Crocodilidae

/ˌkrɑːkəˈdɪlɪdi/ noun

Definition

The scientific family name for true crocodiles, the only family that includes species commonly called 'crocodiles' (as opposed to alligators or caimans).

Etymology

Follows Linnaean binomial nomenclature: 'Crocodil-' from Greek 'krokodilos' + '-idae,' the Latin suffix for family names in taxonomy, standardized in the 1800s for biological classification.

Kelly Says

True crocodiles (Crocodilidae) are actually more closely related to birds than to alligators—they're living dinosaurs in a real scientific sense, sharing an ancestor with Velociraptor!

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