Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is a large crocodilian native to freshwater habitats in Africa, where it is present in 26 countries. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, occurring mostly in the eastern, southern, and central regions of the continent, and lives in different types of aquatic environments such as lakes, rivers, swamps and marshlands. [3]
The jaws can bite down with immense force, by far the strongest bite of any animal. The force of a large crocodile's bite is more than 5,000 lbf (22,000 N), which was measured in a 5.5 m (18 ft) Nile crocodile, in the field; [66] comparing to 335 lbf (1,490 N) for a Rottweiler, 800 lbf (3,600 N) for a hyena, 2,200 lbf (9,800 N) for an American ...
Crocodilians have some of the strongest bite forces in the animal kingdom. In a study published in 2003, an American alligator's bite force was measured at up to 2,125 lbf (9.45 kN); [59] and in a 2012 study, a saltwater crocodile's bite force was measured at 3,700 lbf (16 kN). This study found no correlation between bite force and snout shape.
[138] [139] Based on the regression of mean body mass and mean bite force, the bite forces of multiple crocodile species, 1,308 kg (2,884 lb) individuals were estimated at 27,531 to 34,424 N (6,189 to 7,739 lbf). [139] The extraordinary bite of crocodilians is a result of their anatomy.
Nile crocodiles are apex predators throughout their range. In the water, this species is an agile and rapid hunter relying on both movement and pressure sensors to catch any prey that presents itself inside or near the waterfront. [1] Out of the water, however, the Nile crocodile can only rely on its limbs, as it gallops on
Bite force quotient (BFQ) is a numerical value commonly used to represent the bite force of an animal adjusted for its body mass, while also taking factors like the allometry effects. The BFQ is calculated as the regression of the quotient of an animal's bite force in newtons divided by its body mass in kilograms. [ 1 ]
Cladistically, it is defined as Crocodylus niloticus (the Nile crocodile) and all crocodylians more closely related to C. niloticus than to either Alligator mississippiensis (the American alligator) or Gavialis gangeticus (the gharial). [5] This is a stem-based definition for crocodiles, and is more inclusive than the crown group Crocodylidae. [3]
The West African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus), or slender-snouted crocodile, is a critically endangered species of African crocodile. [5] It is one of five species of crocodile in Africa, the other four being the Central African slender-snouted , Nile , West African and dwarf crocodiles .