they both look the same to me
2006-10-12 00:11:23 · 27 answers · asked by pebs 4 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
Short answer:
Crocodiles:
Long triangle shaped head
Generally long narrow snout
4th tooth in lower jaw visible when jaw is closed
Need water that stays warm all year round
has salt glands that excrete excess salt
Alligators:
Wide, flat head
Broad round snout
4th tooth in lower jaw not visible when jaw is closed
salt glands are non functional
may be in cooler waters
2006-10-12 02:44:35 · answer #1 · answered by ozymndius 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A classic question! Fortunately, Crocodiles and Alligators category reveals several differences between alligators and crocodiles:
You can't see an alligator's teeth when it's mouth is closed; its lower teeth fit snugly into pits in the upper jaw. In contrast, a crocodile's lower teeth are always visible.
Alligators have a broad snout, while crocodiles have a thinner snout.
Alligators tend to be grayish black in color, whereas crocodiles have a light tan appearance.
Alligators can only be found in the southeastern United States and in some parts of China. Crocodiles can be found all over the world.
In the wild, alligators tend to run away. While not exactly wallflowers, they certainly prefer their own company. Some species of crocodiles, on the other hand, have legendary tempers. The Salt Water Crocodile and the Nile Crocodile have been known to eat people.
Obviously, these two creatures have more in common than not. Alligators, caimans, crocodiles, and gharials are all referred to as crocodilians, and the last 25 years have been very kind to them. Thanks to conservation efforts and threatened animal legislation, 16 of the 23 species have been returned to sustainable population levels.
2006-10-12 07:17:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are very closely related and both belong to the zoological order of Crocodiles. The crocodiles also belong to the zoological family of Crocodiles and the alligators belong to the family of Alligators. There are evidently only 2 species of alligator, the American one and the Chinese one. Species of croc' include the Nile from Africa, Saltwater from Australia and the River or gharial (with a very pointed snout) from India.
2006-10-12 07:24:10 · answer #3 · answered by Stephen L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Crocodiles and alligators - two creatures that share many similarities. But what are the real differences between them? This is probably the most frequently asked question when it comes to crocodilians, and while the answer may appear straightforward the real truths lie in the details.
see the link, there is a really good website dedicated to explaining the differences.
2006-10-12 07:15:50 · answer #4 · answered by danCcooke 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are in different taxonomic families, so there are several differences... The most commonly known one is that crocs have pointed snouts/jaws (V shaped) while gators' are more rounded (U shaped). The teeth in the lower jaw are exposed in crocs but sheathed in gators. Crocs also have a salt gland that enables them to tolerate more marine habitats. There are SEVERAL (I think 14??) species of crocodile found all over the world, while the only species of alligator are the American and Chinese (VERY endangered). There are also crocodilians called Caiman (about 6 species), which resemble crocodiles but are more closely related to gators, and gharial which are a family of their own.
2006-10-12 12:22:48 · answer #5 · answered by snake_girl85 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shape of the jaw— Alligators tend to have wide, U-shaped, rounded snouts, while crocodiles tend to have longer, more pointed, V-shaped snouts.
Teeth— The fourth tooth on the lower jaw sticks up over the upper lip on crocodiles, so you can see it when their mouths are closed. In alligators, this fourth tooth is covered up.
Habitat— Crocodiles also have special glands in their tongues that can get rid of excess salt, so they tend to live in saltwater habitats. Alligators have these glands, too, but they don't work as well as the crocodiles', so alligators prefer to live in freshwater habitats.
2006-10-12 07:14:26 · answer #6 · answered by abluebobcat 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
there are many differences, crocodiles grow larger, have a spikier back and are more aggressive, the largest of the species is the Nile Crocodile. The Alligator is a smaller and not as agressive reptile, with a smoother back.
2006-10-12 07:14:19 · answer #7 · answered by Southie9 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
crocodiles have a longer, narrower snout than the alligator does and a crocodiles teeth show when the snout is closed while the alligators top teeth only show when the snout is closed
2006-10-12 14:50:27 · answer #8 · answered by dawn_88_07 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The easiest way to tell them apart, is that the Alligator looks as if he's wearing, what looks like, a pair of badly fitting false teeth.
2006-10-12 13:53:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Apart from size, take a look at the teeth. Croc protrude while the mouth is closed, alligators don't.
2006-10-12 07:15:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