Mapping knowledge to guide conservation action: Trends in broad-snouted caiman research

The broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) is a key species in South American wetlands with ecological, cultural, and economic importance. Despite its significance, no systematic effort has quantified research trends and gaps. This study integrated bibliometric mapping and systematic review to analyze 484 publications, focusing on geographic distribution, research topics, and collaborative networks. Research is geographically and thematically imbalanced, dominated by Argentina and Brazil, and focused on physiology, toxicology, and reproduction, often under captive settings. Ecological and conservation-oriented studies on habitat-specific dynamics and anthropogenic impacts remain underrepresented. Keyword analysis identifies population ecology, habitat-specific studies, and conservation actions as key gaps. The role of C. latirostris as a sentinel species underscores the need to expand field-based research and conservation strategies that go beyond preserving physical habitats to include pollution control policies. Collaborative networks remain geographically clustered, underscoring the importance of fostering international partnerships. This study provides actionable recommendations to align research with conservation priorities, including prioritizing underrepresented regions, increasing field-based studies, addressing anthropogenic impacts, promoting regional capacity-building, and integrating grey literature into accessible databases. Beyond addressing C. latirostris, the results establish a replicable framework for identifying priorities and research gaps in other taxa, advancing conservation biology by bridging science with practice.