FROM EGGS TO HATCHLINGS: NEST SITE TAPHONOMY OF AMERICAN CROCODILE ( CROCODYLUS ACUTUS ) AND BROAD-SNOUTED CAIMAN ( CAIMAN LATIROSTRIS )

: Nesting behaviors of extant vertebrates can serve as taphonomic models for interpreting extinct archosaurian reproduction. Past studies have examined birds with open nests and nest-bound young and tortoises with buried nests and precocial young. Here we taphonomically describe nesting sites of two crocodylians, American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) at Turkey Point, Florida and broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) from Santa Fe and Chaco...