Caiman Classification and Evolution

There are six species of caiman found in a variety of wetland habitats throughout Central and South
America. Caimans are most closely related to alligators with which they share a number of similar
characteristics. Like other crocodilians (a group of reptiles that includes crocodiles, alligators, caimans
and gharials), caimans are one of the longest surviving species on the planet having evolved very little
over the past 200 million years. They have no close living relatives and belong to a group of reptiles
called archosaurs (which included dinosaurs), where other reptile species belong to a different group.
Despite the fact that the dinosaurs became extinct 65 million years ago, caimans along with the other
members of the crocodilian group are still going strong.