We will discover Crocodile Characteristics of the most feared reptiles in the world, the crocodiles.The crocodile is a wonderful reptile that is worth knowing.The scientific name of this family is Crocodrylae and they are sauropsids (reptiles) arcosaurios. It is the dominant family of reptiles , characterized by their great strength and aggression. They are group of very old animals as they inhabit the Earth for about 200 million years.Normally, we call crocodiles to a group of large reptiles and semi-aquatic life , which constitute a zoological order called Crocodilia , in which there are three families:

• Crocodiles proper ( Crocodylidae ).
• The gaviale s ( Gavialidae ).
• Alligators and Alligators ( Alligatoridae ).

20 Crocodile Characteristics You Must Know.

In general, crocodiles are characterized by the following:

• They are large, trunk-shaped animals with a solid body that begins in an elongated snout that hides a lot of conical teeth, and ends in a long tail, ideal for propelling the swim. The whole is covered by a rough, hard skin composed of scales.
• Their total size varies according to the species, but they can be around 2 and 3 meters long , with smaller species not exceeding one meter, and particularly large species capable of reaching 7 meters in length. Its weight, similarly, can reach 2000 kg in the most voluminous species.
• They are excellent swimmers, and can also walk on dry land by crawling on their bellies or walking on their legs, and some species can even gallop at good speed.
• Their eyes and nose are at the top of the head , allowing the rest of the body to be completely submerged under the water. In this way crocodiles can sneak up on their prey for attack. They have a very powerful bite.
• They spend most of their days immobile in the sun , saving energy from their particularly slow metabolisms , ectothermic in nature, that is, cold-blooded.
• Their snouts can vary in shape and thickness according to family and species, and they have particularly strong muscles to keep their jaws closed , so that an ordinary person would be able to close the mouth of a crocodile, but would be in serious trouble with the Time to pry it open. The bite of a Mississippi alligator was measured in 2003 at 9,450 N, and gharials have a much thinner and weaker snout than crocodiles and alligators.
• Crocodiles live mostly in the contours of lakes, lagoons, rivers and even in salt water, depending on the species , since without being amphibians , they are animals perfectly adapted for swimming. They tend to prefer the lowlands of the intertropical climate zone in America , Africa , Asia and Oceania .For their part, the gharials are exclusive to Southeast Asia, while the alligators are unique to the American continent.
• They have large sizes that vary according to the species and their weight also changes according to this factor, with a broad body, webbed legs and long tails. The crocodile’s head is elongated and pointed with the eyes and nostrils located on the top of the head. Their teeth are pointed, cone-shaped and are located on the outside of the jaw. Crocodiles can live up to 75 years.
• Crocodiles are generally solitary animals but can come together in groups to help each other during the hunt. As far as reproduction is concerned, the role of female crocodiles is fundamental. In fact, male crocodiles mate with various specimens and do not form an exclusive bond with any of them. Subsequently, the females dig a hole in the river bank and deposit their eggs by covering them with vegetation to keep them warm. They are the ones who defend the eggs from any dangers until the moment of hatching. After that they take the young in the water and take care of them in the first year of life.
• Only 6 of the 23 known species of crocodiles are considered dangerous . However, their numbers give some respect, as nearly a thousand people die each year from a crocodile attack. In this list, two species stand out above the others and they are the Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus ) and the sea crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus ). In the Americas, the two most recorded attacks are the Alligator (which lives in Florida) and the South American alligator.
  • • The marine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus ). It is the largest living reptile on the planet and the largest crocodile in existence, a typical inhabitant of Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Accustomed to sea water, they measure on average between 4.3 and 7 meters long, and can weigh between 480 and 1500 kg.
    • The Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus ). The largest of the four species of crocodiles in Africa, and one of the largest in the world, it has an average size of between 5 and 6 meters long, and between 225 and 730 kg in weight. Bright olive green, it inhabits the Nile regions, as its name indicates, but also the whole of sub-Saharan Africa and the island of Madagascar, exclusively in freshwater deposits.
    • The Orinoco caiman ( Crocodylus intermedius ). An endemic crocodile species of the Orinoco river basin in Venezuela, which is in a critical state of conservation, it is a super-predator with an omnivorous diet, considered the largest predator in Latin America . Although specimens of 6 and up to 7 meters long have been obtained, on average they rarely exceed 5 meters and 450 kg in weight.
    • The American crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus ). The most common species in the entire American continent, with presence from the state of Florida (USA) and the Gulf of Mexico, to the north of Peru and the south of Ecuador, it is typical of a warm climate and fresh water, and on average its Adult specimens range between 3 and 4 meters in length, exceptionally being able to reach 6 meters and 500 kg in weight.