Apr 25, 2017 one of the easiest ways to tell the difference between the crocodiles and alligators is by looking at the shape of their snout. What is the difference between a crocodile and an alligator. Aug 25, 2017 there is a general size difference between alligators and crocodiles. Whats the difference between a crocodile and an alligator. However, if you know a few facts about each animal, i think youll be able to tell them apart. How to tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator. How to tell the difference between a crocodile and an. Whats the difference between alligators and crocodiles. Faq whats the difference between a crocodile and an alligator. This is illustrated below the alligator on the left does not have any sense organs, but the crocodile on the right does.
Sep 15, 2012 coming face to face with a crocodile or an alligator, youd see a mouth full of serrated teeth that would likely scare the bejeezus out of you. An adult crocodile can grow up to roughly 19 feet long, whereas for alligators the length is around 14 feet. By looking at their noses it can be differentiated easily, for example, an alligator has a rounded nose which gives the impression of alphabet u while crocodiles have a long triangular nose which gives the idea of alphabet v when careful consideration is given. The teeth of a crocodile are visible, even when the crocodile s mouth is closed, while alligator teeth are invisible until the mouth is open. Crocodiles typically have long, pointed snouts that are vshaped, whereas alligators possess more rounded snouts that are more ushaped. As nouns the difference between alligator and elephant is that alligator is contextobsoletelangen one who binds or ties or alligator can be a large amphibious reptile with sharp teeth and very strong jaws related to the crocodile and native to the americas and china informal short form. While many crocodiles live in freshwater, some also live in saltier sea water. What is the difference between alligator and elephant.
These differences are indicative of the type of diet that each species favors. Firstly, it is worth noting that the term crocodilians. Both families come from the order crocodilians or crocodilia, so. An alligators upper jaw is wider than its lower jaw, meaning that teeth on its lower jaw are almost completely hidden when its mouth is closed. Jun 11, 2017 at first glance, if youve ever seen an alligator or crocodile, they may look very similar. If the animal has a shorter, wider, u shaped snout, its an alligator. What is the difference between an alligator and a crocodile. Difference between caiman and alligator samsung galaxy blog. Often, when people use the word crocodile what they really mean is crocodilian. An alligator left with a rounded ushaped snout and a crocodile right with a vshaped snout in alligators, the upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw and completely overlaps it. Difference between crocodile and alligator simply elearn kids duration. Let us first list the differences between crocodiles and the family of caiman and alligator. If the snout is v shaped with a thin, pointed nose, its a crocodile. A newly discovered difference between alligators and crocodiles.
There are a lot of similarities between these two species, but a difference between alligators and crocodiles can be found in a number of aspects as well. Read the following article to understand how the distinction can be done with just a couple of minutes of observation. One example is the indian mugger crocodile, which has a wide jaw similar to an alligator but also has the prominent fourth tooth of a crocodile. Alligators are only found in parts of the us and china, whereas crocodiles can be found across the world. The most obvious external differences are visible in the head, with crocodiles having. The easiest way of telling apart crocodiles from alligators, however, is to look at their noses. Alligators tend to have a darker appearance than crocodiles. What is the difference between crocodiles, alligators and. The 8 main differences between alligators and crocodiles owlcation. Jan 14, 2017 caiman or an alligator would not grow as large. Many assume that the chief difference between the large reptiles is the shape of their heads.
Great for new teachers, student teachers, homeschooling and teachers who like creative ways to teach. The most obvious way to tell a crocodile, left, from an alligator, is from their snouts. An alligator s upper jaw is wider than its lower jaw, meaning that teeth on its lower jaw are almost completely hidden when its mouth is closed. Purchased this book for my 5year old daughters 5th bday to go along with her crocodile theme party. Mistaking an alligator for a crocodile and vice versa is fairly common. You can tell alligators and crocodiles apart mostly by the width of their snout. The alligator s bottom teeth cant be seen when its mouth is closed because its upper jaw is wider than its lower jaw. Aug 06, 2008 another physical difference between the crocodile and the alligator is that the crocodile s upper and lower jaws are nearly the same width, so the teeth are exposed all along the jaw line in an interlocking pattern, even when the mouth is closed. Crocodiles and alligators are both reptiles from the same order of animals, named crocodylia. Can you tell which one is the crocodile and which is the alligator. This is often the question that people have whenever they shop for bags and shoes. Its fourth lower tooth cannot be seen when the alligators mouth is closed. Say youre in the swamp and a menacing, hungry reptile heads your way your dying wish is to know the particular species of said attacker.
