What Is a Caiman?

The caiman is a so-called crocodilian. This means that it is classified as belonging to the same order as crocodiles. All crocodilians are reptiles since they share key features with lizards, snakes and turtles. There are five species of caiman. Caimans differ from alligators by having generally less rounded snouts, different coloration and some differences in internal anatomy that are not obvious without close-up study or dissection.

  1. Skin

    • A caiman's skin is made up of thick, scaly plates called scutes. These scutes have a bony interior.

    Teeth

    • The caiman has top and bottom rows of teeth and--as with the alligator--when the animal's mouth is closed the bottom teeth do not protrude and show from the outside, as they do in crocodiles.

    Size

    • A species known as Cuvier's dwarf caiman can be as small as four feet as an adult, while the black caiman can reach more than 16 feet.

    Diet

    • Caimans are carnivores but otherwise generalists and opportunistic feeders in the wild. Prey items of choice are mostly a matter of size. Juvenile caimans will feed on such things as small fish, insects and crustaceans while large adults can take larger birds and mammals.

    Distribution

    • Caimans are native to Central and South America.