The American Crocodile Essay -- Research Papers Crocodiles Animals Ess

The American Crocodile(Crocodylus acutus)Crocodylus acutus, or much commonly referred to as the American crocodile, is the second most widely distributed of the smart World crocodiles, ranging from the southern tip of Florida, both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of southerly Mexico, as well as the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola (1 Species). These areas provide the perfect climate for these jeopardise species that have roamed the spike heelth for over 200 million years. Florida is k without delayn for its enceinte population of American alligators, which are a great deal conf utilize for the rare American crocodile. However, there are vast differences between the two species. hunt down for their hides and the changing of their habitat to beach front property is slowly displace the American crocodile out of Florida, the only place it is found in the united States. For one hundred ninety million years before the first-year humans evolved, huge population s of crocodilians, in more or less their present form, inhabited the water supplys and shorelines of rivers, lakes, swamps, and estuaries of tropical and subtropical lands. Today they represent the last true survivors of the huge reptiles that one time dominated the seas and landmasses of Earth for over 200 million years (6 Levy). However, outfit is inappropriate to treat crocodilians as living fossils whose inferiority forced them into a marginal ecological role as amphibious predators in a world now dominated by mammals. In fact, they are super specialized for their particular mode of life and have undergone considerable changes during their broad evolutionary historyK (14 Ross). Among living vertebrates, crocodilians are most well related to birds rather than to lizards (14). Even though these two groups are now adapted to different modes of life, they both have an elongate outer ear canal, a muscular gizzard, and complete separation of the ventricles of the heart. Crocodil ians are the most good of all reptiles. They are elongated, armored, and lizard-like, with a muscular, laterally shaped tail used in swimming. The snout is also elongated, with the nostrils set to the end to allow subsisting while most of the body remains submerged under water (42). The success of the Crocodile is evidenced by the relatively few changes that have occurred since crocodilians first appeared about 200 million years ago (42). The Croc... ...of Florida, both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of Southern Mexico, as well as the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola (1 Species). The American crocodile is often confused for its cousin the American alligator the more aggressive and controlling reptile of Florida. However, there are vast differences between the two species. Hunted for their hides and the changing of their habitat to beach front property is slowly pushing the American crocodile out of Florida, the only place it is found in the United States. Perh aps with the continued efforts of FPL and CITES the American crocodile will become a more abundant species. Works Cited10B, Sunsentinal, July 4, 1992Curvier, 1807, www.bio.bris.ac.uk/research/crocs/csp_cacu.htmGatorland, www.gatorland.comGuggisberg, C.A.W., Stackpole Books, Pennsylvania 1972Levy, Charles, Quintet Publishing Limited, London, 1991McClure, Robert, Sun-Sentinel, venerable 13, 1995, 1AMiller, Jill Young, Sun-Sentinel, July 29, 1993, 1ERoss, Charles, A. Facts on File, New York, 1989Species Accounts, www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/act-plan/cacut.htmWeinlaub, Dean, Sun-Sentinel, October 30, 1994, 6H