The broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae found in eastern and central South America, including southeastern Brazil, northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia.[4] It is the second largest caiman and the third largest alligatorid. It is found mostly in freshwater marshes, swamps, and mangroves, usually in still or very slow-moving waters.[5] It will often use man-made cow ponds.[6]
The broad-snouted caiman is one of three extant (living) species of the genusCaiman, the other two being the Spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) and the Yacare caiman (Caiman yacare). There are also several extinct fossil species in the genus Caiman, possibly up to eight species. The broad-snouted caiman is a member of the caiman subfamilyCaimaninae, and is one of six living species of caiman. Its relationship to the other caimans can be shown in the cladogram below, based on molecular DNA-based phylogenetic studies:[7]
In the wild, adults normally grow to 2 to 2.5 m (6 ft 7 in to 8 ft 2 in) in length, but a few old males have been recorded to reach up to 3.5 m (11 ft).[5][8] Captive adults have weighed 23 to 65 kg (51 to 143 lb).[9][10] A large adult male of 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) would weigh around 80 kg (180 lb).[11] Most tend to be of a light olive-green color. A few individuals have spots on their faces.[6] The most notable physical characteristic is the broad snout from which its name is derived.[6] The snout is well adapted to rip through the dense vegetation of the marshes. Due to this, they swallow some of the dense vegetation while foraging for food.[12]
The broad-snouted caiman is ectothermic, depending on its external environment to regulate its body temperature. Its heart rate increases as the temperature increases and decreases when the temperature is lowered.[13] The heat of the sun is absorbed through the skin into the blood, keeping its body temperature up. An increased heart rate helps the newly absorbed heat transfer throughout the body more quickly. When the air becomes cooler, the need for the heart rate to remain elevated is lost.[13]
Young caimans rely heavily on their ability to find shelter to avoid predation.[14] This behavior drops off as they age.[14]
Hunting and dietedit
Its diet consists mainly of small invertebrates, and it can crush shells to feed on turtles and snails[6] (including ampullarid snails).[15] As the size of C. latirostris increases, the size of its prey tends to increase. Young broad-snouted caimans have a diet consisting of mostly insects; however, as the caiman grows, it increases its intake of birds, fish, amphibians,[15] and reptiles.[12][14] Captive specimens have been documented and photographed devouring the fruit of Philodendron bipinnatifidum without external stimulation, though it is unclear if this is because of them being housed with tegu or a natural behaviour.[16] A later study also concluded that C. latirostris and its relatives are obligate omnivores, and play an important role in the dispersal of plant seeds in their habitats.[17]
Reproductionedit
Broad-snouted caiman baby
The female lays 18 to 50 eggs at a time. While rare, up to 129 eggs have been found within a single nest, presumably from several layings.[5] They lay their eggs in two layers, with a slight temperature difference between the two layers. This will result in a more even ratio of males and females.[6] The caiman does not have sex chromosomes, but instead depends on temperature to determine the ratio of male and female offspring. Eggs at warmer temperatures (32 °C (90 °F) or higher) develop into males and eggs at cooler temperatures (31 °C (88 °F) or lower) develop into females.[18] Estrogen levels and stress levels of the mother can have an effect. Nests reared at the same temperature can differ in sex ratio. This indicates there are other factor that contribute to a nest having male or female eggs.[19]
Conservationedit
Hunting of the species began in the 1940s. Its skin is greatly valued for its smooth texture. Until most countries made hunting them illegal, this was the largest threat to the broad-snouted caiman. The ban on hunting helped them to regain their population.[5] The new threat is habitat destruction.[5] Deforestation and pollution run-off are the two leading causes to the destruction of their habitat.[6]
Wikispecies has information related to Caiman latirostris.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caiman latirostris.
^Except populations of Argentina and Brazil which are included in Appendix II.
Referencesedit
^Rio, Jonathan P.; Mannion, Philip D. (6 September 2021). "Phylogenetic analysis of a new morphological dataset elucidates the evolutionary history of Crocodylia and resolves the long-standing gharial problem". PeerJ. 9: e12094. doi:10.7717/peerj.12094. PMC8428266. PMID 34567843.
