Crocodiles, Alligators & Lizards: From Black Caimans to Komodo Dragons

by David Alderton

Overview

Crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gila monsters – these creatures all have dinosaur ancestries dating from 94 million years ago. There is something elemental and scary about a crocodile, with its tough scaly skin, long powerful tail, conical, peg-like teeth and vicious bite. And these creatures can still be found in every part of the world. Arranged by continent, Crocodiles, Alligators & Lizards introduces the American alligator, an apex predator that swims the coasts, estuaries and swamps of southeast USA feeding on fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals; the black caiman, which can grow up to an enormous 6 metres (20ft) in length and prefers the habitat of the slow-moving rivers and lakes of the Amazon basin; the frilled lizard, which spreads its frilly neck when threatened or to impress other lizards; the gila monster, whose two- tone camouflage colouring allows it to easily blend into its desert habitat; and the Komodo dragon, which can run up to 20km/h (13mph) over short distances and has a venomous bite that can paralyze large animals. With detailed captions explaining the origins, habitat and behaviour of these fascinating species, Crocodiles, Alligators & Lizards is a vivid pictorial guide in over 200 brilliant photographs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781838864286
Publisher:	Amber Books
Publication date:	06/14/2024
Series:	Animals in Photographs
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	9.19(w) x 11.94(h) x 0.69(d)

About the Author

David Alderton has enjoyed a life-long interest in wildlife and has travelled widely, studying a variety of creatures in their natural habitats throughout the world. His books have sold over six million copies and been published in over 30 languages.

Table of Contents

Contents include:

Introduction

1: The Americas American alligator American crocodile Cuban crocodile Morelet’s crocodile Orinoco crocodile Broad-snouted caiman Black caiman Cuvier’s dwarf caiman Smooth-fronted caiman Yacare caiman Schneider’s dwarf caiman (Schneider’s smooth-fronted caiman) Spectacled caiman Green iguana Galápagos marine iguana Grand Cayman blue iguana Gila monster Argentine black and white tegu Green anole Northern caiman lizard

2: Africa Dwarf crocodile Nile Crocodile West African slender-snouted crocodile Savannah monitor Panther chameleon Namaqua chameleon Spiny-tailed lizards Armadillo girdled lizard Agama agama Southern Rock agama Gerrhosauridae Sudan plated lizard Giant plated lizard Fire skink

3: Asia Chinese alligator (are also known as the Yangtze alligator or the muddy dragon) Gharial Malayan Gharial (False Gharial and the Sunda Gharial) Saltwater crocodile Mugger Crocodile New Guinea Crocodile Philippine crocodile (Mindoro crocodile, the Philippine freshwater crocodile, bukarot, or buwaya) Siamese Crocodile Komodo Dragon Asian water monitor Tokay gecko Leopard gecko Chinese water dragon

4: Australasia and the Pacific Australian Freshwater Crocodile Saltwater crocodile (estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile, or saltie) Pogona (Bearded Dragon) Crested gecko Thorny devil Frilled dragon

5: Europe Lacerta Mediterranean chameleon European glass lizard Sand lizard Viviparous lizard Mediterranean house gecko Anguidae Common wall lizard European green lizard