Crocodiles are contemporaries of dinosaurs

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Crocodiles are one of the most ancient animals on the Earth. They lived 200 million years and are contemporaries of dinosaurs. These strong reptiles look not least deterrent than the disappeared prehistoric pangolins. But besides this, they have an incredibly durable and beautiful skin. Its quality was valued already by fighting tribes. The crocodile leather was used to cover shields and sew armor.

The crocodiles live in tropical and subtropical zones in Eurasia, Africa, America, Australia and the adjacent islands. All the crocodiles are of large sizes: the smallest up to 1,5 m, and the length of the largest ones can be more than 6 m. They lead a semiaquatic way of life. All the crocodiles are adapted to living in water where their movements are very quick and nimble. For the most time they live in fresh waters, especially in backwaters or slowly flowing ones, but some species are to be found in seas too. The crocodiles go to the land to lie under the sun on the sandy coastal strips, but are ready to plunge into the water if the slightest danger arise.

The crocodiles are predators. Their main 'meals' of their menu are fish, shellfish, mollusks, aqueous and periaqueous medium-sized vertebras (Amphibia, reptiles, birds, mammals).

At present 22 species of the crocodiles are known. According to the biological classification they belong to the Crocodylia order and are divided into three families:
- proper Crocodylidae -14 species,
- Alligatoridae and Caiman - 7 species,
- Gavialidae - 1 species.

The proper crocodiles live in the tropical equatorial zone of all the continents. Alligators (in South America they are called Caimans) live only in southern part of North America, in South America and in Yangtze River in China.

Outwardly, a crocodile differs from an alligator only by the form of its jaws and the bite. When the snout is closed only the protruded teeth of the upper jaw are seen. The protruded teeth of the lower jaw fit the space between the teeth of the upper jaw so that all the teeth are visible.

The skin of the crocodiles and alligators differs too. The crocodiles have a more even and successive pattern. Besides, the number of cells varies also. The alligator has the pattern 2-2-2 in a row, while the crocodile has 4-2 one.