Morphological, Radiographic and Three‐Dimensional Scanning Characterization of the Skull and Mandible of the American Crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus

ABSTRACT

The American crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus ) is a widely distributed Neotropical species for which detailed osteological descriptions of the skull and mandible remain scarce. This study provides an integrative characterization of the cranial and mandibular complex using gross anatomy, descriptive cranial morphometry, radiography, and three‐dimensional (3D) scanning. Four skulls and mandibles from post mortem specimens were prepared following standard osteological procedures, and descriptive cranial measurements were recorded. Radiographic projection allowed visualization of bone margins, cranial sutures, dental alveoli, fenestrae, and articular regions. Three‐dimensional models generated through a structured‐light 3D scanning workflow documented external contours, choanal margins, temporal and mandibular fenestrae, alveolar borders, and sutural patterns. In dorsal, ventral, lateral, and caudal views, the examined skulls displayed an elongated rostrum, dorsally positioned orbits and external nares, paired supratemporal and lateral temporal fenestrae, and a single occipital condyle. The mandibles exhibited elongated and firmly fused symphyses, pronounced retroarticular processes, and well‐defined internal and external mandibular fenestrae. Dental preservation varied among specimens, but tooth spacing, conical morphology, and rostrocaudal size variation could be documented in the preserved series. These findings provide a specimen‐based reference for the cranial and mandibular complex of C. acutus by integrating morphological, morphometric, radiographic, and three‐dimensional (3D) scanning evidence. The digital models constitute an additional resource for anatomical teaching, comparative studies, and long‐term digital documentation of osteological morphology.