Caiman are very similar to alligators and crocodiles. Caimans tend to be a little smaller than the other two reptiles.
Comparison of Heads
The following photos taken by Dr. P in Africa, Florida, and Brazil, compare all three. Test your powers of observation at seeing any differences.
Crocodile
Alligator
Caiman
Caiman
Caiman of the Pantanal
They are primarily fish eaters, and it is common to see them daily on the rivers. Caiman are a primary food source for jaguars, and Dr. P saw them being hunted on his trip. Basking is a daily activity and their method of thermoregulation. When they bask they commonly sit with their mouths open.
This one is eating a catfish
Basking on a log over the river
Basking together
Regulating temperature with the mouth
You can see the pink fold of skin at the back of the throat that prevents water from getting into the trachea (windpipe)
They are stealth hunters and hide in the vegetation with only their eyes showing
In calm water they make a nice reflection with their eyes
In the boat you can get close to them before they disappear into the depths
Raising the tail and vibrating the water between head and tail is a territorial display, especially during the mating season
They can be hard to spot in the vegetation. Do you see the head of one in the very center, looking towards the right?
The two protruding eyes on this hidden caiman are looking away from us
The head is all you might see in thick vegetation