958 by Krystina Pawloski, a teacher/taxidermist who found the  28-foot, 4-inch (8.64 m) animal on a sandbank on the Norman River near her school outside Normanton.
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The largest crocodile ever held in captivity is an Estuarine/Siamese hybrid named Yai ([[Thai language|Thai]]: ใหญ่, meaning ''big'') (born [[10 June]], 1972) at the famous [[Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo]], Thailand. This animal measured 6 m in length and weighs 1,114.27 kg (2,450 lb.).
  
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There is a decades old story that a crocodile killed in the [[Bay of Bengal]], India, measured 33 feet (10m) long. A more recent measurement of its skull in the British Museum (crocodile skull measurements are accurate for determining body length) showed the animal to have been around 17 feet (5.2 m) long.
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Another huge captive crocodile was a saltie named [[Gomek]]. Gomek was captured by George Craig in Papua New Guinea and sold to St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida. Gomek died of heart disease in February 1997. By this stage, he was a very old crocodile. When he died, he was 5.5 m long - as confirmed by St. Augustine Alligator Farm - and probably between 70 and 80 years old.
  
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There is a report of a saltwater crocodile in Australia that was 27 feet (8.2 m) long. There is also a skull of a salt water crocodile from [[Orissa]], India that is very large and the animal is estimated to have been 21-23 feet (6.4 to 7 m) long.
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On [[June 16]], [[2006]], a 7.1 m giant saltwater crocodile in [[Orissa]], India was crowned the world's largest living crocodile. It lives in [[Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary]] and in June 2006, was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records.<ref> {{Cite news|url=http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-06-16T161028Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-255100-1.xml|
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title=Orissa crocodile recognised as world's largest|
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publisher=Reuters|
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date=[[2006-06-16]]|
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accessdate = 2006-06-18}} </ref>
  
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The other two larger certifiable records of complete crocodile are both of 20.3-ft (6.2 m) crocodiles. The first crocodile was shot in the Mary River in the Northern Territory of Australia in 1974 by poachers and measured by wildlife rangers. The second crocodile was killed in 1983 in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea. In this latter crocodile it was actually the skin that was measured by zoologist Jerome Montague, and as skins are known to underestimate the size of the actual animal, it is possible this crocodile was at least another 4 inches (10 cm) longer.
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Wildlife experts, however, argue that the largest crocodile so far found in the Bhitarkanika was almost 7.62 m which could be traced from the skull preserved by the Kanika Royal Family. The crocodile, probably was shot dead near Dhamara during 1926 and later its skull was preserved by the then Kanika King. The crocodile experts said the crocodile would be about 7.62 m since the size of the skull was measured one seventh of the total length of the body.
  
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The Largest Crocodile ever held in captivity is an Estuarine/Siamese hybrid named "YAI" (Born10 June 1972) at the famous Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo, Thailand. He measures 6 m. (19 ft. 8 in.) in length and weighs 1,114.27 kg. (2,465 lb.)
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==Biology and behaviour==
  
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Another huge captive crocodile was a saltie named Gomek. Gomek was captured by George Craig in Papua New Guinea and sold to St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida. Although George captured an even larger crocodile with Gomek, it is uncertain whether this animal is still alive on Green Island in Queensland where George Craig now lives. After many years, Gomek unfortunately died of heart disease in February 1997. By this stage, he was a very old crocodile. When he died, he was 17.9 feet (5.5 m) long - as confirmed by St. Augustine Alligator Farm - and probably between 70 and 80 years old.
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Crocodiles are ambush hunters, waiting for fish or land animals to come close, then rushing out to attack. As cold-blooded predators, they can survive long periods without food, and rarely need to actively go hunting. The crocodile's bite strength is up to 3,000 pounds per square inch, comparing to just 100 psi for a labrador retriever, 350 psi for a large shark, or 800 psi for a hyena. Despite their slow appearance, crocodiles are top predators in their environment, and various species have been observed attacking and killing [[shark]]s.<ref>[http://swimatyourownrisk.blogspot.com/2005_08_01_swimatyourownrisk_archive.html Blogspot: ''Swim a your own risk'']</ref>  A famous exception is the [[Egyptian Plover]] which is said to enjoy a [[symbiotic]] relationship with the crocodile. According to unauthenticated reports, the plover feeds on parasites that infest the crocodile's mouth and the reptile will open its jaws and allow the bird to enter to clean out the mouth.
  
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Crocodiles when first hatched reach sizes of up to 20 cm. Sizes vary depending on the season and health and or blood composition of the mother.
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[[Image:IMG 0428-Mexico.JPG|thumb|200px|Crocodile farm in [[Mexico]]]]
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Crocodiles eat fish, birds, mammals and occasionally smaller crocodiles.
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Wild crocodiles are protected in many parts of the world, but they also are farmed commercially. Their hide is tanned and used to make leather goods such as shoes and [[handbag]]s, whilst crocodile meat is also considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. The most commonly farmed species are the Saltwater and Nile crocodiles, while a hybrid of the Saltwater and the rare [[Siamese Crocodile]] is also bred in Asian farms.  Farming has resulted in an increase in the Saltwater Crocodile population in [[Australia]], as eggs are usually harvested from the wild, so landowners have an incentive to conserve crocodile habitat.
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Crocodiles are more closely related to birds and dinosaurs than to most animals classified as reptiles, the three being included in the group [[Archosauria]] ('ruling reptiles'). See [[Crocodilia]] for more information.
  
