Swimming dinosaurs: Coastal reptiles of El Salvador

Abstract

Reptiles are a very important group of vertebrates at the ecological level, their main functions are population control, nutrient supply and being indicators of environmental changes. In El Salvador, there are a great variety of reptile species that inhabit the coastal zone of the country. Some of them are in threatened categories, and others are in danger of extinction. The most representative groups are crocodiles, caimans, and sea turtles, which are not found anywhere else in the territory.