Crocodilians have several adaptations that make them well-suited for an aquatic lifestyle. They have an extra transparent eyelid on each eye that can be closed to protect their eye when underwater. They also have a flap of skin at the back of their throat that prevents water from seeping in when they attack prey underwater. They can also close their nostrils and ears in a similar manner to prevent the unwanted influx of water.
Crocodilian males are territorial animals that protect their home range from other male intruders. Males share their territory with several females with whom they mate. Females lay their eggs on land, near water in a nest built out of vegetation and mud or in a hollow in the ground. Females care for the young after they hatch, providing them with protection until they grow large enough to defend themselves. In many species of crocodilians, the female carries her tiny offspring in her mouth.
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Classification:
Animals > Chordates > Reptiles > Crocodilians
Crocodilians are diapsids, a group of reptiles that possess two holes (or temporal fenestra) on each side of their skull. Other diapsids include dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and the squamates, a group that encompasses modern lizards, snakes and worm lizards. Crocodilians are subdivided into three groups: gharials, crocodiles and alligators.
