Caiman crocodilus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
KAY-mun — krok-oh-DYE-lus
SSAR 9th Edition Comments:
Native to southern Mexico south into the Amazon basin in Peru, northern Bolivia, and Brazil. It was introduced via the pet trade ca. 1960 and is established in drainage canals at the Homestead Air Reserve Base, Miami-Dade County, Florida (Ellis, 1980, Copeia 1980: 152–154). It now has established populations throughout The Everglades in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, north to Brevard County (Rochford et al., 2019, Caiman crocodilus. Pages 306–308 in Krysko et al. (Editors) Amphibians and Reptiles of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida).
(Krysko, Kenneth and Travis W. Taggart. 2025. Established Exotic Species. Pages 64-87 in Kirsten E. Nicholson (Editor), Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, 9th Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Lawrence, Kansas. 87 pp.)
(, Museum Voucher)
(, Observation)
(, Literature Record),
(, Citizen Science),
( Fossil)
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Occurrences:; 4,340 Total; 451 Museum; 3,889 Other
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Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH. - (Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2025.03.30.20.39.01)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 0.33 MB
Taxonomic Etymology:
Named for its appearance and crocodilian relation.
Caiman — From Spanish caimán, itself derived from Carib or Taíno, meaning “crocodile.”
crocodilus — Latinized from Greek krokodeilos = “crocodile,” referencing its morphological similarity to crocodiles.
First instance(s) of published English names:
Spectacled Alligator (Crocodilus sclerops: Gray, John E. 1830. A synopsis of the species of the class reptilia. Pages 1-110 in The Animal Kingdom Arranged in Conformity with its Organization by the Baron Cuvier, member of teh Institute of France, with Additional Descriptions of all the Species Hitherto Named, and of many not before noticed. Ninth Volume. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London, England. pp.); Spectacled Cayman (Crocodilus sclerops: Griffith, Edward and Edward Pidgeon. 1831. The class reptilia arranged by the Baron Cuvier, with specific descriptions. Part 2. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London. 1-481pp.);
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
The Reptile Database
GenBank
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
Selected References:
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1758
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Linné, Carl von (=Linneaus). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [System of Nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. 10th Edition, Volume 1, L. Salvius, Stockholm. iv + 826pp.
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1980
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Ellis, Tamir M. Caiman crocodilus: An established exotic in south Florida. Copeia 1980(1):152-154
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2019
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Krysko, Kenneth L., Kevin M. Enge, and Paul E. Moler (Editor) Amphibians and Reptiles of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. 728pp.
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2021
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Roberto, Igor Joventino, Matthew T. Fedler, Tomas Hrbek, Izeni P. Farias, David C. Blackburn. The taxonomic status of Florida Caiman: A molecular reappraisal. Journal of Herpetology 55(3):279-284
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