^Siroski, P.; Bassetti, L.A.B.; Piña, C.; Larriera, A. (2020). "Caiman latirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T46585A3009813. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T46585A3009813.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^Crocodile Specialist Group (1996). "Caiman latirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T46585A11062418. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T46585A11062418.en.
^ abcdeManolis, S.C.; Stevenson, C., eds. (2022-01-19). "Broad-snouted Caiman Caiman latirostris". Crocodiles. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan(PDF) (3 ed.). Darwin, Australia: Crocodile Specialist Group. pp. 18–22. (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-19. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
^Bittencourt, Pedro Senna; Campos, Zilca; Muniz, Fabio de Lima; Marioni, Boris; Souza, Bruno Campos; Da Silveira, Ronis; de Thoisy, Benoit; Hrbek, Tomas; Farias, Izeni Pires (22 March 2019). "Evidence of cryptic lineages within a small South American crocodilian: the Schneider's dwarf caiman Paleosuchus trigonatus (Alligatoridae: Caimaninae)". PeerJ. 7: e6580. doi:10.7717/peerj.6580. PMC6433001. PMID 30931177.
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-06-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^Bassetti, Luís AB; Marques, Thiago S.; Malvásio, Adriana; Piña, Carlos I.; Verdade, Luciano M. (4 February 2014). "Thermoregulation in captive broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris)". Zoological Studies. 53 (1): 9. doi:10.1186/1810-522X-53-9. hdl:11336/18814. ISSN 1810-522X.
^Liwszyc, Guillermo; Larramendy, Marcelo L. (10 February 2023). Bird and Reptile Species in Environmental Risk Assessment Strategies. Royal Society of Chemistry. ISBN978-1-83767-077-2.
^ abBorteiro, C. Gutierrez, F. Tedros, M. and Kolenc, F. Food habits of the Broad-snouted Caiman (Caiman Latirostris:Crocodylia, Alligatoridae) in northwestern Uruguay. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment. Vol. 44, No. 1, April 2009, 31-36.
^ abMicheli, M.A. Campbell, H. A. Autonomic control of heart rate exhibits diurnal shifts in a crocodilian. Amphibia-Reptilia, Vol. 29 Issue 4, 2008. 567-571.
^ abcSomaweera, Ruchira; Brien, Matthew; Shine, Richard (2013-12-01). "The Role of Predation in Shaping Crocodilian Natural History". Herpetological Monographs. 27 (1). Herpetologists League: 23. doi:10.1655/herpmonographs-d-11-00001. ISSN 0733-1347. S2CID 86167446.
^ ab"Crocodilian Species - Broad-snouted Caiman (Caiman latirostris)".
^Platt, S.G; Elsey, R.M; Liu, H. (2013). "Frugivory and seed dispersal by crocodilians: an overlooked form of saurochory?". Journal of Zoology. 291 (2): 87–99. doi:10.1111/jzo.12052.
^María Virginia Parachú Marcó, Pamela Leiva, Josefina Luciana Iungman, Melina Soledad Simoncini and Carlos Ignacio Piña (April 2017): New Evidence Characterizing Temperature-dependent Sex Determination in Broad-snouted Caiman, Caiman latirostris.
^Simoncini, Melina (2019). "Influence of Temperature Variation on Incubation Period, Hatching Success, Sex Ratio, and Phenotypes in Caiman Latirostris". Experimental Zoology Part A:Ecological and Integrative Physiology. 331 (5): 299–307. doi:10.1002/jez.2265. PMID 31033236. S2CID 139105823.
