Spectacled Caiman
Encyclopedia
The spectacled caiman also known as the white caiman or common caiman, is a crocodilia
n reptile
found in much of Central
and South America
. It lives in a range of lowland wetland and riverine habitat types and can tolerate salt water as well as fresh; due in part to this adaptability it is the most common of all crocodilian species. Males of the species are generally 2 to 2.5 m (6.6 to 8.2 ft), while females are smaller, usually around 1.4 metres (4.6 ft). The species' common name comes from a bony ridge between the eyes, which gives the appearance of a pair of spectacles. They have been known to change color. During colder weather the black pigment, found within their skin cells, will expand making them darker.
Temperature is important to the developing eggs. Females will build their nests in a way that insulates them from extreme temperature changes. The nests are made of vegetation. as the vegetation decays the nests produce heat which can keep the eggs about five degrees warmer than if they were insulated by mud alone. Temperature not only incubates the eggs, but also determines the sex of the developing Caiman. Caiman do not possess the genes
necessary to determine sex. They depend on temperature. When the temperature inside the nest is approximately 31 degrees Celsius
, or lower, the Caiman will become male. However, when the temperature is approximately 32 degrees Celsius
or higher they become female. Young Caiman do not hatch with the dark green coloring of their parents. They are yellow with black spots. This coloration will eventually fade away.
Spectacled caiman have strongly protective maternal behaviour. They raise their young in crèches, one female taking care of her own as well as several others' offspring. They will take care of their young for the first two to four months after the eggs hatch. This is the time it takes for the floods of the wet season to subside.
The skin that is salvageable, will be harvested. It is commonly found sold in the American market, sometimes mislabeled as Alligator mississippiensis.
There are about four million Common Caiman found in Venezuela. Recent surveys show that the population is expected to continue to increase. This is an example of how well the species is able to adapt.
However, it is difficult to determine how well the species is doing on a global scale since populations are not doing well in other countries including Peru
and El Salvador
. Despite being commonly mistaken as this species, the incredibly large population of caiman living within the Brazilian Pantanal
are a separate species, the Yacare Caiman
. More up-to-date surveys are required for clarification, and to examine the interactions between the different subspecies
. Further taxonomic work would make control measures easier to implement, as currently identification of different subspecies can be difficult. The major threat to this species and its subspecies is currently illegal hunting. Smuggling rings operating through Thailand
and Singapore
are extremely damaging to individual populations, and greater control measures and more effective legislation are needed.
According to the Crocodilian Species List: "The subspecies
C. c. apaporiensis is under severe threat in Colombia. Feral populations of C. crocodilus are creating problems for other species of crocodilians and native wildlife, however. These populations have become established in three countries. The introduced population in Cuba
is thought to have been primarily responsible for the dramatic decline and probable disappearance of Crocodylus rhombifer from the Isla de la Juventud."
Conservation programs are utilized in many countries. The most common form of conservation is the use of cropping, or manually the reducing numbers of several wild, and abundant species. Long-term effects have yet to be discovered; more surveys have been recommended. There are also Farming or ranching programs, however, they seem to be more expensive and possibly less effective.
s such as insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. The larger caimans will eat fish and water snails. Older animals are capable of taking larger, mammalian prey (e.g. wild pigs). Observations show that as conditions become drier, caimans stop feeding.
In areas where this species has become depleted, fish populations have also shown a decline. Until recently, it was thought that the Caiman crocodilus would overeat the fish and snail populations. Some suggest that they control piranha
populations. However, piranhas have not been found to be a normal meal. The C. yacare
does demonstrate this particular dietary preference. In reality, it is likely that C. crocodilus is very much a generalist and adaptive predator, given its ecological success.
Crocodilia
Crocodilia is an order of large reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago in the late Cretaceous Period . They are the closest living relatives of birds, as the two groups are the only known survivors of the Archosauria...
n reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
found in much of Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. It lives in a range of lowland wetland and riverine habitat types and can tolerate salt water as well as fresh; due in part to this adaptability it is the most common of all crocodilian species. Males of the species are generally 2 to 2.5 m (6.6 to 8.2 ft), while females are smaller, usually around 1.4 metres (4.6 ft). The species' common name comes from a bony ridge between the eyes, which gives the appearance of a pair of spectacles. They have been known to change color. During colder weather the black pigment, found within their skin cells, will expand making them darker.