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On [[June 16]], [[2006]], A 23-feet giant estuarine crocodile was captured in [[Orissa]], India and was crowned the world's largest living crocodile. It lives in [[Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary]] and in June 2006, was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records. <ref> {{Cite news|url=http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-06-16T161028Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-255100-1.xml|
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===Danger to humans===
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title=Orissa crocodile recognised as world's largest|
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{{Main|Crocodile attacks}}
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publisher=Reuters|
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The larger species of crocodiles can be very dangerous to humans.  The [[Saltwater Crocodile|Saltwater]] and [[Nile Crocodile]]s are the most dangerous, killing hundreds of people each year in parts of South-East Asia and Africa.  [[Mugger crocodile]]s and possibly the endangered [[Black Caiman]], are also very dangerous to humans. [[American alligator]]s are less aggressive and rarely assault humans without provocation. The most deaths in a single crocodile attack incident may have occurred during the Battle of Ramree Island, on February 19, 1945, in what is now Myanmar. Nine hundred soldiers of an Imperial Japanese Army unit, in an attempt to retreat from the Royal Navy and rejoin a larger battalion of the Japanese infantry, crossed through ten miles of mangrove swamps which contained Saltwater Crocodiles. Twenty Japanese soldiers were captured alive by the British, and almost five hundred are known to have escaped Ramree. Many of the remainder may have been eaten by the crocodiles, although gunfire from the British troops was undoubtedly a contributory factor. Crocodiles are the leading cause of animal related deaths as of 2001.
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date=[[2006-06-16]]|
 
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accessdate=[[2006-06-18]]}} </ref>
 
  
 
== Crocodile blood ==
 
== Crocodile blood ==
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Scientists in the United States have isolated a powerful agent in crocodile blood which could help conquer human infections immune to standard antibiotics.  
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[[crocodillin]]<ref> [http://www.open2.net/bluesky/crocodile.htm "Crocodile Cure"]. ''Blue Sky''. The Open University and the BBC. Retrieved 4 January 2007.</ref>
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==Crocodile leather==
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[[Image:Crocrodile wallets.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Crocodile leather wallets from Bangkok Crocodile Farm]]
  
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The discovery was made thanks to the curiosity of Jill Fullerton-Smith, a [[BBC]] science producer filming a documentary on salt-water crocodiles in Australia, (now former-) BBC Director-General Greg Dyke revealed. [http://www.open2.net/bluesky/crocodile.htm]
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Crocodile leather can be made into a variety of goods, such as wallets, briefcases, purses, belts and hats.
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==Crocodile as food==
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Crocodile is consumed in some countries such as Australia, Ethiopia, Thailand, South Africa and also Cuba (in pickled form). It can also be found in specialty restaurants in some parts of the United States. The meat is white and its nutritional composition compares favourably with that of more traditional meats. It does tend to have a slightly higher cholesterol level than other meats. Crocodile meat has a delicate flavour and its taste can be complemented by the use of marinades. Choice cuts of meat include backstrap and tail fillet.
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==Differentiation from alligators==
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While often confused with each other, [[alligator]]s and crocodiles belong to two quite separate taxonomic families, and are as distinct from one another as humans are from gorillas. As for appearance, one generally reliable rule is that alligators have U-shaped heads, while crocodiles are V-shaped - which can be remembered by noting that "A" in alligator comes before "C" in crocodile, and "U" comes before "V".
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==Trivia==
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{{Trivia|date=June 2007}}
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* The crocodile gets its name from the Greeks who observed them in the [[Nile]] river. The Greeks called them krokodilos, a compound word from kroke, which means "pebbles" and drilos, which means "worm". To the Greeks, this "worm of the stones" was so named because of the crocodiles habit of basking in the sun on gravel-covered river banks.
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* [[Petsuchos]] was the name given by the Greeks to the live crocodile at [[Crocodilopolis]] in Ancient Egypt, which was worshipped as a manifestation of the Egyptian god [[Sobek]]; the deification of crocodiles.
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* Crocodile embryos do not have sex chromosomes, and unlike humans sex is not determined genetically. Sex is determined by temperature, with males produced at around 31.6 degrees celsius, and females produced at slightly lower and higher temperatures. The average incubation period is around 80 days, and also is dependent upon temperature.<ref>Britton, Adam. [http://www.kingsnake.com/oz/crocs/porosus.htm Estuarine Crocodile: Crocodylus porosus]. ''Crocodilians: Natural History Conservation: Crocodiles, Caimans, Alligators, Gharials.'' Retrieved 4 January 2007.</ref>
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* Some of the extinct relatives of true crocodiles, members of the larger group [[Crocodylomorpha]], were herbivorous.
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* During a voyage in 1585-1586, [[Sir Francis Drake]] named the [[Cayman Islands]] after the islands' 10-foot crocodiles, called "Caymanas" by the native [[Caribs]].<ref>Cayman Islands Government (2005). [http://www.gov.ky/pls/portal/url/page/cighome/cayman/islands/history Cayman Islands History]. Retrieved 4 January 2007. </ref>
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*Five live baby crocodiles are seen in 1967 [[television]] series [[Thunderbirds (TV series)|Thunderbirds]], of the episode [[Attack of the Alligators]].
  
