Cuvier's dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) is a small crocodilian in the alligator family from northern and central South America.

It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Venezuela.

It can traverse dry land to reach temporary pools and tolerates colder water than other species of caimans.

With a total length averaging 1.4 m (4.6 ft) for males and up to 1.2 m (3.9 ft) for females, Cuvier's dwarf caiman is not only the smallest extant species in the alligator and caiman family, but also the smallest of all crocodilians (unless the Congo dwarf crocodile is considered a valid species).

This caiman has a wide range and large total population and the IUCN lists its conservation status as being of least concern.

This refers to the belief that this crocodile comes from an ancient lineage that diverged from other species of caimans some 30 million years ago.

[16] The countries in which it is found include Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Trinidad and Paraguay.

[6] They also follow seasonal fluctuations in water-level, while the smooth-fronted caiman does not, which may explain how the two species are able to live in sympatry.

It is able to travel quite large distances overland at night and subadult individuals have sometimes been found in isolated, temporary pools.

In the northern and southern parts of its range, it is also found in gallery forests in savanna country, but it is absent from such habitats in the Llanos and the Pantanal.

[18] Adults feed on fish, amphibians, small mammals, birds, crabs, shrimp, molluscs, insects, and other invertebrates, which they catch in the water or on land.

[17] Juveniles eat fewer fish, but also consume crustaceans, tadpoles, frogs, and snails, as well as land invertebrates, such as beetles.

[17] In the Pantanal, Cuvier's dwarf caiman estivates in burrows during the dry season and is able to maintain its temperature around 22 °C (72 °F) for days at a time.

Newly emerged juveniles have a coating of mucus and may delay entering the water for a few days until this has dried.

[6][17][11] Cuvier's dwarf caiman is considered to be a keystone species whose presence in the ecosystem maintains a healthy balance of organisms.

The eggs and newly hatched young are most at risk and are preyed on by birds, snakes, rats, raccoons, and other mammals.

Some individuals are killed by indigenous peoples for food and some traditional South American cultures believe dwarf caiman teeth protect from snake bites.

[3] Cuvier's dwarf caiman can be kept as a pet, though providing suitable care is expensive and requires extremely large enclosures.