Scientific Name of Gharial: Habitat & Taxonomy

Scientific Name of Gharial is Gavialis Gangeticus. Gharial is also known as the fish-eating crocodile that is mostly found in northern India. The name ‘gharial’ came from the ‘ghara’- an earthen pot, as the male gharials have an earthen-pot like structure at the end of their snout. It is discovered that the gharials have lived for 4000 years near the Indus Valley and their body parts were used to prepare medicines in those ancient days.

Key Terms: Gharial, crocodile, taxonomy, scientific name, fish-eating crocodile.

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Taxonomy of Gharial

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Scientific name of gharial was first proposed by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789. There are a lot of assumptions about the revolution of the gharial. As per some scientists, gharials are the first kind of crocodile. Here are the taxonomic details of Gharial-

Various Types of species from Crocodilia Family

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Characteristics of Gharial

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Here are the important characteristics of gharials-

• Gharials are reptiles and mostly survive on fish.
• Gharials have extended narrow snouts with sharp and interlocking teeth.
• The leg muscles of the gharials are very weak.
• They can be 15 to 20 ft long and weigh around 2000 pounds.
• The average lifespan of gharials are 40-60 years.

Life Cycle of the Crocodilia family species

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Habitat of Gharials

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As the gharials are a subcategory of fresh-water crocodile, they are mostly seen in North-Indian continents. The gharials only leave water to build nests. 

• The gharials are found near tropical fresh-water rivers and streams.
• They prefer deep water with lesser water current.
• The gharials prefer the sandbars near the waterbody.

Gharial

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Conservation of Gharial

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Gharials are the most endangered crocodile species. This species can be only found in Bangladesh, India and Nepal these days. 

Reason of Extinctions:-

Here are the basic reasons for the extinctions of the gharials-

• Hunting is the key reason for the extinction.
• Another cause of their extinction is the loss of habitat due to pollution.
• Also, as the gharials lay eggs on sandbanks which get destroyed by the local people.

How to Conserve Gharials:-

The conservation of the gharials has been going on since the late 1970s. Here are the ways, through which the gharials can be conserved-

• Awareness programs need to be arranged.
• The volunteers need to mark the habitat areas and make the area safe for breeding.
• Stop the poachers.
• And most importantly the extensive captive breeding programs needed to be arranged.

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Importance of Conserving Gharials

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Here are the importances of the conserving gharials-

1. Population of the gharials can be a good indicator of the clear water as they only live near the fresh-water.
2. As the top predator in the river ecosystem, the gharials play an important role in the ecosystem.
3. Some important medicines are made from the body parts of the gharials.

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Things to Remember

• Scientific Name of Gharial is Gavialis Gangeticus.
• Gharial- the fish-eating crocodile, is mostly found in northern India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
• They can be 15 to 20 ft long and weigh around 2000 pounds and live for 40-60 years.
• The word "gharial" derives from the word "ghara," which means an earthen pot, that refers to the structure of the male gharials' snouts.
• Gharials are the most endangered crocodile species.

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Important PYQs Related to This Topic

1. The scientist widely regarded as the triple crown of biology… (AMUEEE 2015)
2. Evolutionary history of an organism is known as…(NEET 2006)
3. Reason of diversity in living beings is… (NEET 2001)
4. The living organisms can be unexceptionally distinguished from… (NEET 1998)
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12. An insect regarded as the greatest mechanical carrier of diseases is… (NEET 1991)
13. Metamorphosis of insects is regulated through hormone…(NEET 1991)
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