What is Crocodilia?
{{Taxobox | name = Crocodilia | fossil_range = [[Upper Cretaceous]] – Recent | image = Crocodylus acutus mexico 01.jpg | image_width = 280px | image_caption = American crocodile (''[[Crocodylus]] acutus'') | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Reptilia]] | unranked_superordo = [[Archosauria]] | superordo = [[Crocodylomorph]]a | ordo = '''Crocodilia''' | ordo_authority = [[Richard Owen|Owen]], 1842 | range_map = | range_map_caption = colour: range of Crocodilia | range_map_width = 230px | subdivision_ranks = Families | subdivision = * [[Gavialidae]] * [[Alligatoridae]] * [[Crocodylidae]] }} The [[order (biology)|order]] '''Crocodilia''' is a group of [[archosaur]] reptiles. There are three living [[family (biology)|families]] of crocodilians. Some crocodilians are [[crocodile]]s, [[alligator]]s, [[gharial]]s, and [[caiman]]s. Crocodilians are first found in the [[Upper Cretaceous]] period. They are descendents of a much wider group of archosaurs called the [[crocodylomorph]]s. These, in the [[Upper Triassic]], were slender land-living animals. The crocodylomorphs, in turn, were part of an even larger group, the [[Crurotarsi]], which are first seen early in the [[Triassic]]. Crocodilians are the the sister group of the [[dinosaur]]s. This means crocodilians are the closest living relatives to [[birds]]. They are both survivors of the Archosauria. [[File:NileCrocodile.jpg|center|300px|[[Nile crocodile]]s]] ==Taxonomy== ===Clade=== *[[Sauropsida]] **[[Archosauria]] ***[[Crurotarsi]] ****[[Crocodylomorphs]] *****'''Crocodilia''' ===Families=== * Order '''Crocodilia''' ** Family [[Crocodylidae]] *** [[Crocodile]]s ** Family [[Alligatoridae]] *** [[Alligator]]s *** [[Caiman]]s ** Family [[Gavialidae]] *** [[Gharial]] *** [[False gharial]] *See also: [[Crocodylomorph|Crocodilomorpha]], the [[archosaur]] stem-group. [[File:Crocodylidae Distribution.png|thumb|center|600px|Distribution of crocodiles]] {{wikispecies|Crocodilia}} {{commonscat|Crocodilia}} [[Category:Crocodilia| ]