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The mugger crocodile was first scientifically described in the early 20th century, specifically in 1936.
Answer: False
Explanation: The mugger crocodile was first scientifically described in 1831 by René Lesson, not in 1936.
Phylogenetic analysis suggests the genus *Crocodylus* originated in Australasia before radiating to other parts of the world.
Answer: True
Explanation: Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the genus *Crocodylus* most likely originated in Australasia between 13.72 to 8.28 million years ago, prior to its global radiation.
The freshwater crocodile (*C. johnstoni*) is considered the most recent species to diverge from the common ancestor of the *Crocodylus* genus.
Answer: False
Explanation: The freshwater crocodile (*C. johnstoni*) is believed to be the *first* species that genetically diverged from the common ancestor of the *Crocodylus* genus, not the most recent.
The mugger crocodile's closest living relatives are the American alligator and the Nile crocodile.
Answer: False
Explanation: The mugger crocodile's closest living relatives within the genus *Crocodylus* are the Siamese crocodile (*C. siamensis*) and the saltwater crocodile (*C. porosus*).
Fossil evidence from the Sivalik Hills shows crocodile specimens that closely resemble the mugger crocodile in specific skull features.
Answer: True
Explanation: Fossil crocodile specimens excavated in the Sivalik Hills exhibit skull features, such as the shortness of the premaxillae and the form of the nasal openings, that closely resemble the mugger crocodile.
The mugger crocodile is also known by the common names 'alligator' and 'caiman' due to its broad snout.
Answer: False
Explanation: The mugger crocodile is also commonly referred to as mugger or marsh crocodile, not 'alligator' or 'caiman'.
What is the scientific name for the mugger crocodile?
Answer: *Crocodylus palustris*
Explanation: The scientific name for the mugger crocodile is *Crocodylus palustris*.
When was the mugger crocodile first scientifically described?
Answer: 1831
Explanation: The mugger crocodile was first scientifically described in 1831 by René Lesson.
According to phylogenetic analysis, where did the genus *Crocodylus* most likely originate?
Answer: Australasia
Explanation: Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the genus *Crocodylus* most likely originated in Australasia.
Which species is believed to be the first to diverge from the common ancestor of the *Crocodylus* genus?
Answer: The freshwater crocodile (*C. johnstoni*)
Explanation: The freshwater crocodile (*C. johnstoni*) is believed to be the first species that genetically diverged from the common ancestor of the *Crocodylus* genus.
Which of the following is NOT a common name for *Crocodylus palustris*?
Answer: Gharial
Explanation: Common names for *Crocodylus palustris* include mugger and marsh crocodile. 'Swamp crocodile' is a descriptive term, but 'Gharial' refers to a distinct crocodilian species (*Gavialis gangeticus*).
Adult male mugger crocodiles typically measure between 3 to 3.5 meters, though some individuals have been recorded at lengths exceeding 5 meters.
Answer: True
Explanation: Adult male mugger crocodiles typically range from 3 to 3.5 meters in length, with the largest recorded individuals reaching up to 5.63 meters.
Mugger crocodiles cope with extreme temperatures by migrating to warmer or cooler regions rather than utilizing burrows.
Answer: False
Explanation: Mugger crocodiles cope with extreme temperatures by digging and retreating into burrows when ambient temperatures fall below 5 °C or exceed 38 °C, rather than migrating.
Mugger crocodile hatchlings are dark olive to grey, similar in coloration to adults, for immediate camouflage.
Answer: False
Explanation: Mugger crocodile hatchlings are pale olive with black spots, differing from the dark olive to grey or brown coloration of adults.
The mugger crocodile is notable for having the narrowest snout among all living crocodile species, aiding in specialized feeding.
Answer: False
Explanation: The mugger crocodile is notable for possessing the *broadest* snout among all living crocodile species, not the narrowest.
A mugger crocodile weighing 207 kg was recorded to have a bite force of 7,295 Newtons.
Answer: True
Explanation: A specific mugger crocodile weighing 207 kg was indeed recorded to have a bite force of 7,295 Newtons, demonstrating its powerful jaws.
Mugger crocodiles primarily move by sliding on their bellies across land, as they are not adapted for walking upright.
Answer: False
Explanation: On land, mugger crocodiles primarily move by 'belly-walking,' with their belly touching the ground, and can also walk over land at night.
