Characteristics of Crocodiles – Scientifically, all crocodiles are basically part of the type of animal from the Crocodylidae tribe, including the sepit crocodile or known by the Latin name Tomistoma schlegelii. The characteristics of a crocodile or as a type of reptile that has a large body size is that it can live in two different realms, namely water and land.
The name Crocodile or the term Crocodile itself was first popularized by traditional people who live and live on the banks of the Nile, Egypt. Crocodile is known to be an elaboration of the phrase “kroko” which means gravel and “deilos” which means worm. The ancient Egyptians gave the nickname “stone worm” to the crocodile we know today.
Apart from some of the characteristics of crocodiles above, there are still many characteristics of crocodiles that are not known by many people. So, in this article, sinaumedia.com has managed to summarize the characteristics of crocodiles from various sources. Not only that, an explanation will also be presented regarding the classification of several types of food from crocodiles which are interesting to know.
A. Special Characteristics of Crocodiles
Archaeological researchers revealed that initially the crocodile or in English it was called Crocodile belonged to a type of animal that had lived since the time of the dinosaurs. As previously stated, basically most of the crocodile’s habitat is spent in the water. However, one of the most beautiful animals on earth can still live even if it goes ashore.
Based on what is written in Jumanta’s Smart Animal Book, crocodiles have several special characteristics that distinguish them from other reptile-type animals. The following is an explanation regarding the special characteristics possessed by crocodiles, including:
1. Most crocodiles have a body length of about 5-7 meters and weigh up to more than 1,200 kilograms. Even so, every crocodile that has just hatched from an egg is known to only have a body length of about 20 cm.
2. Crocodiles have long and strong tails. This long and strong tail can make crocodiles swim very fast, one of which is to chase their prey.
3. Crocodiles have a nose equipped with a valve. This valve can automatically be closed when the crocodile starts swimming or diving in the water.
4. Crocodiles have strong jaws, sharp canines, and long snouts. This body structure will greatly assist crocodiles in catching and tearing prey flesh when looking for food.
5. Crocodiles have up to 30-40 teeth in each jaw. The teeth of this crocodile can also be connected when it closes its mouth.
6. Crocodiles have upper body skin covered with rough and hard sides. This is proof that crocodiles can be said to be very tough animals. The reason is, the scales that are owned by crocodiles have the hardness equivalent to stone.
7. The largest species of crocodile that has been found in the world today is the estuarine crocodile. Estuarine crocodiles usually live in Southeast Asia to Northern Australia.
B. General Characteristics of Crocodiles.
After learning that one of the special characteristics of a crocodile is having an upper skin that is as tough as a rock, in this section we will discuss various characteristics of crocodiles in general based on the book RPAL Plus SD Classes 3, 4, 5, & 6 by Dhiyaulhaq. The characteristics of crocodiles in general include the following:
1. Cold-blooded animals
The first characteristic of crocodiles is that they are known as cold-blooded animals. This fact is true, crocodiles can be said to be animals with a type of poikilothermic or cold-blooded. Not only that, several parties agree that crocodiles are considered one of the cold-blooded and very strong reptiles.
Crocodiles are known to be animals that have the ability to maintain a stable body temperature. In addition, these animals are also able to make adjustments to the various environments around them.
2. Carnivorous animals
The second characteristic of crocodiles is that they are carnivorous animals. Carnivorous animals themselves can be understood as a type of meat-eating animal. One of the reasons crocodiles are included in the carnivorous animal species is because of the crocodile’s behavior which can be categorized as a wild animal.
As carnivorous animals, several types of food for crocodiles include birds, mammals, and even various types of reptiles that are around where they live.
3. Breed by laying eggs
The third characteristic of crocodiles is animals that reproduce by laying eggs. In breeding, this type of reptile usually prepares a nest to lay eggs first. After that, only the female crocodile will release her eggs in the nest.
Crocodile nests for self-laying are usually up to 20 feet deep. The reason crocodiles make nests that deep is because a large number of eggs are released. In addition, the nest is also made to prevent theft from other predators. Even though it comes out quite a lot, only a few crocodile eggs will survive to successfully hatch.
Some researchers revealed that of the many eggs released by female crocodiles, only about 20 percent of the total number of crocodile eggs will hatch. This is caused by the temperature factor that occurs in the environment. Towards hatching, crocodile eggs require warm temperatures. However, if the temperature around the crocodile egg nest is too cold, hatching can not be optimal.
4. Breathe using the lungs
The fourth characteristic of crocodiles is the respiratory system that uses the lungs. Although the crocodile’s habitat is mostly spent in water, crocodiles do not breathe using gills. Crocodile is an animal that breathes using lungs like other land creatures.
In addition, animals with hard skin have the ability to breathe underwater for up to two hours. This is basically caused by the structure of the crocodile’s body which has the position of the roof of the mouth which is located on the border between the throat and the esophagus. Not surprisingly, when crocodiles swim with their mouths open, water will not enter their mouths and will not be swallowed either.