January 01, 1970
broad, snouted, caiman, broad, snouted, caiman, caiman, latirostris, crocodilian, family, alligatoridae, found, eastern, central, south, america, including, southeastern, brazil, northern, argentina, uruguay, paraguay, bolivia, second, largest, caiman, third, . The broad snouted caiman Caiman latirostris is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae found in eastern and central South America including southeastern Brazil northern Argentina Uruguay Paraguay and Bolivia 4 It is the second largest caiman and the third largest alligatorid It is found mostly in freshwater marshes swamps and mangroves usually in still or very slow moving waters 5 It will often use man made cow ponds 6 Broad snouted caimanTemporal range Late Miocene Present 9 0 Ma 1 PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 2 CITES Appendix I CITES 3 note 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Clade Archosauromorpha Clade Archosauriformes Order Crocodilia Family Alligatoridae Subfamily Caimaninae Clade Jacarea Genus Caiman Species C latirostris Binomial name Caiman latirostrisDaudin 1801 Broad snouted caiman range Synonyms Species synonymy cynocephalus Dumeril amp Bibron 1836fissipes Spix 1825lutescens Rovereto 1912sclerops Wied 1825 Contents 1 Classification 2 Characteristics 3 Biology and behavior 3 1 Hunting and diet 3 2 Reproduction 4 Conservation 5 Notes 6 ReferencesClassification editThe broad snouted caiman is one of three extant living species of the genus Caiman the other two being the Spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus and the Yacare caiman Caiman yacare There are also several extinct fossil species in the genus Caiman possibly up to eight species The broad snouted caiman is a member of the caiman subfamily Caimaninae and is one of six living species of caiman Its relationship to the other caimans can be shown in the cladogram below based on molecular DNA based phylogenetic studies 7 Alligatoridae Caimaninae Paleosuchus palpebrosus Cuvier s dwarf caiman Paleosuchus trigonatus Schneider s dwarf caiman Jacarea Caiman crocodilus Spectacled caiman Caiman yacare Yacare caiman Caiman latirostris Broad snouted caiman Melanosuchus niger Black caiman Alligatorinae Alligator sinensis Chinese alligator Alligator mississippiensis American alligatorCharacteristics editIn the wild adults normally grow to 2 to 2 5 m 6 ft 7 in to 8 ft 2 in in length but a few old males have been recorded to reach up to 3 5 m 11 ft 5 8 Captive adults have weighed 23 to 65 kg 51 to 143 lb 9 10 A large adult male of 2 6 m 8 ft 6 in would weigh around 80 kg 180 lb 11 Most tend to be of a light olive green color A few individuals have spots on their faces 6 The most notable physical characteristic is the broad snout from which its name is derived 6 The snout is well adapted to rip through the dense vegetation of the marshes Due to this they swallow some of the dense vegetation while foraging for food 12 nbsp Caiman latirostrisskeletonBiology and behavior edit nbsp Broad snouted caiman Caiman latirostris on the border of pond in Bonito Mato Grosso do Sul Brazil The broad snouted caiman is ectothermic depending on its external environment to regulate its body temperature Its heart rate increases as the temperature increases and decreases when the temperature is lowered 13 The heat of the sun is absorbed through the skin into the blood keeping its body temperature up An increased heart rate helps the newly absorbed heat transfer throughout the body more quickly When the air becomes cooler the need for the heart rate to remain elevated is lost 13 Young caimans rely heavily on their ability to find shelter to avoid predation 14 This behavior drops off as they age 14 Hunting and diet edit Its diet consists mainly of small invertebrates and it can crush shells to feed on turtles and snails 6 including ampullarid snails 15 As the size of C latirostris increases the size of its prey tends to increase Young broad snouted caimans have a diet consisting of mostly insects however as the caiman grows it increases its intake of birds fish amphibians 15 and reptiles 12 14 Captive specimens have been documented and photographed devouring the fruit of Philodendron bipinnatifidum without external stimulation though it is unclear if this is because of them being housed with tegu or a natural behaviour 16 A later study also concluded that C latirostris and its relatives are obligate omnivores and play an important role in the dispersal of plant seeds in their habitats 17 Reproduction edit nbsp Broad snouted caiman baby The female lays 18 to 50 eggs at a time While rare up to 129 eggs have been found within a single nest presumably from several layings 5 They lay their eggs in two layers with a slight temperature difference between the two layers This will result in a more even ratio of males and females 6 The caiman does not have sex chromosomes but instead depends on temperature to determine