![]() Females build a nest mound with an egg chamber, protecting the eggs from predators. Reproduction takes place in the dry season. Although merely few specific ecological studies have been conducted, it is observed that this species has its own niche which allows coexistence with other competitors. Being an apex predator and potentially a keystone species, it is generalist, capable of taking most animals within its range, and might have played a critical role in maintaining structure of the ecosystem. This enables them to see and breathe while the rest of their bodies are underwater.Ī carnivorous animal, the black caiman lives along freshwater habitats, including slow-moving rivers, lakes and seasonally flooded savannas, where it preys upon a variety of fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals. ![]() They have thick, scaled skin, and their eyes and noses are located on the tops of their heads. Like all crocodilians, caimans are long, squat creatures, with big jaws, long tails and short legs. The head is large and heavy, an advantage in catching larger prey. The morphology is quite different from other caimans but the bony ridge that occurs in other caimans is present. The banding on young animals helps with camouflage by breaking up their body outline, on land or in water, in an effort to avoid predation. It has grey to brown banding on the lower jaw juveniles have a more vibrant coloration compared to adults, with prominent white-pale yellow banding on the flanks that remains present well into adulthood (more than most other species). In some individuals, the pigmentation can appear almost jet-black. True to its common and scientific names, the black caiman has a dark greenish-black coloration as an adult. With a maximum length of around 5 to 6 m (16 to 20 ft) and a mass of over 450 kg (1,000 lb), it is the largest living species of the family Alligatoridae, and the third-largest in the Neotropical realm. The black caiman ( Melanosuchus niger) is a crocodilian reptile endemic to South America.
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