Schneider's dwarf caiman, Schneider's smooth-fronted caiman
The smooth-fronted caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus ), also known as Schneider's dwarf caiman or Schneider's smooth-fronted caiman, is a crocodilian from South America, where it is native to the Amazon and Orinoco Basins. It is the second-smallest species of the family Alligatoridae, the smallest being Cuvier's dwarf caiman, also from tropical South America and in the same genus. An adult typically grows to around 1.2 to 1.6 m (3.9 to 5.2 ft) in length and weighs between 9 and 20 kg (20 and 44 lb). Exceptionally large males can reach as much as 2.3 m (7.5 ft) in length and 36 kg (79 lb) in weight.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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PiscivoresA piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
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SemiaquaticSemiaquatic animals are those that are primarily or partly terrestrial but that spend a large amount of time swimming or otherwise occupied in wate...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Smooth-fronted caiman is a robust crocodilian, strong for its size, and tends to carry its head high with its neck angled upwards. It is a dark greyish-brown in color with mid-brown eyes. The scutes on the back of its neck and the tail are large, triangular, and sharp. This caiman has heavily ossified body armor on both its dorsal and ventral surfaces. The relatively short tail is broad at its base and the bony scutes on the tail have sideways projections; the tail is so well armored, that it is relatively inflexible.
Smooth-fronted caimans are native to the Amazon and Orinoco Basins in South America and are found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. They inhabit small streams in forested areas where in some cases, the water may be insufficiently deep for these caimans to completely submerge themselves. They are seldom seen in open areas and do not usually bask in the sun.
Smooth-fronted caimans are very cryptic and nocturnal creatures. They are seldom observed by day because they hide in underwater burrows. They may also spend much of their time up to 100 m (330 ft) away from water, hiding in dense undergrowth, in hollow logs, or under fallen trees. These caimans are semiterrestrial and solitary. Males are territorial and females have small home ranges. They hunt not only in the water but also on the ground and may cover long distances in search of food.
Smooth-fronted caimans are carnivores. Adults mainly feed on porcupines, pacas, snakes, birds, and lizards, consuming few fish or mollusks. Hatchlings feed mainly on insects in their first few weeks, graduating to larger prey as they grow.
The breeding season of Smooth-fronted caimans takes place at the end of the dry season. The female builds a large mound nest out of leaf litter and soil or may use a pre-existing nest. A clutch of 10 to 15 eggs is laid and covered with further nesting material. The incubation period is about 115 days and the female caiman remains near the nest for at least the earlier part of this time, providing protection against predators. When the eggs start to hatch the female helps the hatchlings to escape from the nest chamber. Having transported the newly emerged juveniles to a nursery area, the female stays with them for a few weeks after which time they disperse. Young females become reproductively mature and start to breed at about 11 years and males when they are about 20 years old.
The main threats to this species are the destruction of its forest habitat and pollution of its environment by gold mining activities. In Guyana, these caimans are often collected for the pet trade.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Smooth-fronted caiman total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