Crocodiles tend to have snouts that are more pointed and vshaped. Download pdf can you tell an alligator from a crocodile. Crocodilian biology database faq whats the difference. All three are reptiles and of the order crocodylia. Both alligators and crocodiles are massive reptiles. Alligators are often confused with their close cousins, the crocodiles. Crocodile and alligator differences animal facts for kids. An alligator s wider upper jaw overlaps its lower jaw when it closes its mouth. From a distance, its not too difficult to tell the difference between an alligator and a crocodile when looking at the shape of the snout and visibility of the teeth. This is the second of 12 things you should know about alligators and everglades wildlife, a free ebook. An alligator s broad snout is built for strength to help them crush their hardshelled prey such as turtles. For alligators, the upper jaw is wider than the lower one, so when they close their mouths, all their teeth are hidden.
Each species is unique, so there are some exceptions to these common differences. Though a crocodile and an alligator look very similar and often people mistake one for the other, there is a difference between them. Alligators strongly favor freshwater while some species of crocodile live in seawater. Coming face to face with a crocodile or an alligator, youd see a mouth full of serrated teeth that would likely scare the bejeezus out of you.
Another physical differencedifferencedifference between the crocodile and the alligator is that the crocodile s upper and lower jaws are nearly the same width, so the teeth are exposed all along the jaw line in an interlocking pattern, even when the mouth is closed. For one, they are quite different in their physical structure. The chinese alligator is smaller, typically about 5 ft with a maximum length of about 7 ft. There are different species of alligators and crocodiles. So, to differentiate the two once and for all, we have created this article. Crocodiles have a jagged fringe on their hind legs and feet. An alligator, on the other hand, has a broad, blunt snout. Alligators have shorter, wider heads that are more ushaped than crocodiles. For starters, crocodile belongs to the crocodylidae family, and the alligator along with the caiman belongs to the alligatoridae family. Crocodiles have long, narrow, vshaped snouts, while those of alligators are wider and ushaped.
The main difference between them is that crocodiles are so mean, the alligators are scared of them. Those of alligators are wider and shorter, and crocodiles top. Crocodiles and alligators compare and contrast third grade. The two reptile groups are close relatives, so their.
But crocodiles tend to live in saltwater habitats, while alligators hang out in. In terms of physical differences, observing the snout the mouth and nose is one of the simplest ways to distinguish between a crocodile and an alligator. Difference between alligator and crocodile difference between. Difference between alligators and crocodiles compare the. This is illustrated below the alligator on the left does not have any sense organs, but the crocodile on. Crocodiles and alligators are the biggest reptilians on the planet. Full of interesting facts, visuals, and a helpful comparison table, third graders and other science students will enjoy reading about these animals. In the wild, the crocs are truly an endangered species, while there isnt a body of water larger than a puddle that isnt part of an alligator s territory. May 27, 2008 another physical differencedifferencedifference between the crocodile and the alligator is that the crocodile s upper and lower jaws are nearly the same width, so the teeth are exposed all along the jaw line in an interlocking pattern, even when the mouth is closed.
Alligator vs crocodile differences explained with videos. Another difference between alligators and crocodiles that can easily be noticed is the slight difference in their color. The confusion is understandable, since all alligators are crocodilians, but not all crocodilians are alligators. The shape of each families jaws is another outward difference you can detect between the crocodile and alligator. Based on their physical appearance it is easy to find the difference between them. Theres an alligator family, which includes alligators and caiman.
Both are mean looking, but their snouts are actually different in shape. Apr 08, 2020 the best way to tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator is to look at the snout. In the wild, the crocs are truly endangered species, while there isnt a body of water larger than a puddle that isnt part of an alligator s territory. What are the differences between an alligator and a crocodile. Difference between alligator and crocodile difference. The best way to tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator is to look at the snout.
The crocodile or alligator book in the which is which. Another notable difference between crocodiles and alligators is the visibility of the teeth on the bottom jaw. In terms of physical differences the easiest way to tell the difference between the two is that a crocodile has a very long, narrow, vshaped snout, while the alligator s snout is wider and ushaped. Now that you know the difference between crocodile and the others, let us focus on the difference between caiman and alligator. Gators can grow to be anywhere between 10 and 15 feet long as adults, weighing in at an average of 500 pounds. Crocodiles have longer and thinner snouts than alligators. In addition, you can tell them apart by their sizes with the crocodiles being the bigger of the two. Alright, lets sort out once and for all the differences between alligators and crocodiles. So when a crocodile closes its mouth some of its teeth still show. Neither is a caiman an alligator nor are the two crocodiles. The term alligator is derived from the spanish word for lizard. Chinese alligators are smaller than their american counterparts. Whats the difference between an alligator and a crocodile.
