False gharial
From Freepedia
| False Gharial | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Tomistoma schlegelii (Müller, 1838) |
The false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) is a fresh-water reptile, resembling a crocodile with a very thin and elongated snout resembling that of the gharial, hence its name.
The false gharial is native to six river systems in Sumatra and Malaysia. From a morphological standpoint, it has long been classed in the family Crocodylidae; however, recent immunological studies have shown that it may be more closely related to the gharial than was originally thought, and should perhaps be classed in the family Gavialidae.