The optimal body temperature range for a mugger crocodile is between 30 to 35 °C.
Answer: True
Explanation: Like all crocodilians, the mugger crocodile is a thermoconformer with an optimal body temperature range of 30 to 35 °C.
Mugger crocodile burrows are typically shallow, ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 meters deep, with multiple entrances.
Answer: False
Explanation: Mugger crocodile burrows are typically deeper, ranging from 0.6 to 6 meters (2.0 to 19.7 ft) deep, with entrances above water level and a single chamber.
What is the typical body length range for adult male mugger crocodiles?
Answer: 3 to 3.5 meters (9 ft 10 in to 11 ft 6 in)
Explanation: Adult male mugger crocodiles typically measure between 3 to 3.5 meters (9 ft 10 in to 11 ft 6 in) in body length.
How do mugger crocodiles regulate their body temperature during extreme heat or cold?
Answer: They dig and retreat into burrows.
Explanation: Mugger crocodiles regulate their body temperature during extreme heat or cold by digging and retreating into burrows, acting as thermoconformers.
What distinctive feature does the adult mugger crocodile's head possess?
Answer: A rough head without ridges and large scutes around the neck separated from the back
Explanation: The adult mugger crocodile has a rough head without ridges and features large scutes around the neck that are distinctly separated from the back.
What is unique about the mugger crocodile's snout among living crocodile species?
Answer: It is the broadest snout.
Explanation: The mugger crocodile possesses the broadest snout among all living crocodile species.
What was the recorded bite force for a 207 kg mugger crocodile?
Answer: 7,295 Newtons
Explanation: A 207 kg mugger crocodile was recorded to have a bite force of 7,295 Newtons.
How does the mugger crocodile primarily move on land?
Answer: By belly-walking, with its belly touching the ground.
Explanation: On land, the mugger crocodile primarily moves by 'belly-walking,' a gait where its belly touches the ground.
What is the optimal body temperature range for a mugger crocodile?
Answer: 30 to 35 °C (86 to 95 °F)
Explanation: The optimal body temperature range for a mugger crocodile is 30 to 35 °C (86 to 95 °F).
What is the typical depth range for a mugger crocodile's burrow?
Answer: 0.6 to 6 meters (2.0 to 19.7 ft)
Explanation: Mugger crocodile burrows typically range from 0.6 to 6 meters (2.0 to 19.7 ft) deep.
The mugger crocodile is exclusively found in saltwater coastal regions, distinguishing it from other crocodilian species.
Answer: False
Explanation: The mugger crocodile is primarily native to freshwater habitats, including marshes, lakes, and rivers, across the Indian subcontinent, not exclusively saltwater coastal regions.
The mugger crocodile has only been observed at elevations below 100 meters, indicating a strict preference for low-lying areas.
Answer: False
Explanation: The mugger crocodile has been observed at elevations up to 420 meters (1,380 ft), indicating its adaptability beyond strictly low-lying areas.
In which type of habitat does the mugger crocodile primarily reside?
Answer: Marshes, lakes, rivers, and artificial ponds
Explanation: The mugger crocodile primarily resides in freshwater habitats such as marshes, lakes, rivers, and artificial ponds, favoring slow-moving, shallow water bodies.
What is the highest elevation at which the mugger crocodile has been observed?
Answer: 420 meters (1,380 ft)
Explanation: The mugger crocodile has been observed at elevations up to 420 meters (1,380 ft).
In which Indian state are mugger crocodiles found in the Vishwamitri River and Kutch reservoirs?
Answer: Gujarat
Explanation: Mugger crocodiles are found in Gujarat, India, specifically in the Vishwamitri River and Kutch reservoirs.
Which of these is NOT a national park or wildlife reserve in Nepal where mugger crocodiles are found?
Answer: Ranthambore National Park
Explanation: Ranthambore National Park is located in India, whereas Shuklaphanta, Bardia, and Chitwan National Parks are in Nepal and are known habitats for mugger crocodiles.
Adult mugger crocodiles are strict carnivores, preying exclusively on live fish and birds.
Answer: False
Explanation: Adult mugger crocodiles prey on a diverse range of animals including fish, snakes, turtles, birds, and various mammals, and also scavenge on dead animals, indicating an opportunistic and varied diet.
