Crocodiles

Crocodile, (order Crocodylia, or Crocodilia), any of 23 species of lizard-like amphibious creatures with a carnivorous diet that belong to the reptile order Crocodylia. Crocodiles have short legs with clawed webbed toes and formidable jaws with numerous conical teeth. They all have a distinctive body shape that allows the animal's eyes, ears, and nostrils to be visible above the water's surface while the rest of the body is submerged. The skin is thick and plated, and the tail is lengthy and huge.Crocodiles are the closest living cousins of birds and represent a live link to the dinosaur-like reptiles of past periods. A wide range of crocodilian fossils dating back 200 million years to the Late Triassic Epoch have been unearthed. Three significant radiations appear to have occurred, according to fossil data. Only one of the four crocodile suborders has survived to the present day. Crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gavials are all members of the Crocodylia order.