How many species of crocodilians are there?
Overall there are 23 species of crocodilians: two alligators, six caimans, 14 crocodiles and 1 species of gharial. The two alligators include the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) and the Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis). Of these, the American alligator is available in the pet trade in certain US states, and may be available in other countries typically as captive bred individuals. Chinese alligators are not available in the US pet trade, although limited numbers have made it to Europe and Asia from China’s captive breeding program. Of the six caimans, the most common species in the pet trade has traditionally been the spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus), which some dealers mistakenly call the “speckled caiman”. The spectacled caiman gets its name from the prominent bony ridge that connects each eye orbit, giving it a bespectacled appearance. Of the three subspecies, the one best represented in the pet trade is the brown caiman (Caiman crocodilus fuscus). There a
