Crocs, gators and their differences
There are differences between alligators and crocodiles, said Cherie Chenot-Rose, co-founder of the American Crocodile Education Sanctuary in Belize which is trying to protect both the saltwater and freshwater species of crocodiles native to the Central American country.
• Alligators have an overbite. When alligators close their mouths, the bottom teeth fit into the upper jaws. When crocodiles close their jaws, their teeth intermingle. Also, crocodile's teeth are much more pointed.
• Alligators have pits on their snouts, called dermal pressure sensors or false nostrils, that allow them to detect vibrations and changes in water pressure, an advantage for an animal that hunts in murky water. Crocodiles have these dermal pressure sensors not only on their snouts but also along their bellies. They look like black spots.
<BR></BR><BR></BR>
