Saltwater crocodile - Iriewani (English spelling)

A crocodile of the order Crocodilia, family Crocodylidae. It is considered a dangerous species. It is widely distributed in India, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Oceania, and the Fiji Islands, and the one found in Oceania and the Philippines is sometimes classified as a separate subspecies, the Sinai River crocodile C. p. biporcatus . It is 3-7 meters long, has a long and slender snout, and many lack occipital scales. It lives in brackish waters at river mouths and on coasts, and also in fresh waters in Sri Lanka and New Guinea. Its webbed feet extend from the base of the fingers on its forelimbs to the tips of the outer toes on its hindlimbs, making it an excellent swimmer, and it can swim out to sea and reach remote islands. It is feared for its aggressive nature, as it attacks large animals as well as livestock and people. It is said that fishermen in coves at night are particularly attacked and pulled into the water.

[Takahiro Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

爬虫(はちゅう)綱ワニ目クロコダイル科のワニ。危険な種類とされる。インド、東南アジア、フィリピン、オセアニア、フィジー諸島に広く分布し、オセアニア、フィリピン産を別亜種のインドシナイリエワニC. p. biporcatusに分けることもある。全長3～7メートル、吻部(ふんぶ)は細長く、多くは後頭鱗板(りんばん)を欠く。河口の汽水や海岸にすみ、スリランカとニューギニアでは淡水にもすむ。水かきは、前肢では指の基部、後肢では外側の足指の先端まで発達して遊泳力に優れ、海に泳ぎ出て遠隔の島に達することもある。性質が荒く、大形動物のほか家畜や人を襲うため恐れられている。とくに夜間に入り江で漁をする人たちが襲われ、水中に引き込まれるという。

［松井孝爾］

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