Schneider's Dwarf Caiman

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The Schneider's dwarf caiman has a rather long snout, about 1.7 to 2 times as long as broad at the level of the front corners of the eyes. Its surface is smooth, without transverse or longitudinal ridges. The upper eyelid is nearly completely ossified and with a smooth surface. The colour of the upper surface of the body is dark brownish, in young animals with dark crossbands. The ear coverlets are darker than the cranial table. The lower surface is light and with dark blotches. The iris is reddish. The length is up to 2 m, but usually about 1.1 m.

Did you know?
that dwarf caimans are very slow-growing? They become sexually mature at 10-20 years of age, and breed every 2 or 3 years only

Factsheet
Class	REPTILIA
Order	CROCODYLIA
Suborder	EUSUCHIA
Family	ALLIGATORIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Paleosuchus trigonatus
Name (English)	Schneider's Dwarf Caiman
Name (French)	Caiman à front lisse de Schneider
Name (German)	Keilkopf-Glattstirnkaiman
Name (Spanish)	Caimán frentiplano
CITES Status	Appendix II
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Mokele

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
Habitat	Freshwater riverine
Wild population	Approx. up to 1,000,000 in 2009 (Crocodilian 2012). Widely distributed
Zoo population	40 reported to ISIS (2005)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 42 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

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