Which species is mightier between the two species: the alligators or the crocodiles, and which between the two is likely to win a battle in terms of their key physical appearances?
The two species, a Newsweek report specified, are descendants of ancient ancestors that lived alongside the dinosaurs. Their most recent common ancestors existed between 90 and 100 million years ago, and since then, both creatures have developed great physical characteristics, making them top predators in their environments.
There are two living species of this kind for alligators, which comprise the American alligator and the Chinese alligator. The former is the larger species, with the male American gators reaching a maximum of 15 feet long and 1,000 pounds heavy. On the other hand, male Chinese alligators grow roughly five feet and are up to 85 pounds heavy, as described in Animals Comparison.
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The largest crocodile species is the saltwater crocodile which can reach a maximum of 23 feet and 2,200 pounds in weight.
14 Crocodile Species
Compared to alligators, crocodiles are more diverse, having 14 different species. The largest is the saltwater crocodile which can reach a maximum of 23 feet and 2,200 pounds in weight. Both Nile and American crocodiles can now grow to roughly 20 feet.
Asse Mercato specified in a similar report that according to Curator-in-Charge Frank Burbrink at the Department of Herpetology at the American Museum of Natural history, the easiest way to distinguish the difference between a crocodile and an alligator is from the shape of their head.
He added that alligators generally have a wider u-shaped head than the crocs' v-shaped, and when the former closed their eyes, only their top teeth are seen.
On the contrary, crocodiles have a narrower snout, and their lower teeth are seen when their mouths are closed. More so, alligators are inclined to have shorter humerus and femur bones.
Differences Between Alligators and Crocodiles
The University of North Florida's Adam Rosenblatt said the shape of the head is the "biggest morphological difference."
In addition, crocs are inclined to have lighter-colored skin, while alligators tend to have a darker skin color.
Reader in Zoology at Bangor University in the United Kingdom Wolfgang Wüster also referred to the differences in their snouts. Fundamentally, if one can see a lower jaw tooth that sticks up outside the mouth, it is a crocodile, he elaborated.
In addition, a saltwater crocodile, the fastest of all crocs, is swimming at speeds of 15 to 18 mph. On the other hand, American alligators are faster, with speeds of a maximum of 20 mph in the water.
Nonetheless, both are extremely slower on land. Their body is not developed for endurance running; thus, they can retain that pace while they are very fast for short bursts.
On land, saltwater crocodiles can run for a longer period at roughly eight to nine mph. On the other hand, American alligators can move at the same speed, with the ability to run at 7.5 to nine mph for short distances.
Crocodiles are More Hazardous
Perhaps crocodiles are more hazardous, although many of what's making something more dangerous is the density of humans who occupy their environments and, therefore, the frequency of adverse encounters between humans and alligators or crocodiles, explained Burbrink.
Alligator attacks account for roughly one death each year in the United States and makeup approximately six percent of human attacks by all crocodilian creatures worldwide.
They are inclined to take place when a person is swimming or wading on the edge of the water. The University of Florida says that while unprovoked alligator attacks indeed occur, they are, in general, avoidable, and the mortality rate is low.
Roughly four percent of attacks in the US are deadly, with most encounters leading to a bite and immediate release.
Related information about the comparison and difference between alligators and crocodiles is shown on WildCiencias's YouTube video below:
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Check out more news and information on Crocodiles in Science Times.