For the American crocodile, the seven taxonomic levels from broadest to most specific are Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia, Order Crocodylia, Family Crocodylidae, Genus Crocodylus, and Species Crocodylus acutus. Because “crocodile” can refer to more than one species—and is sometimes used loosely for a wider group—a named species makes the classification precise.
The American crocodile’s seven classification levels
These ranks move from a broad grouping of organisms to one particular species. The IUCN Red List’s American crocodile record gives the following classification:
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| Rank | Classification |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Crocodylia |
| Family | Crocodylidae |
| Genus | Crocodylus |
| Species | Crocodylus acutus |
The species name is written as two words: the capitalized genus name followed by a lowercase specific name. Together, Crocodylus acutus identifies the American crocodile.
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In strict classification, true crocodiles belong to the family Crocodylidae. Crocodylia is a broader order that also includes alligators and caimans in Alligatoridae, and gharials and Tomistoma in Gavialidae. So the order name does not mean that every animal in it is a true crocodile.
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The IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group’s classification overview reports 26 recognized living crocodilian species: 8 alligators and caimans, 16 “true” crocodiles, and 2 gharials and Tomistoma. The page also notes two additional species that had not yet been formally recognized in its account. This is the group’s reported classification, not a permanent count; species recognition can change as classifications are reviewed.
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