The crocodilian families are the three families of the order Crocodylia, which together hold 23 species. They are the Crocodylidae, the Alligatoridae and the Gavialidae, and GBIF places all three directly under Crocodylia. Crocodilians, along with birds, are the only survivors of the once prevalent Archosauria, and most of their adaptations had already evolved by the late Triassic, about 200 million years ago. All modern crocodilians have a semi-aquatic life and all must lay their eggs on dry land, and most live in the tropics, the exceptions being the American and Chinese alligators.
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Crocodilian Families
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Animal Diversity Web: Crocodylia
Animal Diversity WebIntroductionQuote, Introduction
There are three families of Crocodylia, with 23 species total.
GBIF Secretariat: GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, children of Crocodylidae
GBIF SecretariatChildren of CrocodylidaeQuote, Children of Crocodylidae
"canonicalName":"Crocodylus","vernacularName":"crocodile","authorship":"Laurenti, 1768","nameType":"SCIENTIFIC","rank":"GENUS","origin":"SOURCE","taxonomicStatus":"ACCEPTED","nomenclaturalStatus":[],"remarks":"","publishedIn":"Laurenti, Joseph N. 1768. Specimen medicum, exhibens synopsin reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota reptilium austriacorum. Joan Thomae, Viennae.: 1-214; Pls. 1-5.","numDescendants":61
GBIF Secretariat: GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, children of Alligatoridae
GBIF SecretariatChildren of AlligatoridaeQuote, Children of Alligatoridae
"canonicalName":"Caiman","vernacularName":"caiman","authorship":"Spix, 1825","nameType":"SCIENTIFIC","rank":"GENUS","origin":"SOURCE","taxonomicStatus":"ACCEPTED","nomenclaturalStatus":[],"remarks":"","publishedIn":"Spix, J. B. von. (1825). Animalia nova sive species nova lacertarum quas in itinere per Brasiliam annis MDCCCXVII-MDCCCXX jussu et auspicius Maximiliani Josephi I Bavariae Regis suscepto collegit et descripsit Dr. J. B. de Spix. Lipsiae: T. O. Weigel; F. S. Hübschmanni, Monachii, 26 pp.","numDescendants":22
GBIF Secretariat: GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, children of Gavialidae
GBIF SecretariatChildren of GavialidaeQuote, Children of Gavialidae
"canonicalName":"Gavialis","vernacularName":"gharial","authorship":"Oppel, 1811","nameType":"SCIENTIFIC","rank":"GENUS","origin":"SOURCE","taxonomicStatus":"ACCEPTED","nomenclaturalStatus":[],"remarks":"","publishedIn":"Oppel, Nicolaus M. 1811. Die Ordnunugen, Familien, und Gattungen der Reprtilien. Munchen: 1-87.","numDescendants":9
Crocodile (Wikipedia)
Has Member: Crocodylidae, LeadQuote, Has Member: Crocodylidae, Lead
A crocodile (family Crocodylidae) or true crocodile is a large, semiaquatic reptile that lives throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia.
Alligatoridae, Wikipedia
Has Member: Alligatoridae, LeadQuote, Has Member: Alligatoridae, Lead
The family Alligatoridae of crocodilians includes alligators, caimans and their extinct relatives.
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