Black Caiman
The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) is the largest predator of the Amazon basin, up to about 5 meters long. Heavily hunted for its skin in the twentieth century, it has been recovering.
The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) is the largest predator of the Amazon basin, up to about 5 meters long. Heavily hunted for its skin in the twentieth century, it has been recovering.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Black Caiman in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
A Top Predator
The black caiman hunts fish, capybaras, deer and even anacondas at night, and dominates the lakes and flooded forests where it lives. It has a large, dark body and powerful jaws.
Nearly Hunted Out
Hunting for hides in the 1950s to 1970s greatly reduced populations. Protection allowed a recovery in many regions, and the species is now classed as Least Concern.
Role in Floodplain Ecology
Caimans affect fish numbers and nutrient cycling. See Spectacled Caiman and Green Anaconda.
Black Caiman at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Melanosuchus niger |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Crocodilia |
| Family | Alligatoridae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia (Reptiles) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Apex Amazonian river predator reaching over 5 meters, clad in dark, almost black osteoderm armor with pale yellow-white jaw banding in juveniles and a bony ridge bridging the eyes. |
| IUCN Red List status | Least Concern (LC), assessed 2025 |
| Family | Alligatoridae |
| Length | Up to about 5 meters |