Gavialidae

Taxobox
name = Gavialidae


image_width = 250px
image_caption = Gharials in captivity in Pierrelatte, France
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo = Crocodilia
familia = Gavialidae
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Gavialis"
"Tomistoma"

Gavialidae is a family of reptiles within the order Crocodilia. Gavialidae consists of only two surviving species, the gharial ("Gavialis gangeticus") and the false gharial ("Tomistoma schlegelii"), which are each the sole living representatives of their genera. They are native to India and the Malay peninsula.

Gavialids are large semi-aquatic reptiles, resembling crocodiles, but with a much thinner snout. The thin snout is used to catch fish, as gavialids lack the jaw strength to capture the large mammalian prey favoured by crocodiles and alligators of similar size.cite book |editor=Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G.|author= Magnusson, William E.|year=1998|title=Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians|publisher= Academic Press|location=San Diego|pages= 229-230|isbn= 0-12-178560-2]

Classification

Family GAVIALIDAE
* Subfamily Gavialinae
** Genus "Gavialis"
*** "Gavialis gangeticus", gharial
* Subfamily Tomistominae
** Genus "Tomistoma"
*** "Tomistoma schlegelii", false gharial or Malayan gharial
*** †"Tomistoma lusitanica"
*** †"Tomistoma cairense"
** Genus †Eogavialis"
*** †"Eogavialis africanus"
*** †"Eogavialis andrewsi"
** Genus †"Kentisuchus"
** Genus †"Gavialosuchus"
** Genus †"Paratomistoma"
** Genus †"Thecachampsa"
** Genus †"Rhamphosuchus"
** Genus †"Toyotamaphimeia"
* Subfamily †Gryposuchinae
** Genus †"Aktiogavialis"
** Genus †"Gryposuchus"
** Genus †"Ikanogavialis"
** Genus †"Siquisiquesuchus"
** Genus †"Piscogavialis"
** Genus †"Hesperogavialis"

† Indicates extinct group