Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am thinking of getting a pair of Dwarfs but am concered of the two species. When I see them for sale they are usually just posted a dwarf caimans how do I know which one of the two (P. palpebrosus or P. trigonatus)it is. Are they both readily available or is there only one species for sale in the US. Thanks for any help.

The easiest way to tell the difference between the two dwarf caiman species is to simply look at the scutes on their back. If they are in a nice neat row, then it is a Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman (P. palpebrosus). If, however, the scutes are just rather thrown all over the place and are in no particular order on his back, then it will be a Schneider's Dwarf Caiman (P. trigonatus).

You can also look at the snout, and if you have the ability to view them side by side, typically the P. trigonatus has a more elongated snout compared to P. palpebrosus which their snout has a more "dog-like" appearance.

Both species are available for purchase. The only place at the top of my head that would probably carry both species would be nature coast exotics. Their website link is www.naturecoastexotics.com.

Chris

>>I am thinking of getting a pair of Dwarfs but am concered of the two species. When I see them for sale they are usually just posted a dwarf caimans how do I know which one of the two (P. palpebrosus or P. trigonatus)it is. Are they both readily available or is there only one species for sale in the US. Thanks for any help.
-----
My Website
www.herpfanatic.com

I'd like to recommend Colin Stevenson's "Paleosuchus Page," located at http://crocodilian.com/paleosuchus/
Website

-----
Israel Dupont
Winter Haven, FL