Mugger crocodiles have been observed using sticks as lures to hunt birds, making them one of the few reptiles known to use tools.
Answer: True
Explanation: Mugger crocodiles have been documented using sticks and branches as lures to hunt birds, a behavior that classifies them among the few reptiles known to use tools.
Mugger crocodile hatchlings primarily feed on small fish and amphibians immediately after birth.
Answer: False
Explanation: Mugger crocodile hatchlings primarily feed on insects such as beetles, along with crabs and shrimp, rather than small fish and amphibians.
Which of the following is NOT a primary food source for adult mugger crocodiles?
Answer: Large ungulates such as adult buffalo
Explanation: Adult mugger crocodiles prey on fish, snakes, turtles, birds, and small to medium-sized mammals up to the size of chital, but not typically large ungulates like adult buffalo.
What unique hunting strategy has been observed in mugger crocodiles, making them one of the first reptiles known to use tools?
Answer: Balancing sticks and branches on their heads to lure birds.
Explanation: Mugger crocodiles have been observed balancing sticks and branches on their heads to lure birds, a unique tool-using hunting strategy.
What do mugger crocodile hatchlings primarily feed on?
Answer: Insects, crabs, and shrimp
Explanation: Mugger crocodile hatchlings primarily feed on insects, crabs, and shrimp, adapting their diet to include vertebrates as they grow.
The sex of mugger crocodile hatchlings is determined by genetic factors inherited from the parents.
Answer: False
Explanation: The sex of mugger crocodile hatchlings is determined by the temperature during incubation, a process known as temperature-dependent sex determination, not by genetic factors.
Female mugger crocodiles reach sexual maturity at a larger body length than males, typically around 2.6 meters.
Answer: False
Explanation: Female mugger crocodiles reach sexual maturity at a smaller body length (1.8–2.2 meters) than males (around 2.6 meters).
The mugger crocodile's reproduction cycle typically begins in the spring, coinciding with warmer temperatures.
Answer: False
Explanation: The mugger crocodile's reproduction cycle typically begins as early as November, coinciding with the onset of the cold season, not spring.
Only female mugger crocodiles are involved in protecting their young after hatching, for a period of about six months.
Answer: False
Explanation: Both female and male mugger crocodiles protect their young for up to one year after hatching, demonstrating shared parental care.
Female mugger crocodiles dig holes in the sand during the dry season for nesting, laying up to 46 eggs.
Answer: True
Explanation: During the dry season, female mugger crocodiles dig holes in the sand as nesting sites, where they lay up to 46 eggs.
What determines the sex of mugger crocodile hatchlings?
Answer: The temperature during incubation.
Explanation: The sex of mugger crocodile hatchlings is determined by the temperature during the incubation period, a characteristic known as temperature-dependent sex determination.
At what approximate age do female mugger crocodiles reach sexual maturity?
Answer: 6.5 years
Explanation: Female mugger crocodiles reach sexual maturity at approximately 6.5 years of age.
When does the mugger crocodile's reproduction cycle typically begin?
Answer: November, coinciding with the onset of the cold season.
Explanation: The mugger crocodile's reproduction cycle typically begins as early as November, coinciding with the onset of the cold season.
For how long do both male and female mugger crocodiles protect their young after hatching?
Answer: Up to one year
Explanation: Both male and female mugger crocodiles protect their young for up to one year after hatching.
What is the approximate average weight of a single mugger crocodile egg?
Answer: 128 grams (4.5 oz)
Explanation: The average weight of a single mugger crocodile egg is approximately 128 grams (4.5 oz).
Since 1982, the mugger crocodile has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to severe population decline.
Answer: False
Explanation: Since 1982, the mugger crocodile has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, not Critically Endangered.
Tropical cyclones in the late 1990s and early 2000s significantly worsened the mugger crocodile population decline in Iran.
Answer: False
Explanation: While a drought in the late 1990s and early 2000s severely impacted the Iranian mugger population, tropical cyclones in 2007 and 2010 actually helped restore much of their habitat by reflooding dry lakes.
The mugger crocodile is considered locally extinct in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Answer: True
Explanation: The mugger crocodile is considered possibly locally extinct in Bangladesh and locally extinct in Myanmar, with extinction also noted in Bhutan in the late 1960s.
Habitat destruction and entanglement in fishing equipment are among the primary threats to the mugger crocodile population.