 
== Taxonomy of the Crocodylidae ==
 
== Taxonomy of the Crocodylidae ==
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[[Image:Crocodylus cataphractus.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Slender-snouted Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus cataphractus'']]
 
[[Image:Crocodylus cataphractus.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Slender-snouted Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus cataphractus'']]
 
[[Image:Crocadiles.jpg|right|thumb|right|150px|A bask of crocodiles]]
 
[[Image:Crocadiles.jpg|right|thumb|right|150px|A bask of crocodiles]]
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[[Image:Crocodylus acutus mexico.jpg|right|thumb|right|150px|American Crocodlile - Cocodrilo Americano. Photo taken at La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico]]
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[[Image:Crocodylus acutus mexico 01.jpg|right|thumb|right|150px|American Crocodlile. Photo taken at La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico]]
 
Most species are grouped into the [[genus]] ''Crocodylus''. The two other living genera of this family are both [[monotypic]]: ''[[Osteolaemus]]'' and ''[[Tomistoma]]''.
 
Most species are grouped into the [[genus]] ''Crocodylus''. The two other living genera of this family are both [[monotypic]]: ''[[Osteolaemus]]'' and ''[[Tomistoma]]''.
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* FAMILY CROCODYLIDAE
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* Family Crocodylidae
 
** '''Subfamily [[Mekosuchine crocodiles|Mekosuchinae]]''' (extinct)
 
** '''Subfamily [[Mekosuchine crocodiles|Mekosuchinae]]''' (extinct)
 
** '''Subfamily Crocodylinae'''
 
** '''Subfamily Crocodylinae'''
 
*** Genus ''[[Euthecodon]]'' (extinct)
 
*** Genus ''[[Euthecodon]]'' (extinct)
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*** Genus ''[[Rimasuchus]]'' (extinct, formerly ''Crocodylus lloydi'')
 
*** Genus ''[[Osteolaemus]]''
 
*** Genus ''[[Osteolaemus]]''
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**** [[Dwarf crocodile]], ''Osteolaemus tetraspis'' (there has been some controversy whether or not this is actually two species; current thinking is that there is one species with 2 subspecies: O. tetraspis tetraspis & O. t. osborni)
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**** [[Dwarf Crocodile]], ''[[Osteolaemus tetraspis]]'' (there has been controversy whether or not this is actually two species; current thinking is that there is one species with 2 subspecies: ''O. tetraspis tetraspis'' & ''O. t. osborni'')
 
*** Genus ''[[Crocodylus]]''
 
*** Genus ''[[Crocodylus]]''
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**** [[American Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus acutus ''
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**** ''[[Crocodylus acutus]] '', [[American Crocodile]]
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**** [[Slender-snouted Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus cataphractus '' (Recent DNA studies suggest that this species may actually be more basal than ''Crocodylus'', and belong in its own genus, ''Mecistops'')
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**** ''[[Crocodylus cataphractus]] '', [[Slender-snouted Crocodile]] (Recent DNA studies suggest that this species may actually be more basal than ''[[Crocodylus]]'', and belong in its own genus, ''[[Mecistops]]'')
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**** [[Orinoco Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus intermedius ''
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**** ''[[Crocodylus intermedius]]  '', [[Orinoco Crocodile]]
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**** [[Freshwater Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus johnstoni''
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**** ''[[Crocodylus johnstoni]]'', [[Freshwater Crocodile]]
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**** [[Philippine Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus mindorensis'' 
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**** ''[[Crocodylus mindorensis]]'', [[Philippine Crocodile]]
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**** [[Morelet's Crocodile]] or Mexican Crocodile, ''Crocodylus moreletii ''  
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**** ''[[Crocodylus moreletii]] '', [[Morelet's Crocodile]] or Mexican Crocodile
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**** [[Nile Crocodile]] or African Crocodile, ''Crocodylus niloticus '' (the subspecies found in Madagascar is sometimes called the Black Crocodile)
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**** ''[[Crocodylus niloticus]]'', [[Nile Crocodile]] or African Crocodile (the subspecies found in Madagascar is sometimes called the [[Black Crocodile]])
−
**** [[New Guinea Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus novaeguineae''
+
**** ''[[Crocodylus novaeguineae]]'', [[New Guinea Crocodile]]
−
**** [[Mugger Crocodile]], Marsh Crocodile, or Indian Crocodile, ''Crocodylus palustris''
+
**** ''[[Crocodylus palustris]]'', [[Mugger Crocodile]], Marsh Crocodile, or Indian Crocodile
−
**** [[Saltwater Crocodile]] or Estuarine Crocodile, ''Crocodylus porosus ''
+
**** ''[[Crocodylus porosus]] '', [[Saltwater Crocodile]] or Estuarine Crocodile
−
**** [[Cuban Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus rhombifer ''
+
**** ''[[Crocodylus rhombifer]]  '', [[Cuban Crocodile]]
−
**** [[Siamese Crocodile]], ''Crocodylus siamensis''
+
**** ''[[Crocodylus siamensis]]'', [[Siamese Crocodile]]
 
** '''Subfamily Tomistominae''' (recent studies may show that this group is actually more closely related to the Gavialidae)
 
** '''Subfamily Tomistominae''' (recent studies may show that this group is actually more closely related to the Gavialidae)
 
