also: うみワニ
saltwater crocodile; estuarine crocodile
Refers specifically to Crocodylus porosus, the largest living reptile. Rare term; more commonly called イリエワニ (入江鰐) in Japanese.
See also: イリエワニ
The saltwater crocodile is one of the largest reptiles in the world.
Saltwater crocodiles inhabit northern Australia.
Mixed kanji-katakana spelling; less common but still encountered.
Kanji spelling using 鰐 (crocodile); rare and may not be widely recognized.
Compound of 海 (umi, 'sea') and 鰐 (wani, 'crocodile'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose as a descriptive name for the saltwater crocodile's habitat.