5. Has three eyelids
The fifth feature of the crocodile is that it has three eyelids. This feature can be said to be one of the uniqueness that only crocodiles have. This is because the first two layers of the eyelids have the function of seeing when the crocodile is rising to land. Meanwhile, the third layer of petals will be used when the crocodile is going down or entering the water.
C. Classification of Crocodiles
After knowing the various special features and general characteristics of crocodiles, in this section we will learn about the classification of this type of wild reptile. Based on the Crocodile Secrets book published by Elex Media Komputindo, the following is a classification of crocodiles that you need to know, including:
1. Kingdom: Animalia.
2. Phylum: Chordata.
3. Class: Sauropsid.
4.Order: Crocodilia.
5. Family: Crocodylidae.
6. Genera: Mecistops, Crocodylus, and Osteolaemus.
D. Types of Crocodiles
According to animal scientists, crocodiles have dozens of species and have spread all over the world. So, here are some of the most popular and easiest types of crocodiles to find, including:
1. Nile Crocodile
Nile crocodile or crocodile with the Latin name Crocodylus niloticus is a type of crocodile that spends most of its life in the African region. However, not for the Sahara region and parts of Madagascar. The Nile Crocodile itself can be regarded as one of the most dangerous types of crocodiles in the world.
According to data, the Nile Crocodile has committed more than 300 attacks on humans almost every year. Therefore, you need to be careful when you are in African waters. These crocodiles can be found in several lakes and fresh or brackish waters. In addition, the Nile Crocodile also has a fairly large body size, which is up to about 5-6 meters.
2. Estuarine Crocodile
Estuarine crocodile or known by the Latin name Crocodylus porosus can be said to be a type of crocodile that has the largest size in the world. Estuarine crocodiles are known to have lengths of up to 6 meters or 5 to 7 meters and can weigh up to 1000 kilograms.
Estuarine crocodiles themselves can be found in the East India region, Southeast Asia, one of which is Indonesia to Northern Australia. The habitat of the estuarine crocodile is in the border area between river water and sea water. Some people have differences in calling this species based on the environment. Some call the estuarine crocodile a saltwater crocodile. However, there are also those who call this crocodile a sea crocodile.
Estuarine crocodiles themselves are also included in the type of crocodile which is very ferocious and savage. This type of reptile is very easily disturbed if another animal enters its territory. Based on data obtained by the IUCN in 2000 and 2007, estuarine crocodiles have carried out attacks on 30 people.
3. Irian Crocodile
Irian crocodile is a type of crocodile that is quite popular for the people of Indonesia. As the name implies, this type of wild reptile is quite easy to find in several parts of Indonesia, such as the islands of Irian, Sumatra and Kalimantan. The Irian crocodile has characteristics as a swamp guardian animal and is spread in the shallow waters of the Irian area. Some researchers claim to have found crocodiles with Irian characteristics swimming in saltwater and estuaries.
The Irian crocodile itself has a smaller body size than the estuarine crocodile. Until now, the Irian crocodile that residents have seen is only about 3 meters long. However, local residents admit that the Irian crocodile is larger than that size.
4. Siamese Crocodile
The Siamese crocodile is the crocodile that has the most numbers on the Asian continent. The habitat of the Siamese crocodile itself is spread from Malaysia, Cambodia, and also includes Indonesia. For people who live on the island of Java, the Siamese crocodile is known as the frog crocodile. This is because the skin of the frog crocodile has a texture that is almost the same as some other amphibians.
5. Borneo Crocodile
The Bornean crocodile is a type of crocodile that is the pride of the Indonesian people. This is because the sentence crocodile on several occasions was involved in making international scale documentaries. In addition to the mythical story that is owned by the Bornean crocodile, this crocodile is also famous for its relatively large size.
Almost the same as the estuarine crocodile, the Bornean crocodile also has a very ferocious nature. At one time, the Bornean crocodile attacked people who were active in the river. In addition, the Bornean crocodile has also been able to overturn fishing boats several times.
6. American alligator
The American Alligator or Alligator mississippiensis is a type of crocodile native to the Gulf Coast region of the United States. This type of crocodile is often found in fresh water areas. Even though it is considered dangerous, the size of this crocodile is not like crocodiles in general. This American alligator only has a length of about 4 meters to 4.5 meters.
7. Crocodile gharial
The gharial crocodile or Gavialis gangeticus is a type of crocodile that lives and has power in many rivers from northern India to Nepal. The gharial crocodile itself has characteristics that can be seen from its long, very slender jaws and sharp teeth. Once upon a time, a gharial crocodile ate a floating corpse during a funeral ceremony in the Ganges River, India.
5. American alligator
As the name suggests, the American crocodile, which has the Latin name Crocodylus acutus, has a habitat in American waters. This type of crocodile is quite easy to find in several regions, such as southern Florida, southern Mexico, the Caribbean islands, and Central America and northern South America.