the ratio of male and female offspring Eggs at warmer temperatures 32 C 90 F or higher develop into males and eggs at cooler temperatures 31 C 88 F or lower develop into females 18 Estrogen levels and stress levels of the mother can have an effect Nests reared at the same temperature can differ in sex ratio This indicates there are other factor that contribute to a nest having male or female eggs 19 Conservation editHunting of the species began in the 1940s Its skin is greatly valued for its smooth texture Until most countries made hunting them illegal this was the largest threat to the broad snouted caiman The ban on hunting helped them to regain their population 5 The new threat is habitat destruction 5 Deforestation and pollution run off are the two leading causes to the destruction of their habitat 6 The species is well known from the lagoons of the urban areas of Barra da Tijuca and Recreio dos Bandeirantes in Rio de Janeiro Notes edit nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Caiman latirostris nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caiman latirostris Except populations of Argentina and Brazil which are included in Appendix II References edit Rio Jonathan P Mannion Philip D 6 September 2021 Phylogenetic analysis of a new morphological dataset elucidates the evolutionary history of Crocodylia and resolves the long standing gharial problem PeerJ 9 e12094 doi 10 7717 peerj 12094 PMC 8428266 PMID 34567843 Siroski P Bassetti L A B Pina C Larriera A 2020 Caiman latirostris IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T46585A3009813 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2020 3 RLTS T46585A3009813 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 Appendices CITES cites org Retrieved 2022 01 14 Crocodile Specialist Group 1996 Caiman latirostris IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996 e T46585A11062418 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 1996 RLTS T46585A11062418 en a b c d e Manolis S C Stevenson C eds 2022 01 19 Broad snouted Caiman Caiman latirostris Crocodiles Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan PDF 3 ed Darwin Australia Crocodile Specialist Group pp 18 22 Archived PDF from the original on 2022 01 19 Retrieved 2022 03 02 a b c d e f Britton A Caiman latirostris Daudin 1801 Crocodilian Species List http www flmnh ufl edu cnhc csp clat htm 2009 Bittencourt Pedro Senna Campos Zilca Muniz Fabio de Lima Marioni Boris Souza Bruno Campos Da Silveira Ronis de Thoisy Benoit Hrbek Tomas Farias Izeni Pires 22 March 2019 Evidence of cryptic lineages within a small South American crocodilian the Schneider s dwarf caiman Paleosuchus trigonatus Alligatoridae Caimaninae PeerJ 7 e6580 doi 10 7717 peerj 6580 PMC 6433001 PMID 30931177 3 3 Caimans Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2016 03 04 Retrieved 2012 06 13 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Bassetti Luis AB Marques Thiago S Malvasio Adriana Pina Carlos I Verdade Luciano M 4 February 2014 Thermoregulation in captive broad snouted caiman Caiman latirostris Zoological Studies 53 1 9 doi 10 1186 1810 522X 53 9 hdl 11336 18814 ISSN 1810 522X Liwszyc Guillermo Larramendy Marcelo L 10 February 2023 Bird and Reptile Species in Environmental Risk Assessment Strategies Royal Society of Chemistry ISBN 978 1 83767 077 2 a b Borteiro C Gutierrez F Tedros M and Kolenc F Food habits of the Broad snouted Caiman Caiman Latirostris Crocodylia Alligatoridae in northwestern Uruguay Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment Vol 44 No 1 April 2009 31 36 a b Micheli M A Campbell H A Autonomic control of heart rate exhibits diurnal shifts in a crocodilian Amphibia Reptilia Vol 29 Issue 4 2008 567 571 a b c Somaweera Ruchira Brien Matthew Shine Richard 2013 12 01 The Role of Predation in Shaping Crocodilian Natural History Herpetological Monographs 27 1 Herpetologists League 23 doi 10 1655 herpmonographs d 11 00001 ISSN 0733 1347 S2CID 86167446 a b Crocodilian Species Broad snouted Caiman Caiman latirostris Brito et al 2002 Do caiman eat fruit http www rc unesp br ib zoologia denis Brito et al pdf 2002 Platt S G Elsey R M Liu H 2013 Frugivory and seed dispersal by crocodilians an overlooked form of saurochory Journal of Zoology 291 2 87 99 doi 10 1111 jzo 12052 Maria Virginia Parachu Marco Pamela Leiva Josefina Luciana Iungman Melina Soledad Simoncini and Carlos Ignacio Pina April 2017 New Evidence Characterizing Temperature dependent Sex Determination in Broad snouted Caiman Caiman latirostris Simoncini Melina 2019 Influence of Temperature Variation on Incubation Period Hatching Success Sex Ratio and Phenotypes in Caiman Latirostris Experimental Zoology Part A Ecological and Integrative Physiology 331 5 299 307 doi 10 1002 jez 2265 PMID 31033236 S2CID 139105823 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Broad snouted caiman amp oldid 1223077890, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