Answer: True
Explanation: Habitat destruction due to land conversion and entanglement in fishing equipment are indeed listed among the primary threats to mugger crocodile populations.
In Gujarat, India, muggers have been found killed with missing body parts, suggesting they were used in superstitious practices or as aphrodisiacs.
Answer: True
Explanation: Reports from Gujarat, India, indicate that muggers have been found killed with missing body parts, suggesting their use in superstitious practices or as aphrodisiacs.
The mugger crocodile is protected in India under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Answer: False
Explanation: In India, the mugger crocodile is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, not Schedule IV.
In Maharashtra, local communities are compensated for livestock loss due to mugger attacks, reflecting a management strategy for human-wildlife conflict.
Answer: True
Explanation: In Maharashtra, local people are indeed compensated for livestock loss due to mugger attacks, and similar compensation is provided in Baluchestan, indicating a strategy to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
India's captive breeding program for mugger crocodiles successfully continued releasing new offspring into protected areas until the late 2000s.
Answer: False
Explanation: India's captive breeding program for mugger crocodiles released individuals between 1978 and 1992, but the production of new offspring was halted by the Indian Government in 1994.
What is the conservation status of the mugger crocodile according to the IUCN Red List since 1982?
Answer: Vulnerable
Explanation: Since 1982, the mugger crocodile has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
How did tropical cyclones in 2007 and 2010 impact the mugger crocodile population in Iran?
Answer: They helped restore much of their habitat by reflooding dry lakes.
Explanation: Tropical cyclones in 2007 and 2010 helped restore much of the mugger crocodile's habitat in Iran by reflooding formerly dry lakes and hamuns.
Which of the following countries has seen the mugger crocodile become locally extinct?
Answer: Bhutan
Explanation: The mugger crocodile became locally extinct in Bhutan in the late 1960s, although some captive-bred individuals were later released.
Which of the following is a significant threat to mugger crocodile populations in Pakistan?
Answer: Draining of major wetlands by dams and channels.
Explanation: In Pakistan, a significant threat to mugger crocodile populations is the draining of major wetlands by dams and channels, which occurred in the 1990s.
Under which schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, is the mugger crocodile protected in India?
Answer: Schedule I
Explanation: In India, the mugger crocodile is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
What is the fine for capturing or killing a mugger crocodile in Iran, where it has been legally protected since 2013?
Answer: 100 million Iranian rials
Explanation: In Iran, capturing or killing a mugger crocodile, which has been legally protected since 2013, is punishable by a fine of 100 million Iranian rials.
What was the outcome of the Indian Government's decision regarding the production of new offspring in the captive breeding program for mugger crocodiles?
Answer: It was halted in 1994.
Explanation: The production of new offspring in India's captive breeding program for mugger crocodiles was halted by the Indian Government in 1994.
In Hindu mythology, the mugger crocodile is associated with the deity Varuna and symbolizes virility.
Answer: True
Explanation: In Hindu mythology, the mugger crocodile is indeed associated with the Vedic deity Varuna and symbolizes virility, also serving as an emblem of Kamadeva.
The Sanskrit word 'makara' refers exclusively to a mythical crocodile-like animal, distinct from actual crocodiles.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Sanskrit word 'makara' refers to both the actual crocodile and a mythical crocodile-like animal, symbolizing the dual nature of rivers.
The mugger crocodile is featured as a character named Mugger in Rudyard Kipling's *The Jungle Book*.
Answer: False
Explanation: The mugger crocodile is featured as a character named Mugger in Rudyard Kipling's 'The Undertakers' from *The Second Jungle Book*, not *The Jungle Book*.
What is the significance of the Sanskrit word 'makara' in relation to the crocodile?
Answer: It refers to both the crocodile and a mythical crocodile-like animal, symbolizing the dual nature of rivers.
Explanation: The Sanskrit word 'makara' refers to both the crocodile and a mythical crocodile-like animal, symbolizing the dual nature of rivers as both fructifying and destructive forces.
In Hindu mythology, the mugger crocodile is an emblem of which deity?
Answer: Kamadeva, the god of love.
Explanation: In Hindu mythology, the mugger crocodile is an emblem of Kamadeva, the god of love, and also serves as the animal vehicle of the Vedic deity Varuna.