One youll see in a while and the other youll see later. For starters, crocodile belongs to the crocodylidae family, and the alligator along with. In that 50 % are belongs to crocodylus family whether oth. If youre in north america, chances are youre looking at an alligator there are only few species of crocodiles that live there. The 8 main differences between alligators and crocodiles. Fish and wildlife service the two reptiles are close relatives. Read on to find out what some of these differences are while enjoying all. Alligators are found in china and the united states.
One of the most commonly asked questions is what is the difference between a crocodile and an alligator. Jan 06, 2011 the crocodiles slimmer snouts are flexible for fishhunting while the alligators are wider, giving them greater power to crush their food prey. Many people confuse crocodiles and alligators, and its no wonder the two animals are closely related. A crocodile s upper and lower jaw, however, are about the same width. The crocodiles snout is pointed and vshaped, and the alligators is wide and ushaped. Read on to find out what some of these differences are while enjoying all our animal facts for kids.
Members of the orders total group, the clade pseudosuchia, appeared about 250. They first appeared 95 million years ago in the late cretaceous period cenomanian stage and are the closest living relatives of birds, as the two groups are the only known survivors of the archosauria. These reptiles have managed to survive for 200 million years without evolving a lot and are popularly referred to as living fossils. An alligator will have a wide, broad nose while a crocodile will usually have a narrow nose. Crocodile, courtesy flickr user tambako the jaguar. Another distinguishing feature between the crocodile and alligator is their color. While they do look similar, there are several important differences between them. Crocodiles tend to have a longer vshaped snout whereas alligators have a broader ushaped snout. Get ready to learn more about the similarities and differences between these two ancient reptiles in this alligator vs. Apr 25, 2020 in terms of physical differences, observing the snout the mouth and nose is one of the simplest ways to distinguish between a crocodile and an alligator. Alligators are freshwater animals, while crocodiles live in saltwater. If youre lucky or unlucky enough to find yourself face to face with a crocodile and an alligator, they might look the same at first glance with their toothy, scary grins and rough, bumpy skin. Therefore, the teeth in the lower jaw are almost completely hidden when the mouth closes, fitting neatly into small depressions or sockets in the upper jaw.
Crocodiles tend to live in saltwater habitats, while alligators. While youre looking closely at the animals mouth, youll also notice a difference in shape between alligators and crocodiles. Because of the wide snout of the alligator it packs more crushing power to eat prey like turtles that constitute part of its diet. May 15, 2016 alright, lets sort out once and for all the differences between alligators and crocodiles. Some people can distinguish crocodiles and alligators by the color of their skin. Caiman and alligator belong to the genus alligator and species alligator mississippiensis. Crocodiles subfamily crocodylinae or true crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live. Crocodiles are usually found in saltwater habitats, while alligators prefer freshwater areas. But the families they belong to, alligatoridae and crocodylidae respectively, differ. Many people tend to use the words alligator and crocodile interchangeably, implying that there is almost no difference between the two animals. Difference between crocodiles and alligators difference wiki. Focused on 21st century content, the which is which.
The difference between crocodile and alligator crocodile and alligator what is the difference between them. When telling the difference between a crocodile and an alligator, the first step is to figure out where you are. Crocodiles are typically more aggressive than gators. Crocodile and alligator skin wallets, handbags, boots etc are easy to tell apart if the scales have a small spot or dimple close to the edge, you know the skin is from a crocodile and not an alligator or caiman. Crocodiles tend to be lighter in color and more tan or brown than green. This term encompasses not just the common alligators and crocodiles you might already know, but also the lesser known gavialidae family that contains the lone gavial, or. The american alligator is the larger of the two species of alligator and typically ranges from 612 ft but can grow up to 19 ft. Crocodilia or crocodylia is an order of mostly large, predatory, semiaquatic reptiles, known as crocodilians. Alligators, on the other hand, have wider snouts shaped like a u.
Alligators have a more blackish grayish color and crocodiles tend to have a more light tan appearance. Alligator jaws are more powerful than crocodile jaws and allow them to eat prey with hard shells, while crocodile jaws are designed for a broader range of prey. Alligators, while definitely dangerous, are relatively timid as compared to crocodiles, and will generally try to escape if approached by humans, usually heading for. The difference between an alligator and a crocodile. Malagasy nile crocodile, malagasy alligator or croco mada. One way you could tell whether youre about to be eaten by an alligator or a crocodile doesnt even require you to look the approaching killer in the face since alligators and crocodiles generally dont live in the same region, a good clue to their. There are however a number of important differences which set these apex predators apart. There are total 28 numbers of species are existinig today of the crocodilians. Crocodiles are usually found in saltwater habitats, while. This is generally true, as per the illustration below.