Attribute | Male | Female | |
---|---|---|---|
Weight | Up to 20 kg (40 lb) | Up to 12 kg (26 lb) | |
Length* |
|
Up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) |
*Note: Estimated by Campos et al. (2010), based on snout-vent length. In Brazil, maximum size may exceed these lengths (Campos et al. 2010).
Data sources
Weight: Male: Campos and Magnusson (2013); female: Campos and Magnusson (2013) and Campos, Sanaiotti, et al. (2015)
Length: Campos et al. (2010)
Few investigations of Paleosuchus palpebrosus senses. See Grigg and Kirshner (2015) and other general references (e.g., CSG: “The Crocodilian Body”) for overview of crocodilian sensory systems.
Similar to this crocodilian, the dwarf caiman has a short, high-profile skull.
This head shape is less hydrodynamic than crocodilians with long, slender skulls—but better for crushing and subduing prey (e.g., fish, shellfish, turtles, crabs, etc.).
Image credit: © Liez / Wikimedia Commons. Some rights reserved; CC BY-SA 3.0.