*** Genus ''[[Kentisuchus]]'' (extinct)
 
*** Genus ''[[Kentisuchus]]'' (extinct)
Line 95: Line 131:
 
*** Genus ''[[Rhamphosuchus]]'' (extinct)
 
*** Genus ''[[Rhamphosuchus]]'' (extinct)
 
*** Genus ''[[Tomistoma]]''
 
*** Genus ''[[Tomistoma]]''
−
**** [[False gharial]] or Malayan gharial, ''Tomistoma schlegelii''
+
**** ''[[Tomistoma schlegelii]]'', [[False gharial]] or Malayan gharial
 
**** ''[[Tomistoma lusitanica]]'' (extinct)
 
**** ''[[Tomistoma lusitanica]]'' (extinct)
 
**** ''[[Tomistoma cairense]]'' (extinct)
 
**** ''[[Tomistoma cairense]]'' (extinct)
 +
**** ''[[Tomistoma machikanense]]'' (extinct, pleistocene species from Japan)
 +
**** ''[[Sarcosuchus]]'' (extinct, also known as ''Super Croc'').
 +
 +
==In popular culture==
 +
* In the fictional [[Peter Pan]] series by [[J.M Barrie]], a large crocodile had bitten off [[Captain Hook]]'s hand, leaving him with his hook. It pursued him ever after. As it had also eaten a clock, its ticking let Hook know whenever the crocodile was approaching. It eventually caught up with and consumed him. In [[Steven Spielberg]]'s sequel film, ''[[Hook (film)|Hook]]'', it was shown that despite this, the Captain had gained the upper hand – the crocodile, dead and stuffed, had been transformed into a town-square clock tower – which eventually fell forwards onto him, 'eating' the villain once again.
 +
*There are many horror films featuring rampaging giant crocodiles in the manner of the [[shark]] in Spielberg's ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]''. While some follow the [[urban legend]] of unwanted pets being flushed down the toilet and growing to huge and deadly size in the sewers, one recent entry, ''[[Lake Placid (film)|Lake Placid]]'', instead has an isolated variety of giant croc discovered in the wild.
 +
*In the ''[[Crocodile Hunter]]'' series, starring [[Steve Irwin]], crocodiles are seen in most episodes. Steve Irwin himself personally admired crocodiles, and one of the activities he was known for is feeding crocodiles at his [[Australia Zoo]].
 +
*The [[Stephan Pastis]] [[comic strip]] ''[[Pearls Before Swine (comic strip)|Pearls Before Swine]]'' features [[The Fraternity of Crocodiles]] as the usually unsuccessful antagonists of their neighbor, Zebra, and who mostly speak in grade school-like [[phonetics]].
 +
*In the Disney movie ''[[The Wild]]'', two abandoned pet crocodiles that dwell in the sewer guide the protagonists to the harbour rather than eating them.
 +
*In the Disney movie ''[[The Rescuers]]'', villain [[Madame Medusa]] has a pair of crocodiles as henchmen; they menace her kidnap victims at her command.
 +
*In the Disney movie ''[[The Emperor's New Groove]]'' and spin-off TV shows and sequels, the villain, [[Yzma]], has a pet crocodile that lives in a chamber accessed by a lever next to another lever that accesses her secret lab. Often, she comically pulls the wrong lever, falling into the pit only to return with the croc latched onto her, proclaiming, "Why do we even have that lever?!"
 +
*The ''[[Cheburashka]]'' series of books (by [[Eduard Uspensky]]) and animated films feature [[Crocodile Gena]] as one of the main characters. He works in a zoo, as a crocodile (naturally).
 +
*In the anime series ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX]]'', a transfer student from Australia named [[Jim Crocodile Cook]] has a pet crocodile named Karen. He also has a special backpack for her that he carries her around in.
 +
*In the anime series ''[[One Piece]]'', there is a fictional species of crocodile called the Bananawani, named for the banana-shaped growth on its head.
 +
*In the [[Batman]] universe, one member of the Dark Knight's rogues gallery is [[Killer Croc]] (Waylon Jones), a fighter of immense strength but variable intelligence who, due to his suffering a skin deformity and having filed his teeth to points, resembles a humanoid crocodile.
 +
*In the 1990s animated [[Batman]] series, one episode features the Sewer King, who rules over a community of orphaned children beneath [[Gotham City]] and controls the crocodiles that live there, setting them on the Batman.
 +
*In the [[James Bond]] film ''[[Live and Let Die (film)|Live and Let Die]]'', Dr Kananga alias [[Mister Big (James Bond)|Mr Big]] maintains a crocodile farm in the [[Louisiana]] Bayou with the legend, 'Trespassers Will Be Eaten' on its gate. It is actually a front for the processing stage of his heroin racket. Bond is taken here to be killed by henchman [[Tee Hee Johnson]], who explains that one of the farm's crocs, 'Old Albert', is responsible for his using a prosthetic arm. Abandoned on an island in the midst of the lake full of hungry crocs, Bond escapes by running across the reptiles' backs. A croc features prominently on the film's poster.
 +
*In the [[James Bond]] film ''[[Octopussy (film)|Octopussy]]'', 007 crosses a croc-infested lake in India in a mini-sub disguised as a crocodile, to confront the eponymous shady character on her [[private island]]. Later after a fight, he and an assailant fall into the water and he is believed by Octopussy to be killed by a large croc that then attacks (he actually escapes in his sub).
 +
*In [[Pokémon]], the starter for the [[Pokémon Gold and Silver|second generation]] of Pokémon, [[Totodile]], is a crocodile-like creature that alludes to this.
 +
*In the [[Animorphs series]] by K.A. Applegate, [[The Reaction (Animorphs)]] (#12) focuses on [[Rachel (Animorphs)]] acquiring a crocodile morph and becoming allergic to it.
 +
*In the videogame [[Viva Piñata]] there is a species called Cocodile. It resembles a crocodile, but has been made to look a lot less fearsome than its real life counterpart. This also creates a small running joke in the [[Viva Piñata (TV series)|Viva Piñata TV series]], for when a character refers to a Cocodile as fearsome or terrifying etc, the referenced Cocodile will respond "I'm/We're not very scary."
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 +
{{Wikispecies|Crocodilia}}
 
