False gharial
Amazing fact
False gharials have a valve in the mouth that keeps water out of the throat while underwater.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
False gharials have a valve in the mouth that keeps water out of the throat while underwater.
THE REAL WORLD
The real False gharial
- Scientific name
- Tomistoma schlegelii
- Japanese name
- マレーガビアル
- Group
- Amphibians and reptiles
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Crocodilia
- Family
- Gavialidae
- Genus
- Tomistoma
Where the name “False gharial” comes from
Its English name refers to its long, narrow snout resembling that of the gharial.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebA crocodile that lives in lowland rivers, lakes, and marshes in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Its long, thin snout moves easily through water, and it swings it quickly from side to side to catch fish.
Besides fish, it also eats waterbirds, small mammals, and more. There are even reports of it grabbing monkeys.
How the False gharial lives
They spend much of their time submerged in shallow muddy hollows with eyes and nostrils showing. Skin sensors are thought to detect pressure changes from water movement and help them find prey. Basking is thought to help regulate their body temperature. They need land for nesting.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebBasic data
- Size
- Total length: males 3.5–5 m, females 3–4 m上野動物園
- Weight
- males 190–210 kg, females 85–95 kg上野動物園
- Active
- By day and by nightUniversity of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
- Diet
- Fish, amphibians, reptiles, waterbirds, small mammals, and other animals上野動物園
- Range
- Indonesia and Malaysia上野動物園
Where the False gharial has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- マレーガビアル
- 简体中文
- 马来长吻鳄
- 繁體中文
- 馬來長吻鱷
- 한국어
- 말레이가비알
- Español
- Falso gavial malayo
- Français
- Faux gavial malais
- Deutsch
- Sunda-Gavial
- Português (Brasil)
- Gavial-da-malásia
- Italiano
- Tomistoma
- العربية
- غريال مزيف
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Buaya sepit
- Tiếng Việt
- Cá sấu Ấn Độ giả
- Русский
- Гавиаловый крокодил
- Türkçe
- Malaya gavyali
- ไทย
- ตะโขง
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 上野動物園 — マレーガビアルChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Tomistoma schlegeliiChecked: 2026-11-03
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the False gharial, look for this
- Look for the black bands on the tail and body.
- If its mouth is open, look for the many sharp teeth lining it.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the False gharial
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
RELATIVES
Others in Gavialidae
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