Caymans

/ˈkeɪmənz/ noun

Definition

Large reptiles similar to alligators, with a narrower snout and smaller teeth, found in Central and South America.

Etymology

From Spanish 'caimán', possibly from a Taíno (Caribbean indigenous) word 'acayuman.' The word traveled from the Americas back to Europe via Spanish explorers.

Kelly Says

Caymans are so similar to alligators that most people can't tell them apart, but they're actually found only in the Americas while true crocodiles live everywhere else—geography is evolution's way of sorting reptiles.

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