Alligators Compare And Contrast

Crocodiles and alligators are two of the most ferocious and feared animals on the planet. With huge jaws filled with razor sharp teeth and their great ability to swim people usually tend to stay away from these two creatures. However, they are not the same animal even though they have numerous similarities. Crocodiles and alligators come from the same family although they are two separate species. They differ in physical appearance, habitat, and behavior.
The physical appearance and stature of crocodiles and alligators are unique from each other. It’s tough to see the differences from a distance but up close the differences are blaring. Alligators have a wide "U"-shaped, rounded snout, whereas crocodiles tend to have longer and more pointed "V"-shaped snouts (Britton). This is the most obvious difference between crocodiles and alligators when one is just observing them. Another difference is the placement of their teeth. Alligators have a wider upper jaw than their lower jaw, therefore, their bottom teeth fit inside of their mouth leaving only the teeth on the upper jaw visible. Crocodiles on the other hand, have upper and lower jaws that are the same width. This allows their teeth to interlock so all of their teeth can be seen when their mouth is closed. Alligators tend to be smaller than crocodiles; ranging from 6 to 12 feet in length, while the
Crocodiles have longer, narrower jaws than alligators. The two creatures have different teeth placement within their mouths. They both live in slightly different environments which reside in different locations. When trying to determine if the large reptile one sees is a crocodile or an alligator, use these key differentiating points to do so: shape of the jaw, placement of the teeth, geographical location, and, if it comes down to it, observe the aggressiveness of the behavior in the