*[[Crocodile attacks]]
 
*[[Crocodile attacks]]
 
*[[crocodile exoskeleton]]
 
*[[crocodile exoskeleton]]
 
*[[Mekosuchine crocodiles]]
 
*[[Mekosuchine crocodiles]]
 
*[[Crocodiles in sewers]]
 
*[[Crocodiles in sewers]]
 +
*[[The Crocodile Hunter]]
 +
*[[Steve Irwin]]
 +
*[[Gustave (crocodile)]]
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
Line 110: Line 171:
 
==Further reading==
 
==Further reading==
 
* Iskandar, DT (2000). ''Turtles and Crocodiles of Insular Southeast Asia and New Guinea''. ITB, Bandung.
 
* Iskandar, DT (2000). ''Turtles and Crocodiles of Insular Southeast Asia and New Guinea''. ITB, Bandung.
 +
* Crocodilian Biology Database, FAQ. "How long do crocodiles live for?" Adam Britton. [http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cnhc/cbd-faq-q3.htm]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 +
* [http://www.crocodilian.com/ Crocodilian Online]
 
* [http://www.nit.com.au/travel/story.aspx?id=3696 Recent Crocodile Attacks in Australia]
 
* [http://www.nit.com.au/travel/story.aspx?id=3696 Recent Crocodile Attacks in Australia]
 
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/680840.stm BBC news finds powerful agent in crocodile blood]
 
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/680840.stm BBC news finds powerful agent in crocodile blood]
−
* Crocodilian Online [http://www.crocodilian.com/]
 
  
−
{{credit|61935210}}
+
{{credit|Crocodile|143022734}}
 
[[Category:Life sciences]]
 
[[Category:Life sciences]]

Revision as of 21:52, 10 July 2007


For other uses, see Crocodile (disambiguation).
Crocodiles
Fossil range: Late Cretaceous - Recent
Nile Crocodile
Nile Crocodile
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
(unranked) Archosauria
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Crocodilia
Family: Crocodylidae
Cuvier, 1807
Genera
  • Mecistops
  • Crocodylus
  • Osteolaemus

See full taxonomy.

A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the subfamily Crocodylinae). The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the order Crocodilia: i.e. the true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae) and the gharials (family Gavialidae), or even the Crocodylomorpha which includes prehistoric crocodile relatives and ancestors. Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles that live throughout the Tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Crocodiles tend to congregate in freshwater habitats like rivers, lakes, wetlands and sometimes in brackish water. Some species, notably the Saltwater Crocodile of Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands often live along the coastal areas. It is also known to venture far out to sea. They mostly feed on vertebrates like fish, reptiles, and mammals, sometimes with invertebrates like mollusks and crustaceans, depending on species. They are an ancient lineage, and are believed to have changed little since the time of the dinosaurs.

Description

Crocodiles, like dinosaurs, have the abdominal ribs modified into gastralia

Crocodiles are the most advanced of all reptiles despite their prehistoric look. Unlike other reptiles they have a four-chambered heart, diaphragm and cerebral cortex. Their external morphology on the other hand is a sign of their aquatic and predatory lifestyle. A crocodile’s physical traits allow it to be a successful predator. They have a streamlined body that enables them to swim faster. They also tuck their feet to their sides while swimming, which makes the animal even faster, by decreasing the water resistance. They have webbed feet which, although not used to propel the animal through the water, allow it to make fast turns and sudden moves in the water or initiate swimming. Webbed feet are an advantage in shallower water where the animals sometimes move around by walking.

Crocodiles are very fast over short distances, even out of water. They have extremely powerful jaws capable of biting down with 3,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, and sharp teeth for tearing flesh, but cannot open their mouth if it is held closed. There are stories of people escaping from the long-snouted Nile Crocodile by holding its jaws shut. Zoologists will often subdue crocodiles for study or transport by taping their jaws or holding their jaws shut with large rubber bands cut from automobile inner tubes. All large crocodiles also have sharp and powerful claws. They have limited lateral movement in their neck, so on land protection can be found by getting even a small tree between the crocodile's jaws and oneself.

