The Crocodiles Teeth

Crocodiles have powerful jaws with many conical teeth and short legs with clawed, webbed toes. They share a unique body form that allows the eyes, ears, and.
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Since crocodile anatomy has changed only slightly for the last 80 million years, current data on modern crocodilians can be used to estimate the bite force of extinct species. The space for the jaw muscle in the skull is very large, which is easily visible from the outside as a bulge at each side. The nature of the muscle is so stiff, it is almost as hard as bone to touch, as if it were the continuum of the skull.

Another trait is that most of the muscle in a crocodile's jaw is arranged for clamping down. Despite the strong muscles to close the jaw, crocodiles have extremely small and weak muscles to open the jaw. Crocodiles can thus be subdued for study or transport by taping their jaws or holding their jaws shut with large rubber bands cut from automobile inner tubes. Crocodiles can move quickly over short distances, even out of water. Some species can gallop, including Cuban crocodiles, Johnston's crocodiles, New Guinea crocodiles, African dwarf crocodiles , and even small Nile crocodiles.

The fastest means by which most species can move is a "belly run", in which the body moves in a snake-like sinusoidal fashion, limbs splayed out to either side paddling away frantically while the tail whips to and fro. When a crocodile walks quickly, it holds its legs in a straighter and more upright position under its body, which is called the "high walk".

Crocodiles may possess a homing instinct. Measuring crocodile age is unreliable, although several techniques are used to derive a reasonable guess. The most common method is to measure lamellar growth rings in bones and teeth—each ring corresponds to a change in growth rate which typically occurs once a year between dry and wet seasons. The oldest crocodiles appear to be the largest species. In captivity, some individuals are claimed to have lived for over a century. A male crocodile lived to an estimated age of — years in a Russian zoo in Yekaterinburg.

Named Henry, the crocodile is said to have lived in Botswana along the Okavango River , according to centre director Martin Rodrigues. Crocodiles are the most social of reptiles. Even though they do not form social groups, many species congregate in certain sections of rivers , tolerating each other at times of feeding and basking. Most species are not highly territorial, with the exception of the saltwater crocodile, which is a highly territorial and aggressive species.

A mature male will not tolerate any other males at any time of the year. Most other species are more flexible. There is a certain form of hierarchy in crocodiles: A good example of the hierarchy in crocodiles would be the case of the Nile crocodile. This species clearly displays all of these behaviours. Studies in this area are not thorough, however, and many species are yet to be studied in greater detail. However, males of all species are aggressive towards each other during mating season, to gain access to females.

Crocodiles are also the most vocal of all reptiles, producing a wide variety of sounds during various situations and conditions, depending on species, age, size and sex. Depending on the context, some species can communicate over 20 different messages through vocalizations alone. Therefore most conspecific vocalization is made during the breeding season , with the exception being year-round territorial behaviour in some species and quarrels during feeding.

Crocodiles also produce different distress calls and in aggressive displays to their own kind and other animals; notably other predators during interspecific predatory confrontations over carcasses and terrestrial kills. The female then gathers the hatchlings in her mouth and transports them to the water, where they remain in a group for several months, protected by the female [71]. A high-pitched call used mostly by younger animals to alert other crocodiles to imminent danger or an animal being attacked.

Emitted by a female when breeding to alert other crocodiles that she has laid eggs in her nest. Male crocodiles are especially vociferous. Bellowing choruses occur most often in the spring when breeding groups congregate, but can occur at any time of year. To bellow, males noticeably inflate as they raise the tail and head out of water, slowly waving the tail back and forth.

They then puff out the throat and with a closed mouth, begin to vibrate air. These low-frequency vibrations travel great distances through both air and water to advertise the male's presence and are so powerful they result in the water's appearing to "dance". Crocodiles lay eggs , which are laid in either holes or mound nests , depending on species.

A hole nest is usually excavated in sand and a mound nest is usually constructed out of vegetation. Nesting periods range from a few weeks up to six months. Courtship takes place in a series of behavioural interactions that include a variety of snout rubbing and submissive display that can take a long time. Mating always takes place in water, where the pair can be observed mating several times. Females can build or dig several trial nests which appear incomplete and abandoned later.

Little Crocodile Keeps Eating Candy All Day Long

Egg-laying usually takes place at night and about 30—40 minutes. The egg are hard shelled, but translucent at the time of egg-laying. Depending on the species of crocodile, 7 to 95 eggs are laid. Crocodile embryos do not have sex chromosomes, and unlike humans, sex is not determined genetically.

