Crocodiles , alligator , cayman , and gharials are in the limelight in the American Museum of Natural History ’s latest expo , “ Crocs : Ancient Predators in a Modern World . ” In addition to research the evolutionary story of these prehistoric - looking beasts , the exhibition tackles crocodilian myths , analyzes threats to their endurance , and sport live creature ( including the adorable gator hatchlings you could see on the live flow below).mental_flossattended a preview of the exposition , which open up tomorrow ; here are a few thing we learned .
1.There were many , many prehistorical crocodylomorphs , and they were a diverse crew . Some were entirely marine animals ; others , likeHoplosuchus kayi , were diminished and lived alone on land . But some were huge : One of the bounteous , Sarcosuchus imperator , was at least 35 ft long , andT. rexbones have been feel with teeth Saint Mark fromDeinosuchus , a elephantine croc that lived 80 to 73 million years ago .
2.Their lineage contains peculiar protein that help make crocs — which drop their time in quaggy water — immune to things that cause infection . Needless to say , scientists are moderately concerned in whether or not we could habituate those protein in human medicament .
3.Want to assure gator and crocodiles aside ? Look at their teeth : When gators close their jaw , they have an overbite — only the top teeth are seeable . Crocs have a much toothier nigh - jawed smiling ; their top and bottom dentition mesh .
4.Crocs make a broad range of noises , a behavior that get down before they even cover . ( Being noisy in the eggs allow the sister to synchronize when they ’ll hatch . )
5.Croc skin might search tough — and , OK , itistough — but it ’s also more sore than the human fingertip .
6.Saltwater crocodiles are the turgid living crocodilians ; they can fee the scales at 2000 pounds . gnome caimans , which can grow up to 5 pes long , are the modest .
7.Even large crocs can vanish in under a foot of water .
8.Ever notice how crocodilians hang out in the Sun with their mouths open ? Doing so helps them keep regulate nous temperature : piddle in their mouths vaporise and keeps their head cool even while the rest of their body get nice and toasty .
9.Crocs have a picayune something in common with cat-o'-nine-tails : A level in the eye called the tapetum that reflects clear . It ’s why both animals ’ center glow at nighttime when exposed to a torch .
10.Seven metal money of crocodilian are critically endangered thanks to thing like hunt , pollution , and habitat release .
