6. The following are some of the major differences between the two: The reason for these differences is found in their chosen habitat. Appearance: The most obvious difference comes from their appearances. Location: Crocodiles exist both in freshwater and saltwater, whereas alligators prefer freshwater environments. Key difference: Alligators are darker in color, nearly black with a u-shaped snout. The key difference between a crocodile and an alligator lies in their physics appearance. Another distinguishing feature between the crocodile and alligator is their color. Crocodiles have longer, pointier snouts; alligators have shorter, more rounded snouts. Caiman vs Alligator vs Crocodile. 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. Crocodiles tend to be more aggressive. It can be difficult for inexperienced people to tell the difference between an American crocodile and the other native crocodilian, the more common American alligator. Check out the seven main differences between alligators and crocodiles below, along with a few interesting facts about the two of them! Alligator Crocodile Difference. Alligators … While Caimans live in the marshlands of Central America and South America, alligators can be found in only two places in the world; the Southeastern United States and eastern regions of China. Alligator have webbed feet; crocodiles do not. These differences are indicative of the type of diet that each species favors. The Chinese alligator is smaller, typically about 5 ft with a maximum length of about 7 ft. Crocodiles are the largest and heaviest of present-day reptiles. Crocodiles have salt glands on their tongue, the excess salt in food and water leaves their body through these glands. Differences Between Crocodiles and Alligators. An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae.The two extant species are the American alligator (A. mississippiensis) and the Chinese alligator (A. sinensis).Additionally, several extinct species of alligator are known from fossil remains. So, what are the differences between caimans, alligators, and crocodiles? Read on to find out what some of these differences are while enjoying all … Thus, it's easy to spot the differences between crocodile and alligator … How to tell the difference. Crocodiles have long, narrow, V-shaped snouts, while those of alligators are wider and U-shaped. The average lifespan of a crocodile is between 70-100 years, while the average lifespan of an alligator is usually between 30-50 years. Found in swampy, humid areas, Crocodilians are cold blooded animals that can only survive in warm weather, usually around eighty degrees. Crocodiles are grayish-green and prefer coastal, brackish and salt-water habitats. Size. The two living species are the American alligator. Differences Between Alligators and Crocodiles Additionally, several species of alligator are known from fossil remains. There are a handful of differences between Alligators and Crocodiles, especially in appearance. Alligators are shy animals and avoid humans, unlike crocodiles. The Florida Everglades is the only place on earth in which both alligators and crocodiles coexist. What are the differences between Alligators and Crocodiles? Crocodiles have pointed V-shaped snouts. Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter. Although both alligators and crocodiles are crocodilians, they are two distinctly different reptiles. Alligators are found in fresh water whereas crocodiles live in both fresh and salt water. 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. Crocodile‘s first recorded use was around 1250–1300, and it comes from the Greek krokódeilos (“crocodile”). Though many people may think alligators and crocodiles are quite similar, they actually have a number of differences that clearly mark them as distinct species. In addition, you can tell them apart by their sizes with the crocodiles being the bigger of the two. Alligators are generally darker in color as well. Crocodiles and alligators are both reptiles from the same order of animals, named Crocodylia. Crocodile and Alligator are often assumed to be the same as both are semi-aquatic reptiles. Differences between Alligator and Crocodile Alligators and crocodiles are closely related, this explains why they look so similar. 2. The pits, which look like small dots, cover almost every inch of a crocodile's body, but only the jaws of an alligator. The difference between alligators and crocodiles is often easy to spot once you get the hang of it. Imagine this, you are canoeing on a river during a sweltering afternoon, and you see what looks like a log floating around on murky waters. Differences Between Crocodiles and Alligators. 