| Crocodile Fossil range: Late Cretaceous - Recent | |
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| Scientific classification
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A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the subfamily Crocodylinae). The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the order Crocodilia: i.e. the true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae) and the gharials (family Gavialidae), or even the Crocodylomorpha which includes prehistoric crocodile relatives and ancestors.
They are an ancient lineage, and are believed to have changed little since the Cretaceous.