Age

There is no reliable way of measuring crocodile age, although several techniques could be used to derive a reasonable guess. The most common method is to measure lamellar growth rings in bones and teeth - each ring corresponds to a change in growth rate which typically occurs once a year between dry and wet seasons.[1] Bearing these inaccuracies in mind, the oldest crocodilians appear to be the largest species. C. porosus is estimated to live around 70 years on average, and there is limited evidence that some individuals may exceed 100 years. One of the oldest crocodiles recorded died in a zoo in Russia apparently aged 115 years old.[2]

West African dwarf crocodile from the forests of West and West Central Africa

A male freshwater crocodile at the Australia Zoo is estimated to be 130 years old. He was rescued from the wild by Bob Irwin and Steve Irwin after being shot twice by hunters. As a result of the shootings, this crocodile (known affectionately as "Mr. Freshy") has lost his right eye.[3]

Size

File:LargeCroc.jpg
Large Crocodile in captivity in Australia

Size greatly varies between species, from the dwarf crocodile to the enormous saltwater crocodile. Large species can reach over 5 or 6 meters long and weigh well over 1200 kg (2,640 lb.). Despite their large adult size, crocodiles start their life at around 20 cm long. The largest species of crocodile is the Saltwater Crocodile, found in northern Australia and throughout South-east Asia. According to some scientists,[attribution needed] there are no truly reliable records of any non-prehistoric crocodiles over 8.64 m.

In the town of Normanton, Queensland, Australia, there is an 8.63 meter fibreglass mould of a crocodile called "Krys the Croc.," shot in 1958 by Krystina Pawloski, who found the animal on a sandbank on the Norman River.[4]

The other two larger certifiable records of complete crocodile are both of 6.2 m crocodiles. The first crocodile was shot in the Mary River in the Northern Territory of Australia in 1974 by poachers and measured by wildlife rangers. The second crocodile was killed in 1983 in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea. In this latter crocodile it was actually the skin that was measured by zoologist Jerome Montague, and as skins are known to underestimate the size of the actual animal, it is possible this crocodile was at least another 10 cm longer.

File:Sweetheart.gif
Sweetheart, a large saltwater crocodile that attacked boats
File:Crocrodile Farm Thailand.jpg
Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo, Bangkok

The largest crocodile ever held in captivity is an Estuarine/Siamese hybrid named Yai (Thai: ใหญ่, meaning big) (born 10 June, 1972) at the famous Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo, Thailand. This animal measured 6 m in length and weighs 1,114.27 kg (2,450 lb.).

Another huge captive crocodile was a saltie named Gomek. Gomek was captured by George Craig in Papua New Guinea and sold to St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida. Gomek died of heart disease in February 1997. By this stage, he was a very old crocodile. When he died, he was 5.5 m long - as confirmed by St. Augustine Alligator Farm - and probably between 70 and 80 years old.

On June 16, 2006, a 7.1 m giant saltwater crocodile in Orissa, India was crowned the world's largest living crocodile. It lives in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and in June 2006, was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records.[5]

Wildlife experts, however, argue that the largest crocodile so far found in the Bhitarkanika was almost 7.62 m which could be traced from the skull preserved by the Kanika Royal Family. The crocodile, probably was shot dead near Dhamara during 1926 and later its skull was preserved by the then Kanika King. The crocodile experts said the crocodile would be about 7.62 m since the size of the skull was measured one seventh of the total length of the body.

Biology and behaviour

Crocodiles are ambush hunters, waiting for fish or land animals to come close, then rushing out to attack. As cold-blooded predators, they can survive long periods without food, and rarely need to actively go hunting. The crocodile's bite strength is up to 3,000 pounds per square inch, comparing to just 100 psi for a labrador retriever, 350 psi for a large shark, or 800 psi for a hyena. Despite their slow appearance, crocodiles are top predators in their environment, and various species have been observed attacking and killing sharks.[6] A famous exception is the Egyptian Plover which is said to enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the crocodile. According to unauthenticated reports, the plover feeds on parasites that infest the crocodile's mouth and the reptile will open its jaws and allow the bird to enter to clean out the mouth.

File:IMG 0428-Mexico.JPG
Crocodile farm in Mexico

Crocodiles eat fish, birds, mammals and occasionally smaller crocodiles. Wild crocodiles are protected in many parts of the world, but they also are farmed commercially. Their hide is tanned and used to make leather goods such as shoes and handbags, whilst crocodile meat is also considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. The most commonly farmed species are the Saltwater and Nile crocodiles, while a hybrid of the Saltwater and the rare Siamese Crocodile is also bred in Asian farms. Farming has resulted in an increase in the Saltwater Crocodile population in Australia, as eggs are usually harvested from the wild, so landowners have an incentive to conserve crocodile habitat. Crocodiles are more closely related to birds and dinosaurs than to most animals classified as reptiles, the three being included in the group Archosauria ('ruling reptiles'). See Crocodilia for more information.

Danger to humans

The larger species of crocodiles can be very dangerous to humans. The Saltwater and Nile Crocodiles are the most dangerous, killing hundreds of people each year in parts of South-East Asia and Africa. Mugger crocodiles and possibly the endangered Black Caiman, are also very dangerous to humans. American alligators are less aggressive and rarely assault humans without provocation. The most deaths in a single crocodile attack incident may have occurred during the Battle of Ramree Island, on February 19, 1945, in what is now Myanmar. Nine hundred soldiers of an Imperial Japanese Army unit, in an attempt to retreat from the Royal Navy and rejoin a larger battalion of the Japanese infantry, crossed through ten miles of mangrove swamps which contained Saltwater Crocodiles. Twenty Japanese soldiers were captured alive by the British, and almost five hundred are known to have escaped Ramree. Many of the remainder may have been eaten by the crocodiles, although gunfire from the British troops was undoubtedly a contributory factor. Crocodiles are the leading cause of animal related deaths as of 2001.

Crocodile blood

crocodillin[7]

Crocodile leather

Crocodile leather wallets from Bangkok Crocodile Farm

Crocodile leather can be made into a variety of goods, such as wallets, briefcases, purses, belts and hats.

