Identification: Morelet’s Crocodile is a medium-sized crocodile, dark green to black in color (Platt and Rainwater 2005). Compared to the sympatric American Crocodile, C. acutus, Morelet’s crocodile has a broader snout, weakly keeled osteoderms (bony deposits forming scales) on the dorsum, and irregular scalation on the ventral surface of the tail (Platt and Rainwater 2005).
Table 1. States with nonindigenous occurrences, the earliest and latest observations in each state, and the tally and names of HUCs with observations†. Names and dates are hyperlinked to their relevant specimen records. The list of references for all nonindigenous occurrences of Crocodylus moreletii are found here.
Table last updated 11/9/2024
† Populations may not be currently present.
Ecology: Small Morelet’s Crocodile consume primarily insects and arachnids, with aquatic gastropods, crustaceans, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals becoming increasingly important in larger individuals (Platt et al. 2006). Sexual maturity is attained at approximately 1.5 m TL (Platt et al. 2009). Like many other crocodilians, Morelet’s Crocodile females construct nest of vegetation and soil in which to incubate eggs and that protects both the nest and hatchlings (Platt et al. 2010).
References: (click for full references)
Cedeño-Vázquez, J.R., D. Rodriguez, S. Calmé, J.P. Ross, L.D. Densmore, and J.B. Thorbjarnarson. 2008. Hybridization between
Crocodylus acutus and
Crocodylus moreletii in the Yucatan Peninsula: I. Evidence from mitochondrial DNA and morphology. Journal of Experimental Zoology A 309(10):661-673.
Dever, J.A., R.E. Strauss, T.R. Rainwater, S.T. McMurry, and L.D. Densmore III. 2002. Genetic diversity, population subdivision, and gene flow in Morelet's Crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) from Belize, Central America. Copeia 2002(4):1078-1091.
Metzger III, E.R., M.R. Rochford, A.M. Lawrence, and F.J. Mazzotti. 2020. Morelet’s Crocodile, Crocodylus moreletii (Duméril & Bibron 1851) (Crocodylidae), another nonnative crocodilian species introduced to Florida, USA. IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians 26(3):259-260.
Platt, S.G., L. Sigler, and T.R. Rainwater. 2010. Morelet’s Crocodile Crocodylus moreletii. Pages 79-83 in S.C. Magnolis and S. Stevenson, eds. Crocodiles. Status survey and conservation action plan. Third edition. Crocodile Specialist Group. Darwin, Australia.
Platt, S.G., and T.R. Rainwater. 2006. A review of morphological characters useful for distinguishing Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) and American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) with an emphasis on populations in the coastal zone of Belize. Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 40(2):25-29.
Platt, S.G., T.R. Rainwater, A.G. Finger, J.B. Thorbjarnson, T.A. Anderson, and S.T. McMurry. 2006. Food habits, ontogenetic dietary partitioning and observations of foraging behaviour of Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) in northern Belize. The Herpetological Journal 16(3):281-290.
Platt, S.G., T.R. Rainwater, J.B. Thorbjarnarson, A.G. Finger, T.A. Anderson, S.T. McMurry. 2009. Size estimation, morphometrics, sex ratio, sexual size dimorphism, and biomass of Morelet's crocodile in northern Belize. Caribbean Journal of Science 45(1):80-93.
Ray, D.A., J.A. Dever, S.G. Platt, T.R. Rainwater, A.G. Finger, S.T. McMurry, M.A. Batzer, B. Barr, P.J. Stafford, J. McKnight, and L.D. Densmore. 2004. Low levels of nucleotide diversity in Crocodylus moreletii and evidence of hybridization with C. acutus. Conservation Genetics 5:449-462.
This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.