The Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman is a small species of Crocodilian that belongs to the Alligator family. This species is found in the Northern and Central regions of South America. The Dwarf Caiman gets its name from Georges Cuvier, a French zoologist who first described the species in 1807.
The Dwarf Caiman is the smallest living species of Crocodilian in the world, hence their name. Males usually only grow to around 4.5ft while females are usually slightly smaller. Adults usually only weigh around 6-7 kg.
Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman Taxonomy
The Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman is a member of the Crocodilian Order under the Scientific Classification of Animals. For comparison, different Orders of reptiles would include animals such as Lizards, Snakes, Turtles and Tortoises.
The Crocodilian Order can be broken down into Crocodiles, Alligators, Caimans and Gharials, although Caiman are actually a sub-family of Alligator. This is where the Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman sits in the Classification of Animals.
The Dwarf Caiman is the nominate species of the Paleosuchus genus. The name is derived from Greek words that translate to Ancient Crocodile. The only other species in the genus is the Schneider’s Dwarf Caiman.
Geographical Range and Habitat
The Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman is native to Northern and Central South America. They can be found in the wetlands of countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, Colombia and French Guinea. They can be found throughout the wetlands of the Orinoco River, the São Francisco River, and the Amazon River.
They are a freshwater species, but they can also be found in areas where a river system meets the ocean. In these areas, they generally stay where the water is still fresh. Unlike many species of Crocodilian, the Dwarf Caiman likes fast moving water and is often found around rapids and waterfalls.
Dwarf Caiman are mainly nocturnal but can sometimes be active during the day. They can be found lying on top of burrows or resting on rocks during the day. The will also lie facing the sun, partially submerged in shallow water with their backs exposed.
They share some of their range with species such as the Yellow Anaconda, Brazilian Blue Tarantula, False Water Cobra and the Guyana Pink Toe Tarantula.
Dwarf Caiman Diet
Like all Crocodilians, the Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman are carnivores. Their diet consists of a wide range of prey that they catch both in water and on land. This includes fish, amphibians, small mammals, birds, crabs and shrimp.
A Juveniles Dwarf Caiman will supplement their diet with other small animals including tadpoles, frogs, snails and beetles. As a nocturnal species, they hunt during the night and spend their days basking or resting.
While the diet of this species consists of a variety of different animals, it does tend to change as the Caiman matures. A juvenile’s diet is high in things like tadpoles, frogs and insects while the bulk of an adult’s diet is made up of fish, small mammals and frogs.
Dwarf Caiman Description
This is the smallest species of Crocodilia in the world with males growing to an average length of 4.5ft. Females are generally slightly smaller. The average weight of an adult is only 6-7kg. The dorsal area of the Caiman is very dark brown or black and they have dark and light spots around their jaws.
The Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman can be distinguished from other Caiman using dental or scale examination. They have 4 premaxillary teeth in the upper jaw while most Caiman have 5. This species also has 17-20 longitudinal rows of scales on their dorsal while their tail has 7-9 rows.
Breeding Behavior
The Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman is a polygynous species, meaning that a single male will mate with multiple females in a single breeding season. Breeding generally begins towards the end of the dry season.
When ready to breed the male will perform a calling ritual which involves a vocalised roar or grunt to attract a female’s attention. They also put on a visual display by lifting their heads high and hold their tails almost vertically out of the water.
Breeding generally takes place at night in shallow water. Strangely, it is actually the female that mounts the male and twists her tail under his. The process can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to a whole day.
While breeding generally takes place towards the end of the dry season, this species has been found to breed at any time of the year if the conditions are right. However, it is believed that females only breed once a year in the wild.
At the start of the breeding season, the female will stop eating. Both the male and female will build the nest for the eggs which consists of a mound of mud and rotten vegetation. The female can then lay anything from 10-25 eggs.
The eggs will hatch after around 90 days. The male does not provide any parental care and will leave once the eggs are laid. The eggs and hatchlings are very vulnerable with snakes and birds regularly preying on them.
