Classification of Living Crocodilians

There are 26 recognised species of extant crocodilians, divided into three Families - Alligatoridae (8 species; alligators and caimans), Crocodylidae (16 species; “true” crocodiles) and Gavialidae (2 species; Gharial and Tomistoma). Two additional species (Crocodylus halli, Osteolaemus aftezelli) have yet to be formally recognised.

Class Reptilia
Class Reptilia
	Order Crocodilia
		Family Alligatoridae (alligators, caimans)
			American Alligator	Alligator mississippiensis
			Chinese Alligator	Alligator sinensis
			Black Caiman	Melanosuchus niger
			Broad-snouted Caiman	Caiman latirostris
			Spectacled Caiman	Caiman crocodilus
			Yacare Caiman	Caiman yacare
			Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman	Paleosuchus palpebrosus
			Schneider’s Smooth-fronted Caiman	Paleosuchus trigonatus

		Family Crocodylidae ("true" crocodiles)
			West African Slender-snouted Crocodile	Mecistops cataphractus
			Central African Slender-snouted Crocodile	Mecistops leptorhynchus *
			American Crocodile	Crocodylus acutus
			Australian Freshwater Crocodile	Crocodylus johnstoni
			Cuban Crocodile	Crocodylus rhombifer
			Dwarf Crocodile	Osteolaemus tetraspis
			Osborn's Dwarf Crocodile	Osteolaemus osborni
			Morelet’s Crocodile	Crocodylus moreletii
			Mugger Crocodile	Crocodylus palustris
			New Guinea Freshwater Crocodile	Crocodylus novaeguineae
			Nile Crocodile	Crocodylus niloticus
			West African Crocodile	Crocodylus suchus **
			Orinoco Crocodile	Crocodylus intermedius
			Philippine Crocodile	Crocodylus mindorensis
			Saltwater Crocodile	Crocodylus porosus
			Siamese Crocodile	Crocodylus siamensis

		Family Gavialidae (Gharial and Tomistoma)
			Gharial	Gavialis gangeticus
			Tomistoma	Tomistoma schlegelii

* previously Mecistops cataphractus; ** previously Crocodylus niloticus

Classification of Living Crocodilians

Class Reptilia

Class Reptilia

Order Crocodilia

Family Alligatoridae (alligators, caimans)

Family Crocodylidae ("true" crocodiles)