5. To most people, alligators and crocodiles look similar. Crocodiles and alligators might be similar in that they both have big mouths with sharp teeth, thick scales, and lots of strength, but its important to know the major differences between these two animals. Lifespan Crocodile:70-100yrs Alligator:30-50yrs Crocodiles tend to live more than alligators. The American Alligator can only be found within the United States whereas the American Crocodile is more common in countries to the south. Crocodiles : Alligators: Crocodiles are mainly found in eastern-India, South-east Asia, and northern Australia. There are actually quite a number of big differences between crocodiles and alligators, making them quite easy to tell apart. One notable difference is located on the hind legs of both crocodiles and alligators. While they do share many of the same features, they couldn’t be any more different to a trained professional. Crocodiles hunt larger prey, such as sharks and large mammals such as buffaloes, apes, and even humans. There is a difference between them that is distinct. Alligators have a more blackish grayish color and crocodiles tend to have a more light tan appearance. Alligators and crocodiles are far from being known synonymously. Another difference is the shape of the teeth itself, where crocodiles have pointy teeth, alligators’ teeth are rounder. “Adult American crocodiles are lighter in color than alligators, typically olive-gray, gray-brown or tannish-gray,” says Chris Scott in Endangered and Threatened Animals of Florida and Their Habitats.Adult alligators – although often depicted as green – are actually black. Alligators are dark colored with a broad, rounded snout and are usually found in fresh water. Once you know these differences, you’ll be able to easily distinguish the two. Alligators first appeared during the Oligocene epoch about 37 million years ago. An Alligator will have a wide, broad nose while a crocodile will usually have a narrow nose. Alligators have 75 teeth, while crocodile teeth number 24. 3. Crocodiles are large semi-aquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the America and Australia. Differences in behaviour are also apparent. The key differences between a Crocodile and an Alligator are shown by the below Crocodile vs Alligator table. Unless you work with them up close, you’d could be forgiven for thinking that alligators and crocodiles were one and the same! Coloring. And an alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. Another difference of note between alligators and crocodiles is their coloring. Most people confuse the alligators and crocodiles, as they are both huge, scaly lizards of prey. Other differences: The above points are amongst the most obvious differences between crocodiles and alligators in terms of external appearance. To begin with, they belong to different taxonomic families altogether, and this is only the classification part of it. Whereas, crocodiles are a light tan or olive green in color with a v-shaped snout that is longer and narrow in front. Crocodiles are highly carnivorous and formidable predators at the top of the food chain in their natural environments. American alligator . The Appearance of an Alligator vs. a Crocodile. Color Differences Adult crocodiles are usually tan or brown, while the alligators typically have a color that is dark gray to black. Both these reptiles possess vast physical differences, among other aspects, that make it easier for us to identify them. The average lifespan of an alligator is about thirty to fifty years and the average lifespan of a crocodile is about seventy to hundred years. So, there are some differences between Alligators VS Crocodiles, that we would like to call your attention. At first glance, if you’ve ever seen an alligator or crocodile, they may look very similar. They have a … Crocodile & Alligator Differences. Alligators and crocodiles, both commonly known as crocodilians, are some of the most powerful and intriguing creatures on the planet. Each species is unique, so there are some exceptions to these common differences. The Difference Between Alligators and Crocodiles. Speed Crocodile:28-34km/h Alligator:20 mph There are however a number of important differences which set these apex predators apart. From a distance, it’s not too difficult to tell the difference between alligator and crocodile simply by looking at the shape of the snout and the visibility of the teeth. Have you ever wondered what the differences are between alligators and crocodiles? Crocodiles live longer than alligators. There are different species of alligators and crocodiles. You can tell alligators and crocodiles apart mostly by the width of their snout. However, each species is unique, and to list all the possible differences would be like comparing a jaguar with a lion. Typically, crocodiles are more aggressive than alligators, which makes crocodiles more dangerous than alligators. They are members of the order Crocodilia, which also includes Caimans, Gharials and alligator. There are many differences between alligators and crocodiles, but these two reptiles also have a lot in common. A Newly Discovered Difference Between Alligators and Crocodiles. 4. The large reptiles have many similarities, but their differences can be quite glaring when you know what to look for. Differences between crocodiles and alligators. 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