Crocodile as food

Crocodile is consumed in some countries such as Australia, Ethiopia, Thailand, South Africa and also Cuba (in pickled form). It can also be found in specialty restaurants in some parts of the United States. The meat is white and its nutritional composition compares favourably with that of more traditional meats. It does tend to have a slightly higher cholesterol level than other meats. Crocodile meat has a delicate flavour and its taste can be complemented by the use of marinades. Choice cuts of meat include backstrap and tail fillet.

Differentiation from alligators

While often confused with each other, alligators and crocodiles belong to two quite separate taxonomic families, and are as distinct from one another as humans are from gorillas. As for appearance, one generally reliable rule is that alligators have U-shaped heads, while crocodiles are V-shaped - which can be remembered by noting that "A" in alligator comes before "C" in crocodile, and "U" comes before "V".

Trivia

This article contains a trivia section.
Content in this section should be integrated into the body of the article or removed.

This article has been tagged since June 2007.
  • The crocodile gets its name from the Greeks who observed them in the Nile river. The Greeks called them krokodilos, a compound word from kroke, which means "pebbles" and drilos, which means "worm". To the Greeks, this "worm of the stones" was so named because of the crocodiles habit of basking in the sun on gravel-covered river banks.
  • Petsuchos was the name given by the Greeks to the live crocodile at Crocodilopolis in Ancient Egypt, which was worshipped as a manifestation of the Egyptian god Sobek; the deification of crocodiles.
  • Crocodile embryos do not have sex chromosomes, and unlike humans sex is not determined genetically. Sex is determined by temperature, with males produced at around 31.6 degrees celsius, and females produced at slightly lower and higher temperatures. The average incubation period is around 80 days, and also is dependent upon temperature.[8]
  • Some of the extinct relatives of true crocodiles, members of the larger group Crocodylomorpha, were herbivorous.
  • During a voyage in 1585-1586, Sir Francis Drake named the Cayman Islands after the islands' 10-foot crocodiles, called "Caymanas" by the native Caribs.[9]
  • Five live baby crocodiles are seen in 1967 television series Thunderbirds, of the episode Attack of the Alligators.

Taxonomy of the Crocodylidae

Crocodile farming in Australia.
Slender-snouted Crocodile, Crocodylus cataphractus
A bask of crocodiles
American Crocodlile. Photo taken at La Manzanilla, Jalisco, Mexico

Most species are grouped into the genus Crocodylus. The two other living genera of this family are both monotypic: Osteolaemus and Tomistoma.

  • Family Crocodylidae
    • Subfamily Mekosuchinae (extinct)
    • Subfamily Crocodylinae
      • Genus Euthecodon (extinct)
      • Genus Rimasuchus (extinct, formerly Crocodylus lloydi)
      • Genus Osteolaemus
        • Dwarf Crocodile, Osteolaemus tetraspis (there has been controversy whether or not this is actually two species; current thinking is that there is one species with 2 subspecies: O. tetraspis tetraspis & O. t. osborni)
      • Genus Crocodylus
        • Crocodylus acutus , American Crocodile
        • Crocodylus cataphractus , Slender-snouted Crocodile (Recent DNA studies suggest that this species may actually be more basal than Crocodylus, and belong in its own genus, Mecistops)
        • Crocodylus intermedius , Orinoco Crocodile
        • Crocodylus johnstoni, Freshwater Crocodile
        • Crocodylus mindorensis, Philippine Crocodile
        • Crocodylus moreletii , Morelet's Crocodile or Mexican Crocodile
        • Crocodylus niloticus, Nile Crocodile or African Crocodile (the subspecies found in Madagascar is sometimes called the Black Crocodile)
        • Crocodylus novaeguineae, New Guinea Crocodile
        • Crocodylus palustris, Mugger Crocodile, Marsh Crocodile, or Indian Crocodile
        • Crocodylus porosus , Saltwater Crocodile or Estuarine Crocodile
        • Crocodylus rhombifer , Cuban Crocodile
        • Crocodylus siamensis, Siamese Crocodile
    • Subfamily Tomistominae (recent studies may show that this group is actually more closely related to the Gavialidae)
      • Genus Kentisuchus (extinct)
      • Genus Gavialosuchus (extinct)
      • Genus Paratomistoma (extinct)
      • Genus Thecachampsa (extinct)
      • Genus Kentisuchus (extinct)
      • Genus Rhamphosuchus (extinct)
      • Genus Tomistoma
        • Tomistoma schlegelii, False gharial or Malayan gharial
        • Tomistoma lusitanica (extinct)
        • Tomistoma cairense (extinct)
        • Tomistoma machikanense (extinct, pleistocene species from Japan)
        • Sarcosuchus (extinct, also known as Super Croc).

