What are the major differences between crocodiles and alligators?
• Alligators (and caimans) have wide “U”-shaped, rounded snouts, whereas crocodiles have longer and more pointed “V”-shaped snouts. • Alligators have a larger upper jaw which completely overlaps the lower jaw, hiding the lower teeth in small depressions or sockets. Jaws in crocodiles are similar in size, and so the teeth interlock when the mouth closes. • Crocodiles and gharials have salt glands on their tongues, and these permit them to live in salty and brackish waters. The salt glands are highly modified salivary glands which do not seem to function in alligators and caimans. • Crocodiles have similar pressure sensory organs covering virtually every scale on their body, while alligators and caimans only have those around the jaws. Crocodilian anatomy Head Crocodilians have large, powerful skulls. Experiments with the American alligator showed that the jaw-closing muscles can generate 2,125 pounds (964 kilograms) of force. Even more impressive was the extinct giant crocodile Sarcosuc
