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Melanosuchus niger (SPIX, 1825)

IUCN Red List - Melanosuchus niger - Least Concern, LR
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Higher TaxaAlligatoridae, Crocodylia, crocodiles (alligators)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Black caiman
Local names: Jacaré açu, Jacaré uassu, Jacaré assu, Jacaré guaçu, Caimán, Caimán negro, Jacaré jhu, Jacaré negro, Jacaré una, Cocodrilo.
G: Mohrenkaiman
Portuguese: Jacaré-Açú, Jacaré-Preto 
SynonymCaiman niger SPIX 1825: 3
Melanosuchus niger — WERMUTH & FUCHS 1978: 53
Melanosuchus niger — KING & BURKE 1989
Caiman niger — POE 1996
Melanosuchus niger — ZUG et al. 2001: 462
Melanosuchus niger — MORATO et al. 2014: 146 
DistributionBolivia (Beni), Brazil (Roraima, Amazonas, Pará), Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru

Type locality: "Fluminis Amazonium et Solimoens", Brazil.  
Reproductionoviparous. 
TypesLectotype: ZSM 2480,0 designated by Hoogmoed and Gruber 1983: 380; paralectotypes: ZSM 3,0 (now lost), 2480,0 and 3039,0. 
DiagnosisUnfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 2178 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentDistribution: Erroneously reported from Paraguay (fide Scott et al. 1990). Not in Venezuela (KOK et al. 2012).

Type species: Caiman niger SPIX 1825: 3 is the type species of the genus Melanosuchus GRAY 1862: 328. 
EtymologyNamed after Latin niger, nigra, nigrum = black.

The genus was named after Greek melas (genitive melanos) = blacka and soukhos, the name for the crocodile in one part of Egypt (Gotch 1986). 
References
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