Crocodiles

"Crocodiles" is an examination of the crocodile and its history which stretches back over 200 million years, linking the present day with the vanished age of dinosaurs. A succession of fossil forms traces the descent of modern crocodiles back almost to the beginning of the dinosaur age and demonstrates extinct groups that became, at one extreme, fully aquatic, converting their limbs into paddles (the metriorhynchids), or, at the other extreme, almost totally terrestrial, apparently seeking their prey entirely on land (the sebecids). The book looks at the arguments for conserving these still little-understood reptiles, to whom, it is estimated 2000 people fall prey. The author discusses the possiblity of crocodile farms and planned commercial exploitation as a means to preserve certain species. However, not all crocodiles are dangerous to man and these are also covered, including the American crocodile, the New Guinea fresh-water crocodile and the little broad-nosed West African crocodile. The alligators are today represented by only two species of alligator itself, one in North Africa which the author uses as a model for the habits of other crocodiles, living and extinct, and the other in China. The gavials of India and the caimans of South America are also discussed. 9780747030072 Crocodiles......Page 1 Acknowledgements......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 List of Colour Plates......Page 6 List of Figures......Page 7 List of Maps......Page 9 1. Survivors of a lost world......Page 11 2. Anatomy of a living fossil......Page 22 3. Man-eaters, rarities and dwarfs: the central crocodilian stock......Page 47 4. Alligators and caimans: alternative evolutionary lines......Page 110 5. Gavials and false gavials: long-snouted diversification......Page 150 6. Crocodiles of the past......Page 167 7. The case for conservation......Page 190 Appendix I. Check list of principal crocodilian genera......Page 212 Appendix II. Living crocodilian species and their common names......Page 214 Bibliography......Page 216 Index......Page 217 Back Cover......Page 222 9780747030072 Crocodiles 1 Acknowledgements 4 Contents 5 List of Colour Plates 6 List of Figures 7 List of Maps 9 1. Survivors of a lost world 11 2. Anatomy of a living fossil 22 3. Man-eaters, rarities and dwarfs: the central crocodilian stock 47 4. Alligators and caimans: alternative evolutionary lines 110 5. Gavials and false gavials: long-snouted diversification 150 6. Crocodiles of the past 167 7. The case for conservation 190 Appendix I. Check list of principal crocodilian genera 212 Appendix II. Living crocodilian species and their common names 214 Bibliography 216 Index 217 Back Cover 222 9780747030072 An exploration of this 200 million year old species, to whom some 2000 people a year fall victim, tracing the descent of modern crocodiles by the use of fossil forms and looking at the arguments for conservation.