All specimens were found near water at night. The largest individual is a female having a snout-vent length of 112.5 mm.
Crocodylus moreleti Duméril and Duméril
Chinajá, 1; Río San Román, 1.
One specimen was obtained from a quiet pool in the Río San Román at night; another was found in a small sluggish stream at Chinajá. Two large individuals were seen in tributaries to the Río San Román. On the savannas at Toocog two small individuals were obtained in the dry season, at which time the crocodiles apparently were migrating to water. The local name for this species is lagarto.
Chelydra rossignoni (Bocourt)
Chinajá, 1; 20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.
The paucity of specimens of Chelydra from Central America has resulted in rather inadequate diagnoses of various populations. The present specimens have carapace lengths of 250 and 238 mm. and plastral lengths of 185 and 176 mm. The length of carapace/bridge ratio is 6.0 and 6.1 per cent. Each individual has four barbels, the median pair of which are extremely long. In KU 55977 the lateral pair of barbels is forked at the base. The relative length of the plastral bridge in these specimens compares favorable with the ratio (.06-.08) given by Schmidt (1946:4) for five specimens from Honduras. Chelydra serpentina, which may occur sympatrically with C. rossignoni in some parts of Central America, has a narrower plastral bridge and only two barbels beneath the chin. Furthermore, C. rossignoni and C. osceola in Florida have long, flat tubercles on the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the neck, whereas C. serpentina has short, round tubercles.
The specimen from Chinajá was found in a small sluggish stream; the other individual was in a muddy pool in the forest. The local name is sambodanga.
Claudius angustatus Cope
20 km. NNW of Chinajá, 1.