Reproduction
The spectacled caiman will reach sexual maturity any where from 4 to 7 years. Usually the more dominant individuals will mature more quickly. They will gather and mate during the dry season. After mating season ends the females will build nests out of dense vegetation. The size of the nest varies depending on the resources available to the female. Each female can lay up to forty eggs. The larger females have recently been found to lay eggs that are larger than the eggs smaller females lay. Most Caimans will nest during the wet season. It is very unusual to see a Caiman nest during any winter months. The temperature is too low for the eggs.Temperature is important to the developing eggs. Females will build their nests in a way that insulates them from extreme temperature changes. The nests are made of vegetation. as the vegetation decays the nests produce heat which can keep the eggs about five degrees warmer than if they were insulated by mud alone. Temperature not only incubates the eggs, but also determines the sex of the developing Caiman. Caiman do not possess the genes
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
necessary to determine sex. They depend on temperature. When the temperature inside the nest is approximately 31 degrees Celsius
Celsius
Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
, or lower, the Caiman will become male. However, when the temperature is approximately 32 degrees Celsius
Celsius
Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
or higher they become female. Young Caiman do not hatch with the dark green coloring of their parents. They are yellow with black spots. This coloration will eventually fade away.
Spectacled caiman have strongly protective maternal behaviour. They raise their young in crèches, one female taking care of her own as well as several others' offspring. They will take care of their young for the first two to four months after the eggs hatch. This is the time it takes for the floods of the wet season to subside.
Conservation
This species benefits from over-hunting of competitive species who occupy the same home range. This allows them access to resources normally would have been lost to these other species. Their skin is not wanted for leather production because their skin contains osteoderms. The only skin on their body which does not contain osteoderms are their sides. Therefore hunting of this species is relatively low. In most countries, hunting this species is legal. Venezuela permits hunting every fall, providing the number of kills does not exceed 150,000 for that season.The skin that is salvageable, will be harvested. It is commonly found sold in the American market, sometimes mislabeled as Alligator mississippiensis.
There are about four million Common Caiman found in Venezuela. Recent surveys show that the population is expected to continue to increase. This is an example of how well the species is able to adapt.
However, it is difficult to determine how well the species is doing on a global scale since populations are not doing well in other countries including Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
. Despite being commonly mistaken as this species, the incredibly large population of caiman living within the Brazilian Pantanal
Pantanal
The Pantanal is a tropical wetland and one of the world's largest wetland of any kind. Most of it lies within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated at between and...
are a separate species, the Yacare Caiman
Yacare Caiman
The Yacare caiman is a species of caiman found in central South America, including northeastern Argentina, Uruguay eastern Bolivia, central/south-west Brazil, and the rivers of Paraguay...
. More up-to-date surveys are required for clarification, and to examine the interactions between the different subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. Further taxonomic work would make control measures easier to implement, as currently identification of different subspecies can be difficult. The major threat to this species and its subspecies is currently illegal hunting. Smuggling rings operating through Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
are extremely damaging to individual populations, and greater control measures and more effective legislation are needed.
According to the Crocodilian Species List: "The subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
C. c. apaporiensis is under severe threat in Colombia. Feral populations of C. crocodilus are creating problems for other species of crocodilians and native wildlife, however. These populations have become established in three countries. The introduced population in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
is thought to have been primarily responsible for the dramatic decline and probable disappearance of Crocodylus rhombifer from the Isla de la Juventud."
Conservation programs are utilized in many countries. The most common form of conservation is the use of cropping, or manually the reducing numbers of several wild, and abundant species. Long-term effects have yet to be discovered; more surveys have been recommended. There are also Farming or ranching programs, however, they seem to be more expensive and possibly less effective.
Diet
Caimans eat a variety of invertebrateInvertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s such as insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. The larger caimans will eat fish and water snails. Older animals are capable of taking larger, mammalian prey (e.g. wild pigs). Observations show that as conditions become drier, caimans stop feeding.
In areas where this species has become depleted, fish populations have also shown a decline. Until recently, it was thought that the Caiman crocodilus would overeat the fish and snail populations. Some suggest that they control piranha
Piranha
A piranha or piraña is a member of family Characidae in order Characiformes, an omnivorous freshwater fish that inhabits South American rivers. In Venezuela, they are called caribes...
populations. However, piranhas have not been found to be a normal meal. The C. yacare
Yacare Caiman
The Yacare caiman is a species of caiman found in central South America, including northeastern Argentina, Uruguay eastern Bolivia, central/south-west Brazil, and the rivers of Paraguay...
does demonstrate this particular dietary preference. In reality, it is likely that C. crocodilus is very much a generalist and adaptive predator, given its ecological success.