The distinction between several species of shrews
Compared with the distinction of true crocodiles, the distinction between shrews is relatively easy, but there are still some vague places, and some distinctions are still difficult, which is hereby explained
Pygmy caiman
The genus Pygmy Caiman has two members: blunt-nosed pygmy crocodile and cone-nosed pygmy crocodile, which are closer. More is known is the blunt-nosed pygmy crocodile --- the smallest crocodile, which is also beginning to appear on the domestic market today. Cone-nosed pygmy crocodiles are more heard about, and many people take pictures of them indifferently or treat it as blunt-snouted pygmy crocodiles
Overall comparison chart (Fig. 1 blunt-nosed pygmy crocodile, fig. 2 cone-kissed) The body color of the cone-kissed cone is more vivid and the color is changeable. Blunt kisses have a tendency to "blackened bodies with orange heads"
Juveniles, the first blunt-nosed pygmy crocodile, the last two cone-nosed pygmy crocodiles
Local comparison, pay attention to the difference in the shape of the head and snout, the blunt-snouted pygmy crocodile head appears short and thick, the front part of the eye is raised, and the slope of the entire face door changes greatly. The jaw is flat and the gradient is not noticeable
The cone snout is gentler and slender, and the shape of the snout is more like a real crocodile
The first two blunt kisses, the last cone kiss
The following is the highlight, but also the method I often use--- neck armor, compared with the body color, pattern, the neck armor variable is small, sometimes there are some changes in the arrangement, but the overall is more intuitive and accurate, the neck armor pattern also has a certain law. For some species and individuals that are easily confused as a whole, it can be distinguished by neck armor but can be "one knife and two breaks"
Compared with the neck carapace, the two can be directly distinguished, and the obtuse snout is two rows of occipital scales, and the neck scales are numerous and thick
The scales behind the occipital cone are arranged in a row, and the neck carapace is not very fine, with a distinctly protruding bony ridge
The cone-kissed neck nails upstairs are also very clear and can be referenced
Two hand-drawn drawings, which can be used to clarify the differences in the head and neck of crocodiles, but this set of diagrams also has some shortcomings, such as some figures that are wrongly depicted in the conventional neck armor pattern, and some of the head shapes are exaggerated
For example, in the cone kiss in this figure, the normal posterior occipital scales and neck carapace of the cone kiss have more bone ridges than this, but the snout is not so exaggerated
The lateral ventral carapace contrasts, and the flank abdomen of the blunt-snouted pygmy crocodile tends to be beaded scales and is flatter. The flank of the cone-snouted pygmy crocodile is sometimes covered with a strongly ridged lateral carapace, which should actually be an extension of the dorsal carapace. There are also many individuals with flat flanks
The skeleton of the "blunt-nosed pygmy crocodile" that has been rumored, some books in China have installed this skeleton to the black caiman crocodile, in fact, it is a cone-kissed pygmy crocodile
Several types of caimans
The three members of the Caiman genus are the spectacled caiman, the bottlenose caiman, and the Paraguayan caiman
Paraguayan caiman
Originally conceived as a subspecies of caimans, the Paraguayan caiman was later independent, and its conspicuous jaw spots and thicker body color can easily distinguish it from spectacled caimans and bottlenose kemans. In addition, the mandibular teeth of this species are also conspicuous, and are significantly more developed than other shrews.
The neck carapace of the Paraguayan Kaimen is not significantly different from the dorsal carapace and the lateral ventral carapace and the Cairn, and it is more convenient to distinguish between body color and pattern. The distinction between the other two is not described in detail here and will be mentioned again later.
Larval diagram
Although the mole claims that "the mouth does not show the lower teeth when the mouth is closed" as a difference from the real crocodile, there are many exceptions, some individuals when the mouth is closed, the fourth teeth of the lower jaw are exposed like the real crocodile. There are many more that will prick the jaw
The front teeth may also be deformed and protrude out of the mouth. This trait is prevalent in shrews, and examples can be found in almost every species.
Pictured above
Another interesting thing about The Paraguayan Kymen is that it is often possible to photograph it with butterflies
with caterpillars
Add a few Paraguayan caimans
Spectacled caimans and bottlenose caimans
The head and jaw of the spectacled caiman are usually spotless. The bottlenose caiman has spots on its head and lower jaw, its head is short and thick, and some individuals have clear ridgelines that extend from the eye to the edge of the upper jaw. The characteristic shape of the kiss of the bottlenose caiman is almost impossible to mistake, and this is also the most ugly crocodile in my opinion.
In the comparison chart, the first is a spectacled caiman and the second is a bottlenose caiman
The neck armor of the spectacled caiman is strong, the coverage area is large, and it has weak edges. The broad-nosed Caiman's neck carapace is thick, and the scales and neck carapace behind the occipital are strongly edged
These are caimans
Bottlenose Caiman neck armor close-up,