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

Answer 1

An Alligators broadly rounded snout distinguishes it from crocodiles. Fourth tooth on each side of lower jaw is hidden when mouth is closed. Young are black with yellowish cross-bars. Mature alligators are coal black when wet, dark gray when dry. Males are 11 to 12 feet long and weigh 450-550 pounds. Females are no longer than 9 feet and weigh about 160 pounds. Record length is 20 feet.
Crocodiles and gharials also differ from alligators and caimans in having functioning salt glands on their tongue.

Lingual salt glands:
Structurally, these are actually modified salivary glands, and while alligators and caimans also have these structures they appear to have lost the ability to use them for excreting significant amounts of salt.

Integumentary sense organs:
Both crocodiles and alligators have small, sensory pits dotted around the upper and lower jaws - take a close look on a photograph, and you'll see small, black speckles almost like unshaven stubble. These are capable of detecting small pressure changes in water, and assist in locating and capturing prey. These were originally called ISOs, or Integumentary Sense Organs, although recent research has renamed them DPRs (Dermal Pressure Receptors).

Answer 2

If by the difference between an alligator and a crocodile, you mean the visible differences, the sort of differences one would use to tell them apart, then strictly speaking there are no fail-proof ones which will successfully separate all individuals of all living species of crocodilians (this word means all crocodiles, alligators and their living relatives). The differences given by some other respondents so far work more or less for the ones you are likely to see in Florida, the American alligator and the American crocodile. Keep in mind that in Florida, alligators sometimes seem to be as common on as mosquitoes; you are very unlikely to see a wild crocodile in Florida because a) they are much less numerous than alligators and b) unlike alligators, they are typically found in areas (coastal mangrove swamps for instance) where few people venture.
On the other hand, if you are thinking more broadly, then keep in mind that in other parts of the world there are fresh water crocodiles, too.
In other words, the snout-shape criterion, the tooth criterion and the habitat (salt verses fresh water) criterion work fairly well for the two native US species. But if you are looking at pictures of crocodilians of all ages from all over the world, don't expect those simple criteria to work infallibly.
Like a lot of the questions that people ask, this one is not simply a zoology question; it's also a language question. The meaning of both your question and any answer depend on what we think the words mean.

Answer 3

Main differences between crocodiles and alligators;

Crocodiles:

- tropical.
- do not hibernate.
- males grow to 19 feet or more.
- are more aggressive.
- have pointed snout.
- show more teeth when the mouth is
closed live in brackish, salty water.
- adults are light tan to brown.
- the belly button scars heal.
- have ISOs all over. (including belly skin)
- have functioning salt glands on their
tongues.
- lay nests in mud or sand in brakish (salt)
water.

Alligators:

- subtropical.
- hibernate.
- males grow to 14 feet.
- are more docile.
- have rounded snout.
- show fewer teeth when the mouth is
closed.
- live in fresh water.
- adults are grayish black.
- have belly button scars.
- have ISOs around mouth only.
- do not secrete salt from their tongues.
- make nests out of vegetation in fresh water.

Alligators have a broader, more rounded snout while crocodiles have a narrower, more pointed snout. If you look at the side of a crocodile's mouth, you'll notice the fourth tooth on the bottom jaw sticks outside of the top jaw and into a groove. The upper and lower teeth of a crocodile stick outside the jaws while the bottom teeth of the alligator fit into sockets in the upper jaw.

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.

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.

Answer 4

There are several differences; one obvious difference is that crocodiles have a more pointed snout whereas alligators have a rounded snout. Also alligators have their eyes on the top of their heads and crocodiles have their eyes on the sides protected by shields above them. Here's some more info;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocodile
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator
Hope this helps

Answer 5

The Alligator has a broad snout and the Crocodile
has narrow snout!!

Answer 6

Alligator have narrow mouth but crocodile not .

Answer 7

An alligator has a broader snout and is found in the United States, a crocodile has a narrow snout and is found in other countries (Africa, perhaps? I'm not sure...)

Answer 8

The way I learned to tell the difference is alligators have a more rounded mouth/jawline. Crocodiles' jawlines are more angled/pointy.

Answer 9

Alligator is spelled with an "A" while a crocodile is spelled with a "C".

Answer 10

Range - crocs, africa, asia, australia Gators, Americas Crocs - more external teeth Differences in the morphology of the skull, mainly to do with whether they have 1 nasal cavity or 2, can't remember which way round they are though.