What is the difference between crocodile and alligator?

For starters, they belong to different families. Crocodiles belong to the Crocodilidae family and alligators belong to the Alligatoridae family. While the first has 14 different species, the second is divided into eight species – among them are those of the genera Caiman and Paleosuchus, to which Brazilian alligators belong (there are no crocodiles in our country!). These classifications, however, are scientific labels that say little to us laypeople. In practice, it is much more important to understand how these biological differences manifest themselves in the animal’s anatomy. Alligators have a broad, rounded snout, while crocodiles have a more tapering head. In addition, crocodiles have so-called glandular pores on their belly scales – a feature absent from alligator cousins. Scientists still do not know the exact function of these pores, but they speculate that they may be used for the simple exchange of heat and water with the environment.

what-is-the-difference-between-crocodile-and-alligator

The most visible difference, however, is in the teeth. “All crocodiles have the fourth tooth of the lower jaw hypertrophied and fitted into a lateral cavity on the outside of the mouth. This tooth is exposed even with the mouth closed, whereas, in alligators, it is hidden inside the mouth”, says biologist Hussam Zaher, from USP. There’s more: the upper teeth of crocodiles are aligned with the lower ones – those of alligators are not.

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