Head to head
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman vs Dwarf Crocodile
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman
VS Dwarf Crocodile
Cuvier's dwarf caiman of South America and the dwarf crocodile of Africa are two small, heavily armoured crocodilians that live in rainforest streams on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
| Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman | Dwarf Crocodile | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Paleosuchus palpebrosus | Osteolaemus tetraspis |
| Size | The smallest living crocodilian, with males around 1.5 metres long and females smaller | Usually 1 to 1.5 metres, exceptionally to about 1.9 metres, heavy-bodied and short-snouted |
| Armour | Thick bony plates on the back and belly, which protect it from predators such as jaguars and anacondas | Bony plates on the back, belly, neck, tail, and even the eyelids, more complete than in any other crocodilian |
| Diet | Fish, crustaceans, snails, frogs, and small reptiles | Crabs, frogs, fish, snails, large insects, and small mammals and birds, with crustaceans a major part of the diet |
| Habitat | Fast-flowing rainforest streams and rocky rivers | Rainforest streams, swamps, pools, and slow rivers, plus flooded cave systems in Gabon |
| Lifestyle | Shy and mostly nocturnal, spending the day in burrows or under overhanging banks | More terrestrial than most crocodilians, foraging far from water on the forest floor on rainy nights |
| Range | The Amazon and Orinoco basins, the Pantanal, and parts of the Paraguay and Parana rivers | West and Central Africa, from Senegal and Sierra Leone east to the Congo Basin and south to Angola |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, with a stable population | Vulnerable |
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman vs Dwarf Crocodile: common questions
Which is the smallest crocodilian?
Cuvier's dwarf caiman, which is the smallest living crocodilian, with males around 1.5 metres long.
Which one lives in caves?
The dwarf crocodile, with populations in Gabon living deep inside flooded caves and feeding on cave crickets and bats.
Which one is Vulnerable?
The dwarf crocodile, while Cuvier's dwarf caiman is Least Concern.