CATEGORY Identification Notes &~@~-/~: ~~*~@~,~ ‘PTILE for wildlife law enforcement ~ C.rnrn.n N.rn./s: Al@~O~, c~~~dil., ~i~.xl, Gharial PROBLEM: Skulls of Crocodilians are often imported as souvenirs. nalch (-”W 4(JI

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GUIDE TO PRELIMINARY IDENTIFICATION OF CROCODILL4N SKULLS

1. Nasal bones separated from nasal aperture; mandibular symphysis extends to the 15th tooth...... 2. Gavialis gangeticus

Nasal bones entering the nasal aperture; mandibular symphysisdoes not extend beyond the8th tooth ......

Tomistoma schlegelii 2. Nasal bones separated from premaxillary bones; 27 -29maxi11aryteeth,25 -26mandibularteeth

Nasal bones in contact with premaxillaq bo Qoco@khs acutus teeth, 18-19 mandibular teeth ...... Tomiitomaschlegelii

3. Fourth mandibular tooth usually fitting into a notch in the maxilla~, 16-19 maxillary teeth, 14-15 mandibular teeth ...... 4 Osteolaemus temaspis Fourth mandibular tooth usually fitting into a pit in the maxilla~, 14-20 maxillary teeth, 17-22 mandibular teeth ...... 5

4. Nasal bones do not divide nasal aperture...... CrocodylW (12 species) Alligator m&siss@piensh

Nasalboncx divide nasal aperture ...... Osteolaemustetraspk.

5. Nasal bones do not divide nasal aperture...... 6 . Paleosuchus mgonatus Bony septum divides nasal aperture ...... Alligator (2 species)

6. Fiveteethinpremaxilla~ bone ...... 7 . . . .

Melanosuchus niger Four teeth in premaxillary bone...... Paleosuchus (2species)

7. Vomerexposed on the palate ...... Melanosuchusniger

Caiman crocodiles Vomer not exposed on palate ...... ”..Caiman (2species) Illustrations from: Moo~ C. C 1921 Me&m, F. 19S1 L-.. . . Submitted by: Stephen D. Busack, Chief, Morphology Section, National Fish& Wildlife Forensics LabDate submitted 6/3/91 Prepared in cooperation with the National Fkh & Wdlife Forensics Laboratoy, Ashlar@ OR, USA ‘—m More on reverse side>>> IDentMcation Notes CATEGORY: REPTILE for wildlife law enforcement -- Crocodylia II CAmmom Nda Alligator, Crocodile, Caiman, Gharial

REFERENCES Medem, F. 1981. Los crocodylia de Sur America. Vol. 1. Los crocodylia de Colombia. ~lciencias, Bogota. Mook, C. C. 1921. Skull characters of Recent Crocodilia, with notes on the affinities of the Recent genera. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. HiSt. 44123-268. Schmidt, K P. 1928. Notes on South American Caimans. Zool. Ser., Field Mu* Nat. Hst. 12(17):205-231. Smith, H. M. & R. B. Smith. 1977., Synopsis of the her etofauna of Mexico. Vol. 5. Guide to Mexican amphisbaenians and crocodilians, bibliographic addendum II. John !ohnson, N. Bennington, Vt.

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