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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CROCODILE AND ALLIGATOR?
The differences between crocodile and alligator go well beyond the physical characteristics because they are reptiles that belong to different families.
While crocodiles are from the Crocodylidae family, alligators are part of the Alligatoridae family. Both belong to the order Crocodylia.
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These animals are similar physically but have differences that aid in identification.
The alligator has the head shorter and broader than the crocodiles, also distinguished by the fourth lower tooth on both sides, which in the crocodiles are visible out of the mouth. In alligators, this tooth fits into a hole in the upper jaw.
Together with the birds, members of the Crocodylia family are considered the closest relatives of the dinosaurs and the first animals appeared about 80 million years ago.
What Is The Difference Between Crocodile And Alligator
- Crocodile Characteristics
Crocodiles belong to the Crocodylidae family and are found on almost every continent. They are equipped by evolution with one of the most powerful jaws on Earth, containing 80 teeth and a force that can exceed 1 ton.
Still on the dentition, one of the distinguishing characteristics of crocodiles and alligators is that in the first, the fourth canine tooth is exposed out of the mouth. While in the second this tooth is collected into a hole at the top.
These reptiles can vary in size, measuring between 2 and 7 meters, depending on the species. The weight of a crocodile also differs in each species. Among them, they can weigh between 40 kilos and 1 ton.
Crocodiles are prevalent in Africa, Central America, India, Southeast Asia, and Northern Australia and are at the top of the food chain. This means that they do not have natural predators, with humans being the main factor for the decrease in the number of specimens.
This is because they are animals that have been appreciated since antiquity. The skin was used for various purposes, as well as meat and eggs, which were and still are used in cooking in some regions.
The term “crocodile” comes from the Greek junction of the words kroké and drilos, meaning stone and worm, respectively. The Greeks began to call these animals after observing them by sunbathing on sandbanks.
Difference Between Crocodile And Alligator Size
- Alligator Characteristics
Alligators are part of the Alligatoridae family. They are similar to crocodiles, with the exception of the shorter, broader head, the swimming membrane between the toes of the hind legs and the fourth canine tooth of the lower jaw, which fits into a hole in the upper jaw.
However, alligators also feed on plants and fruits, as well as meat and fish. This is another difference between these reptiles and crocodiles, which have a fully carnivorous diet.
According to the alligator species, these reptiles can measure between 1.5 and 4.5 meters. However, it is worth mentioning that alligators were found in Brazil that reached 5.5 meters in length.
Alligators also vary in weight depending on the species, ranging from 35 to 230 pounds. Already, however, have been found copies of an alligator with half a ton.
These animals are common in the Americas, predominantly in the south, where they gained the name, which comes from the Tupi îakaré, meaning “one who looks sideways.” However, they are also found in eastern China.
The alligator is also known as alligator, word derived from the English term alligator (which may have arisen from the Anglicanization of the Spanish lizard ). It is also called cayman, a term originating in the language of the Tainos, a pre-Columbian people who lived in several Caribbean islands.
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Conclusion On the Difference Between Crocodile And Alligator Size
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