The average incubation period is around 80 days, and also is dependent on temperature and species that usually ranges from 65 to 95 days. At the time of hatching, the young start calling within the eggs. They have an egg-tooth at the tip of their snouts, which is developed from the skin, and that helps them pierce out of the shell. Hearing the calls, the female usually excavates the nest and sometimes takes the unhatched eggs in her mouth, slowly rolling the eggs to help the process.

The young is usually carried to the water in the mouth. She would then introduce her hatchlings to the water and even feed them. In the absence of the mother crocodile, the father would act in her place to take care of the young. Crocodiles possess some advanced cognitive abilities. Vladimir Dinets of the University of Tennessee , observed that crocodiles use twigs as bait for birds looking for nesting material.

When the birds swooped in to get the sticks, the crocodiles then catch the birds. Crocodiles only do this in spring nesting seasons of the birds, when there is high demand for sticks to be used for building nests. Vladimir also discovered other similar observations from various scientists, some dating back to the 19th century. In hunting larger prey, crocodiles swarm in, with one holding the prey down as the others rip it apart. Most species are grouped into the genus Crocodylus. The other extant genus, Osteolaemus , is monotypic as is Mecistops , if recognized.

The cladogram below follows the topology from a analysis of morphological traits by Christopher A. Brochu and Glenn W. However, the authors suggested that the lack of differences was due to limited specimen sampling, and considered the two species to be distinct. This analysis found weak support for the clade Osteolaeminae. It includes the living genus Osteolaemus as well as the extinct species Voay robustus and Rimasuchus lloydi.

A analysis by Jack L. Conrad, Kirsten Jenkins, Thomas Lehmann, and others did not support Osteolaeminae as a true clade but rather a paraphyletic group consisting of two smaller clades. They informally called these clades "osteolaemins" and "mecistopins". The larger species of crocodiles are very dangerous to humans, mainly because of their ability to strike before the person can react. The mugger crocodile and American crocodile are also dangerous to humans. Crocodiles are protected in many parts of the world, but they also are farmed commercially.

Their hides are tanned and used to make leather goods such as shoes and handbags ; crocodile meat is also considered a delicacy. Farming has resulted in an increase in the saltwater crocodile population in Australia , as eggs are usually harvested from the wild, so landowners have an incentive to conserve their habitat. Crocodile leather can be made into goods such as wallets, briefcases, purses, handbags, belts, hats, and shoes.

Crocodile oil has been used for various purposes. Vietnamese women who married Chinese men adopted the Chinese taboo. Crocodiles have appeared in various forms in religions across the world. Ancient Egypt had Sobek , the crocodile-headed god, with his cult-city Crocodilopolis , as well as Taweret , the goddess of childbirth and fertility, with the back and tail of a crocodile. Crocodiles appear in different forms in Hinduism. Varuna , a Vedic and Hindu god, rides a part-crocodile makara ; his consort Varuni rides a crocodile. The term " Crocodile tears " and equivalents in other languages refers to a false, insincere display of emotion, such as a hypocrite crying fake tears of grief.

It is derived from an ancient anecdote that crocodiles weep in order to lure their prey, or that they cry for the victims they are eating, first told in the Bibliotheca by Photios I of Constantinople. This tale was first spread widely in English in the stories of the Travels of Sir John Mandeville in the 14th century, and appears in several of Shakespeare 's plays.

The name of Surabaya , Indonesia , is locally believed to be derived from the words " suro" shark and " boyo" crocodile , two creatures which, in a local myth , fought each other in order to gain the title of "the strongest and most powerful animal" in the area.

So What's the Difference Between Alligators and Crocodiles?

It was said that the two powerful animals agreed for a truce and set boundaries; that the shark's domain would be in the sea while the crocodile's domain would be on the land. However one day the shark swam into the river estuary to hunt, this angered the crocodile, who declared it his territory.

The Shark argued that the river was a water-realm which meant that it was shark territory, while the crocodile argued that the river flowed deep inland, so it was therefore crocodile territory. A ferocious fight resumed as the two animals bit each other. Finally the shark was badly bitten and fled to the open sea, and the crocodile finally ruled the estuarine area that today is the city.

In the UK, a row of schoolchildren walking in pairs, or two by two is known as 'crocodile'. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For other uses, see Crocodile disambiguation. For information on Tomistoma or false gharial, that is recently not considered as a true crocodile, see False gharial. Retrieved 5 April Their Natural History, Folklore, and Conservation.

