CROCODYLUS : MUGGER

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1) CROCODYLUS : MUGGER

1.1) CLASSIFICATION OF CROCODYLUS MUGGER

1.2) GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

1.3) HABIT AND HABITAT

1.4) GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF CROCODYLUS MUGGER

1.5) Special features

1.6) Identification

1.7) REFERENCES

CLASSIFICATION OF CROCODYLUS MUGGER

PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present )

Group :- CRANIATA ( Definite head. Cranium with brain present )

Sub-phylum :- VERTEBRATA ( vertebral column present)

Division :- GNATHOSTOMATA ( Jaws and paired appendages present )

Super class :- TETRAPODA ( Paired limbs, lungs, bony skeleton and cornified skin)

Class :- REPTILIA ( Scaly vertebrates with right and left aortic arches. Single condyle, pulmonary respiration. Embryo with amnion and allantois ).

Sub-class :- DIAPSIDA ( Skull with two temporal openings separated by postorbital and squamosal ).

Order :- CROCODILIA ( Body and head large. Jaws powerful. Skin thick and leathery. Tongue nonprotrusible, Heart 4-chambered ).

Family :- CROCODYLIDAE ( Snout not distinct from the rest of the skull ).

Genus :- Crocodylus (Magarmach)

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

Crocodylus is found in Southern Asia, Africa, Australia, Central America and India.

HABIT AND HABITAT

It is found in rivers and lakes. The animal makes 10 to 13 metres long tunnel below the level of water. The opening of the tunnel is used as entrance and the other side is used to deposit the eggs.

GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF CROCODYLUS MUGGER

Commonly known as Mugger or Magarmach.
Body is stout, elongated, 4 to 6 metres in length and divided into head, neck, trunk and tail.
Surface covered by leathery armour of osteoscutes bony scutes arranged in transverse rows.
Upper part of the body is dark olive brown with black spots or bends.
Head long and triangular and narrows towards snout which is not differentiated from the rest of the skull. Jaws long, powerful, rimmed with numerous bluntly conical and unequal teeth, dental formula 16-19/14-15. The first tooth fits into a pit and fifth mandibular tooth into a notch on the outer side of upper jaw.
Ear opening small and protected by a small flap of skin.
Tongue not protrusible.
Tail long, heavy and laterally compressed.
Forelimbs and hind limbs short and pentadactyle, with 5 fingers and 4 toes, ending in claws and
with webs.
Heart 4-chambered with separate ventricles. Bladder absent.