Gavialidae
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Gavialidae
| Gavialidae | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Indian gharial, Gavialis gangeticus | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | Crocodylomorpha |
| Order: | Crocodylia |
| Superfamily: | Gavialoidea |
| Family: | Gavialidae |
| Subgroups | |
Gavialidae is a family of reptiles within the order Crocodilia. Gavialidae consists of only one surviving species, the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), which is native to India. Many extinct species are also known. The false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) has sometimes been viewed as a member of this family due to general similarities in morphology and habit, but it is usually thought to be a member of the Crocodylidae family based on several characters including skull morphology. However, recent genetic studies show that the two species are very closely related, suggesting that they may in fact be in the same family.
Gavialids are large semi-aquatic reptiles, resembling crocodiles, but with a much thinner snout. The thin snout is used to catch fish, as gavialids lack the jaw strength to capture the large mammalian prey favoured by crocodiles and alligators of similar size.[1]
Classification
Family Gavialdiae
- Subfamily Gavialinae
- Genus †Eogavialis
- Genus Gavialis
- Gavialis gangeticus, gharial
- Subfamily †Gryposuchinae
- Genus †Aktiogavialis
- Genus †Gryposuchus
- Genus †Ikanogavialis
- Genus †Siquisiquesuchus
- Genus †Piscogavialis
- Genus †Hesperogavialis
In addition, the tomistomines might belong to this group or to Crocodylidae:
- Subfamily Tomistominae
- Genus †Kentisuchus
- Genus †Gavialosuchus
- Genus †Paratomistoma
- Genus †Thecachampsa
- Genus †Rhamphosuchus
- Genus Tomistoma
- Tomistoma schlegelii, false gharial or Malayan gharial
- †Tomistoma lusitanicum
- †Tomistoma cairense
- Genus †Toyotamaphimeia
† Indicates extinct group
References
- ^ Magnusson, William E. (1998). Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G.. ed. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 229–230. ISBN 0-12-178560-2.
-
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
 |
Wikispecies has information related to: Gavialidae |
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gavialidae |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||
.png){kind=small} |
This article about an archosaur is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
Wikipedia on Answers.com
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Gavialidae.
Read more