American Crocodile vs. American Alligator

American Crocodiles and Alligators meet in the brackish creeks, canals and lakes of south Florida's coasts, from Biscayne Bay to the Everglades and Florida Bay. A: A narrow, tapering, V-shaped snout in the American Crocodile; a broad, rounded, U-shaped snout in the American Alligator. B: With the mouth shut, a big lower tooth shows on each side, and teeth show along both jaws in the American Crocodile; with the mouth shut, only the upper teeth show along the jaw in the American Alligator. C: Pale grey-olive to tan in the American Crocodile; blackish; the young have yellow crossbands in the American Alligator. The crocodile lives mostly in salt and brackish water; the alligator in fresh water. Both are protected.

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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