Alligator vs. Crocodile? 10 Interesting Animal Distinctions You Used to Know

Alligator vs. Crocodile

One sees you later, the other in a while. Another difference: Alligators have wide U-shaped snouts, and crocodiles tend to have more pointed V-shaped snouts. Alligators’ upper jaws are wider than their lower jaws, so when their mouths are closed, the teeth in the upper jaws are visible, while the teeth in the lower jaws are not. Conversely, crocodiles’ upper and lower jaws are about the same width, so when the mouth is closed, several lower teeth are visible. There are only two existing alligator species, the American alligator, native to the southeastern United States, and the endangered Chinese alligator, native only to the Yangtze River. There are 23 existing species of crocodile, and they’re found in tropical waters in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia. Can you spot the camouflaged animals hidden in these photos?

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