What's the difference between an alligator and a crocodile?

Answer 1

An alligator is a fresh water animal and a crocadile is a saltwater animal. An alligator hides his teeth, when his mouth is shut, whereas a crocodiles' teeth protrude through his lips

Answer 2

I'm starting at the nose, working my way back after a quick overview on coloration and range...

There are only two types of alligator, the American alligator and the Chinese alligator.

Including caimans and gavials, there are 21 species of crocodile, found in tropical waters worldwide.

Alligators are charcoal grey to black with yellowish bands, crocs can be anywhere from olive drab to golden khaki.

Alligators have a broad rounded snout, appear to have an overbite (teeth on the bottom jaw fit into sockets behind the teeth of the upper jaw). Alligator teeth are conical and spikelike. Alligators nostrils sit on two nasal discs.

Crocodiles have more slender, narrow snouts with bottom teeth visible (most prominently the fourth tooth from front, sometimes sticking well above the top of the upper jaw depending on species). Their teeth are dagger shaped, and they have a single nasal disc with both nostrils on it.

The inside of an alligator's mouth is an almond color, the inside of a croc's mouth is orangish.

The osteoderms (or scutes or "bumps" if you want to be completely unscientific about it.) on an alligator's back are in straight rows, and do not spill down onto it's sides. Croc's scutes are more pronounced, not as neatly ordered, and some species of crocodiles have osteoderms all the way into the belly skin.

Crocs have more webbing on their back feet than alligators.

Comparing tail scutes, picture a '55 Chevrolet and a '57 Chevrolet. The '55 is a gator, the '57 is a croc, much more pronounced tail fins.

Most, but not all crocodiles attain larger sizes than alligators.

Crocodiles are responsible for many more human fatalities than alligators (compare 25 human fatalities from gators in 50 years in Florida to 300 people a year on average from Nile Crocs in Africa.)

Answer 3

an alligator is smaller & has a narrow mouth/snout with hidden teeth while the crocodile is much larger with a wider mouth/snout & [large] visible teeth.

one thing i do know about both is that the muscles to hold the mouth shut are much much stronger than the ones to open. that's why a lot of people trying to catch them first manage to get their mouths tied shut.

Answer 4

crocodiles are larger and there teeth show on the outside of there mouth, plus where they live crocodiles can live in saltwater but mostly in rivers of Africa

Answer 5

Some claims do be a slightly different type of species.

Answer 6

click on link below.. they will both eat you though.

Answer 7

same thing that guy said,