In popular culture

  • In the fictional Peter Pan series by J.M Barrie, a large crocodile had bitten off Captain Hook's hand, leaving him with his hook. It pursued him ever after. As it had also eaten a clock, its ticking let Hook know whenever the crocodile was approaching. It eventually caught up with and consumed him. In Steven Spielberg's sequel film, Hook, it was shown that despite this, the Captain had gained the upper hand – the crocodile, dead and stuffed, had been transformed into a town-square clock tower – which eventually fell forwards onto him, 'eating' the villain once again.
  • There are many horror films featuring rampaging giant crocodiles in the manner of the shark in Spielberg's Jaws. While some follow the urban legend of unwanted pets being flushed down the toilet and growing to huge and deadly size in the sewers, one recent entry, Lake Placid, instead has an isolated variety of giant croc discovered in the wild.
  • In the Crocodile Hunter series, starring Steve Irwin, crocodiles are seen in most episodes. Steve Irwin himself personally admired crocodiles, and one of the activities he was known for is feeding crocodiles at his Australia Zoo.
  • The Stephan Pastis comic strip Pearls Before Swine features The Fraternity of Crocodiles as the usually unsuccessful antagonists of their neighbor, Zebra, and who mostly speak in grade school-like phonetics.
  • In the Disney movie The Wild, two abandoned pet crocodiles that dwell in the sewer guide the protagonists to the harbour rather than eating them.
  • In the Disney movie The Rescuers, villain Madame Medusa has a pair of crocodiles as henchmen; they menace her kidnap victims at her command.
  • In the Disney movie The Emperor's New Groove and spin-off TV shows and sequels, the villain, Yzma, has a pet crocodile that lives in a chamber accessed by a lever next to another lever that accesses her secret lab. Often, she comically pulls the wrong lever, falling into the pit only to return with the croc latched onto her, proclaiming, "Why do we even have that lever?!"
  • The Cheburashka series of books (by Eduard Uspensky) and animated films feature Crocodile Gena as one of the main characters. He works in a zoo, as a crocodile (naturally).
  • In the anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, a transfer student from Australia named Jim Crocodile Cook has a pet crocodile named Karen. He also has a special backpack for her that he carries her around in.
  • In the anime series One Piece, there is a fictional species of crocodile called the Bananawani, named for the banana-shaped growth on its head.
  • In the Batman universe, one member of the Dark Knight's rogues gallery is Killer Croc (Waylon Jones), a fighter of immense strength but variable intelligence who, due to his suffering a skin deformity and having filed his teeth to points, resembles a humanoid crocodile.
  • In the 1990s animated Batman series, one episode features the Sewer King, who rules over a community of orphaned children beneath Gotham City and controls the crocodiles that live there, setting them on the Batman.
  • In the James Bond film Live and Let Die, Dr Kananga alias Mr Big maintains a crocodile farm in the Louisiana Bayou with the legend, 'Trespassers Will Be Eaten' on its gate. It is actually a front for the processing stage of his heroin racket. Bond is taken here to be killed by henchman Tee Hee Johnson, who explains that one of the farm's crocs, 'Old Albert', is responsible for his using a prosthetic arm. Abandoned on an island in the midst of the lake full of hungry crocs, Bond escapes by running across the reptiles' backs. A croc features prominently on the film's poster.
  • In the James Bond film Octopussy, 007 crosses a croc-infested lake in India in a mini-sub disguised as a crocodile, to confront the eponymous shady character on her private island. Later after a fight, he and an assailant fall into the water and he is believed by Octopussy to be killed by a large croc that then attacks (he actually escapes in his sub).
  • In Pokémon, the starter for the second generation of Pokémon, Totodile, is a crocodile-like creature that alludes to this.
  • In the Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate, The Reaction (Animorphs) (#12) focuses on Rachel (Animorphs) acquiring a crocodile morph and becoming allergic to it.
  • In the videogame Viva Piñata there is a species called Cocodile. It resembles a crocodile, but has been made to look a lot less fearsome than its real life counterpart. This also creates a small running joke in the Viva Piñata TV series, for when a character refers to a Cocodile as fearsome or terrifying etc, the referenced Cocodile will respond "I'm/We're not very scary."

See also

Wikispecies-logo.svg
Wikispecies has information related to:
Crocodilia
  • Crocodile attacks
  • crocodile exoskeleton
  • Mekosuchine crocodiles
  • Crocodiles in sewers
  • The Crocodile Hunter
  • Steve Irwin
  • Gustave (crocodile)

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  1. ↑ Britton, Adam. Crocodilian Biology Database, FAQ. "How long do crocodiles live for?". Retrieved 9/11/2006.
  2. ↑ Britton, Adam. Crocodilian Biology Database, FAQ. "How long do crocodiles live for?". Retrieved 9/11/2006.
  3. ↑ profile of Mr Freshy at Australia Zoo website, accessed 1 February 2007
  4. ↑ AAP. "Steve Irwin's nothing on One Shot Krys". The Age Melbourne, 24 September 2002. Retrieved 8 January 2007.
  5. ↑ "Orissa crocodile recognised as world's largest", Reuters, 2006-06-16. Retrieved 2006-06-18.
  6. ↑ Blogspot: Swim a your own risk
  7. ↑ "Crocodile Cure". Blue Sky. The Open University and the BBC. Retrieved 4 January 2007.
  8. ↑ Britton, Adam. Estuarine Crocodile: Crocodylus porosus. Crocodilians: Natural History Conservation: Crocodiles, Caimans, Alligators, Gharials. Retrieved 4 January 2007.
  9. ↑ Cayman Islands Government (2005). Cayman Islands History. Retrieved 4 January 2007.

Further reading

  • Iskandar, DT (2000). Turtles and Crocodiles of Insular Southeast Asia and New Guinea. ITB, Bandung.
  • Crocodilian Biology Database, FAQ. "How long do crocodiles live for?" Adam Britton. [1]

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