Are black caimans larger than alligators?

Black caimans (Melanosuchus niger) are the largest members of Alligatoridae, a family of reptiles made up of eight living species. Even though American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) have a reputation for being large and menacing, black caimans—the dominant predators of the Amazon River basin—are larger. While some American alligators can grow up to 4.5 meters (15 feet) long and weigh as much as 363 kg (800 pounds), they still fall short of the maximum size of black caimans. Average-sized adult black caimans typically reach lengths of 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet) and weigh approximately 350 kg (770 pounds), but the lengths of the largest black caimans approach 6 meters (20 feet) and weigh more than 400 kg (882 pounds).

American alligators—which are found in freshwater rivers, lakes, and swamps in the southeastern United States—are still formidable. They are also apex predators. Despite being slightly smaller than black caimans, American alligators are the larger of the two alligator species, and they typically reach lengths of about 3 to 3.4 meters (9.8 to 11.1 feet) and weigh about 150 kg (331 pounds). The other species in the Alligator genus, the Chinese alligator (A. sinensis), is smaller, having a maximum length of about 2.1 meters (7 feet).