Many people understand the terms alligator and crocodile as synonyms, although they do not speak of the same animals, however, they have very important similarities that clearly differentiate them from other types of reptiles: they are very fast in the water, they have very sharp teeth.and extremely strong jaws and are very smart to ensure their survival.
However, there are also notable differences between them that show that it is not the same animal, differences in anatomy, behavior and even the possibility of staying in any of the habitats.
In this article by Animal Expert, we explain the differences between the alligator and the crocodile.
The term crocodile refers to any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae, however the real crocodiles are those that belong to the order of the Crocodilia and in this order we can highlight the family of Aligatoridae and the family Gavialidae.
Alligators (or alligators) belong to the family Aligatoridae, so alligators are only a family within the vast group of crocodiles, using this term to define a much broader set of species.
If we compare specimens belonging to the family Aligatoridae with the rest of the species belonging to other families of the order Crocodilia, we can establish significant differences.
One of the biggest differences between the alligator and the crocodile can be seen in the snout, the alligator’s snout is wider and at its base is U-shaped, on the other hand, the crocodile’s snout is thinner and at the bottom you can see the V-shape.
There is also a significant difference between the dental parts and the structure of the jaw.The crocodile has both jaws almost the same size and this allows to observe the lower and upper teeth when the jaw is closed.
In contrast, the crocodile has a lower jaw to the upper jaw and its lower teeth are only visible when the jaw is closed.
On several occasions you can compare an adult alligator with a young crocodile and observe that the alligator has larger dimensions, however, when comparing two specimens under the same gravel conditions, it is observed that crocodiles are generally larger than alligators.
The alligator and crocodile have scales on the skin of a very similar color, but in the crocodile we can see spots and undulations present at the ends of the ridges, characteristic that the alligator does not have.
The alligator lives exclusively in freshwater areas, on the other hand, the crocodile has specific glands in the oral cavity that it uses to filter water, so it is also able to live in saltwater areas, however, it is common to find them.they are characterized by living in a freshwater habitat despite these glands.
The behavior of these animals is also different, as the crocodile is very aggressive in nature but the alligator is less aggressive and less likely to attack humans.
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