| Osteolaemus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A dwarf crocodile, Osteolaemus tetraspis, in a Paris aquarium | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Crocodilia |
| Family: | Crocodylidae |
| Subfamily: | Osteolaeminae |
| Genus: | Osteolaemus Cope, 1861 |
| Type species | |
| Osteolaemus tetraspis Cope, 1861 | |
| Species | |
|
Two, see text. | |
Osteolaemus (from Ancient Greek όστεον (ósteon), meaning "bone", and λαιμός (laimós), meaning "throat") is a genus of crocodiles.[1][2][3] They are small, secretive crocodiles that occur in wetlands of West and Middle Africa. They are commonly known as the African dwarf crocodiles.[2] Unlike other crocodiles, Osteolaemus are strictly nocturnal.[3]
Species
The following species are recognized as being valid.[1]
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congo dwarf crocodile, Osborn's dwarf crocodile
|
Osteolaemus osborni (Schmidt, 1919) |
Congo River basin of Central Africa | Size: Habitat: Diet: |
|
| dwarf crocodile, African dwarf crocodile, broad-snouted crocodile, bony crocodile
|
Osteolaemus tetraspis Cope, 1861 |
West Africa and Ogooué River basin of Central Africa |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
VU
|
- Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Osteolaemus.
Molecular data suggest that Osteolaemus tetraspis consists of two lineages that would warrant recognition as distinct species.[2]
References
- Osteolaemus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 3 January 2023.
- Eaton, Mitchell J.; Martin, Andrew; Thorbjarnarson, John; Amato, George (2009). "Species-level diversification of African dwarf crocodiles (genus Osteolaemus): A geographic and phylogenetic perspective". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 50 (3): 496–506. Bibcode:2009MolPE..50..496E. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2008.11.009. PMID 19056500.
- Vitt, Laurie J.; Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (4th ed.). Amsterdam: Academic Press. pp. 550–552. OCLC 839312807.
Further reading
- Cope, E.D. (1861). "Recent species of Emydosaurian reptiles represented in the museum of the Academy". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 12: 549–551. (Osteolaemus, new genus, p. 549).