Crocodile Vs Alligator

Many of us are often confused when talking about Crocodile and Alligator. They have been used mispropriately in many situations. Both of them have a compelling list of differences which are listed below:

1. The first difference between a crocodile and an alligator is that they are from different families of crocodilians. Crocodiles are from the crocodylidae family, while alligators and caiman are from the alligatoridae family.

2. In terms of physical differences the easiest way to tell the difference between the two is that a crocodile has a very long, narrow, V-shaped snout, while the alligator's snout is wider and U-shaped

3. Another physical difference between the crocodile and the alligator is that the crocodile's upper and lower jaws are nearly the same width, so the teeth are exposed all along the jaw line. An alligator, on the other hand, has a wider upper jaw, so when its mouth is closed the teeth in the lower jaw fit into sockets of the upper jaw, hidden from view. Only the teeth of the upper jaw are exposed along the lower jaw line.

4. Another physical difference is that crocodiles have a lighter olive brown coloration, while alligators appear blackish

5. Alligators prefer freshwater while crocodiles like brackish water and sometimes even ocean.

6. Crocodiles and alligators both have glands on their tongues, crocodiles still use these glands to excrete excess salt. Alligators seem to have lost this ability, making their tolerance for salt water comparatively brief.

7. Alligators are docile compared to aggressive saltwater crocodiles, and that crocodiles grow larger. As an example, the average alligator grows to about 14 feet (4.3 meters), while crocodiles can reach 19 feet (5.8 meters) or more

8. Crocodiles lay their eggs in mud or sand nests near brackish water, while alligators make their nests out of mounds of vegetation surrounding freshwater.

So next time when someone use the words interchangably, you can remember these points and correct them.


Mohan Rao.

We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.
- Confucius.