Crocodiles are carnivorous semi-aquatic reptiles with a long tapered snout, long thick tail, powerful jaws, and thick armored hide. Most species live in or near fresh water in the tropic zones of Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. http://www.ypte.org.uk/animal/crocodile/66 There is one salt-water species, nicknames "salties." The saltwater crocodile, found in Australia, is the largest reptile in the world.http://australian-animals.net/croc.htm

Crocodiles co-existed with, and have outlived, the dinosaurs. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/crocs/dinosaurs/ Thought they spend much of their life in the water, they are not amphibians, but reptiles who must lay their eggs on land. They are very advanced, with physiological features like a diaphragm, cerebral cortex and four-chambered heart unique among reptiles. Their bodies are well-suited for the speed, stealth and agility necessary to be a highly successful aquatic hunter.

1. Adaptation: Water-adapted
2. Characteristics: Fast swimmers and sprinters http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/reptiles/rep_croc.html
3. Predation: Ambush hunters
4. Human Consumption: Edible meat
5. Manufacturing: Hide used in leather goods

There distinct differences between crocodiles and their cousins, the alligator. They also have relatives in the caiman, and the gharial. The easiest way to tell the difference between an alligator and a crocodile is the shape of its head. Crocodiles have a more pointed snout, while the alligator has a rounded snout and a wide head. Because of special glands in their tongues that eliminate salt, crocodiles are able to live in saltwater. Alligators have vestigial glands of the same nature, but through adaptation, they are not as functional so they tend to live in freshwater habitats. http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-crocodile.html

The four largest crocodiles in captivity are: http://www.reptilegardens.com/learning-pages/crocodilians/crocs/maniac.php

1. Yai : 20+ feet : Thailand (recorded in Guinness as 19 feet 8 inches)
2. Cassius : 18 feet : Australia
3. Maniac : 15 feet 8 inches : United States
4. Maximo : 15 feet 3 inches : United States

The following picture is of Yai.

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