Black caiman: Difference between revisions
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{{refimprove|date=February 2012}} |
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{{speciesbox |
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| name = Black caiman |
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| status = LR/cd |
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| status_system = IUCN2.3 |
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| staus_ref = <ref name=IUCN/> |
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| image = Jacaré Açú.jpg |
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| genus = Melanosuchus |
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| species = niger |
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| authority = ([[Johann Baptist von Spix|Spix]], 1825) |
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| range_map = Range of Melanosuchus niger.PNG |
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| synonyms = |
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* ''Caiman niger'' <small>Spix, 1825</small> |
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* ''Champsa nigra'' <small>(Spix, 1825)</small> |
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* ''Alligator niger'' <small>(Spix, 1825)</small> |
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* ''Jacare niger'' <small>(Spix, 1825)</small> |
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* ''Jacaretinga niger'' <small>(Spix, 1825)</small> |
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}} |
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The '''black caiman''', '''''Melanosuchus niger''''', is a [[crocodilian]]. It is a [[carnivorous]] [[reptile]] that lives along slow-moving [[river]]s and [[lake]]s, in the seasonally flooded [[savanna]]s of the [[Amazon basin]], and in other [[freshwater]] habitats in [[South America]]. Once common, it was hunted to near extinction primarily for its commercially valuable hide. It is now listed as [[Conservation Dependent]].<ref name=IUCN>{{IUCN2008|assessors=Ross J.P.|year=2000|id=13053|title=Melanosuchus niger|downloaded=5 May 2006}}</ref> |
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==Appearance== |
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The black caiman has a bony ridge over brown eyes, and black, [[scale (zoology)|scaly]] skin. The skin coloration helps with [[camouflage]] during its [[nocturnal]] hunts, but may also help absorb heat (see ''[[thermoregulation]]''). Mothers on guard near their nests are tormented by blood-sucking flies that gather around their vulnerable eyes leaving them bloodshot. |
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Small black caiman can be distinguished from large [[spectacled caiman]] by their proportionately larger head and shorter tail, as well as by the color of the jaw, which is light colored in the spectacled caiman and dark with three black spots in the black caiman. |
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==Size== |
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The black caiman is one of the largest [[reptile]]s. It is the largest predator in the [[Amazon basin]] and possibly the largest member of the family [[Alligatoridae]]. Most adult black caimans are {{convert|3|to(-)|4.26|m|ft|sigfig=2}} in length, with old males rarely growing larger than {{convert|5|m|ft}}. The black caiman broadly overlaps in size with the [[American alligator]], although it is on average larger at maturity. In some areas (such as the [[Araguaia River]]) this species is consistently reported at {{convert|4|to(-)|5|m|ft}} in length, much larger than the alligator (which rarely even reaches 4 meters), although specimens this size are uncommon. Several unconfirmed sources report that the black caiman can grow to {{convert|6|m|ft}} or more.<ref>http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cnhc/csp_mnig.htm</ref> It is, however, the third largest crocodilian in South America behind the [[American crocodile|American Crocodile]] and [[Orinoco Crocodile]]. |
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==Diet== |
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Immature specimens eat [[crustacean]]s and [[insect]]s but quickly graduate to eating [[fish]], including [[piranha]]s, [[catfish]], and [[perch]], which remain the primary food source for all black caiman. Various prey will be taken by opportunity, includes [[turtle]]s, [[bird]]s and [[mammal]]s, the latter two mainly when they come to drink at the river banks. Larger specimens can take [[tapirs]], [[anaconda]]s, [[deer]] and [[capybara]]. [[Jaguar]]s are a known [[predator]] of all other caiman species as well as juvenile black caimans, but mature black caimans likely have no natural predators, as is true of other similarly-sized crocodilian species (given the size, weight and immense biting strength). Their teeth are designed to grab but not rip, so they generally try to swallow their food whole after drowning it. Their main predator is [[humans]], who hunt them for leather or meat. There are tales of this species devouring humans and given its size this is probable, although (like the critically endangered, but potentially dangerous [[Orinoco Crocodile]] of [[Venezuela]]) it is very unlikely humans have been attacked in modern times, due in part to the species' low population - and given that most man-eaters in other crocodilian species tend to be large adult males, this further reduces the probability. |
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==Reproduction== |
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[[Image:Melanosuchus niger RDS Uacari.jpg|thumb|left|Adult]] |
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At the end of the dry season, females build a [[nest]] of [[soil]] and vegetation, which is about 1.5 meters (5 ft) across and 0.75 meters wide (2.5 ft). They lay up to 60 [[egg (biology)|eggs]], which hatch in about six weeks, at the beginning of the wet season, when newly-flooded marshes provide ideal habitat for the juveniles. Unguarded clutches are quickly devoured by a wide range of animals. It is well documented that, as with other crocodilians, caimans frequently move their young from the nest in their mouths after hatching (whence the belief that they eat their young), and transport them to a safe pool. The mother will assist chirping, unhatched young to break out of the leathery eggs, by delicately breaking the eggs between her teeth. She will look after her young for several months. The female black caiman only breeds once every 2 to 3 years. |
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==In fiction== |
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The black caiman is mentioned in [[Matthew Reilly]]'s best selling book ''Temple'', where they are constantly eating people that fall in the water. It also was featured rather prominently in ''Amazonia'' by [[James Rollins]] wherein a special forces soldier is eaten by a black caiman after it capsizes the inflatable boat in which he is riding. |
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==References==<!-- BiodiversConserv17:2037. --> |
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{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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{{commons|Black Caiman}} |
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* [http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/brittoncrocs/csp_mnig.htm Information from the Florida Museum of Natural History] |
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* [http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?articleId=734&issueId=59 The Night of the Caimans], from International Wildlife Federation. |
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{{Crocodilia|A.}} |
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[[Category:Crocodilians]] |
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[[Category:Reptiles of South America|Caiman, Black]] |
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[[Category:Megafauna of South America|Caiman, Black]] |
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[[Category:Monotypic reptile genera]] |
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[[be:Чорны кайман]] |
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[[bg:Черен кайман]] |
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[[br:Kaiman du]] |
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[[de:Mohrenkaiman]] |
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[[es:Melanosuchus niger]] |
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[[fr:Caïman noir]] |
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[[it:Melanosuchus niger]] |
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[[he:קיימן שחור]] |
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[[ka:შავი კაიმანი]] |
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[[hu:Fekete kajmán]] |
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[[mk:Црн кајман]] |
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[[nl:Zwarte kaaiman]] |
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[[ja:クロカイマン]] |
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[[pl:Kajman czarny]] |
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[[pt:Jacaré-açu]] |
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[[ru:Чёрный кайман]] |
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[[sr:Melanosuchus niger]] |
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[[fi:Suokaimaani]] |
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[[sv:Svart kajman]] |
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[[zh-yue:黑凱門鱷]] |
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[[zh:黑凱門鱷]] |
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Revision as of 17:46, 16 April 2012
- REDIRECT [[]]