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Retrieved 26 April Retrieved 16 March Retrieved 25 April Are crocodiles really monophyletic? Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution Biggest Crocodile Ever Caught? National Geographic Daily News. Retrieved 23 December Organization of American States. Retrieved 9 July Retrieved 13 January A geographic and phylogenetic perspective". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra. Biology, Husbandry and Diseases. Largest Captive Crocodile , Worldcrocodile.

Retrieved 12 July Retrieved 15 November Journal of Experimental Biology. Their eyes can be seen as red dots while peeking from the water during the night. Crocodiles and alligators are not the same. Crocodiles are larger, have V-shaped jaw and some of their teeth can be seen even when the jaw is fully closed. Alligators are smaller, they have U-shaped jaw and their teeth are not visible when jaws are closed.

Crocodiles mate during monsoon season. Female lays eggs and take care of them 3 months. Temperature of the nest determines the gender of the baby.

General features

When temperature is Temperature below and above Most crocodiles live years in the wild. Some crocodiles can live more than 80 years. Facts Animal Facts Animals Facts. Alligators are fast, got chased by one while on bike. I was able to pull away, alligator then gave up, went back in woods. I live in Zimbabwe. We have Lake Kariba which is a fresh water lake. There are millions of crocodiles there. There used to only be 1 per square metre. Now there's like 10 per square metre in a Lake that is km x 40km m x m. I've seen on other videos that another differences is how they open the jaws to caught prey.

One open the upper jaw while the other open the lower jaw. Is this true and which is which? My 5 years old daughter easy spots differences: Today in another Zoo again she didn't miss and I wanted to cry beeing such stupud - thx for the lecture! I was left a little confused. The article seems to contradict itself several times, sometimes within one sentence. Here we have a good explanation. In fact, many people confuse crocodiles, alligators and caimans. I do admire those who came before us and who without technology such as night vision video recorders, nor cameras nor guns were able to observe animals as they grazed, fed and protected their young.

Thanks once again for throwing more light on the Alligator and Crocodile. I wonder which of the two would sleep with mouth open without fear of its tongue being a meal for another? These are two animals that terrorize others in the waters! All the more reason to avoid an alligator. I think it's still best to be wary of them, as they have a bonecrushing bite! I always wondered what the difference was!

If I see either one,though, I'm running away! Although here in New York.. I love watching them in the Everglades, which is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist. Now about the turtles Thank you very much for your kind words and the podcast feature, Simone. I am honored by your interest in my work! I just wanted to say that the HP Staff and I loved this post so much, we featured it in a podcast to discuss it and introduce it to more people! You can find the podcast here: Amazing creatures, thanks for the clarification Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners.

HubPages and Hubbers authors may earn revenue on this page based on affiliate relationships and advertisements with partners including Amazon, Google, and others. To provide a better website experience, owlcation. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so. For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: Shape of the snout. The crocodile's snout is pointed and V-shaped, and the alligator's is wide and U-shaped.

Alligators are only found in parts of the US and China, whereas crocodiles can be found across the world. Scroll down for more information about where you'll find each. Crocodiles prefer water that is more saline or salty than the alligator's preferred freshwater habitat. Crocodiles can't hide their teeth, but alligators' teeth are sometimes hidden when their mouths are closed.

A full-grown crocodile will likely be several feet longer than an adult alligator.

Size of a Crocodile's Teeth

Crocodiles are generally lighter in color than alligators. On land and in water, crocodiles are usually slower than alligators. In terms of aggression, an alligator might seem tame compared to a crocodile. Alligators and Crocodiles Have Different Snouts One of the main differences between alligators and crocodiles is the snout. Where Do Alligators and Crocodiles Live? Color Differences Crocodile hides tend to be more of a light tan or olive color, whereas alligators are usually a dark blackish grey.

Which Runs and Swims Faster: An Alligator or a Crocodile? Which Is More Aggressive: Are alligators and crocodiles the same species? If they fought, who would win? Crocodiles can grow bigger than gators, and their bites can be more lethal. Which are more dangerous to humans? Gatorade was developed at the Crocodiles are less able to Do all American alligators have the same dark blackish color? Why do alligators swim away when humans approach? Can an alligator and a crocodile have kids together? In which climate are crocodiles and alligators most often found?

8 ways to tell alligators and crocodiles apart:

They are most often found in tropical and subtropical climates. Alligators were put the No, they are wild animals who generally see humans as a threat. It used to be possible to buy cowboy boots made from alligator leather, is this still true? Do you know the difference between a freshwater crocodile and a saltwater crocodile? What is there for tourists to see and do in the Philippines? Between an alligator and a crocodile of the same size, whose bite is stronger?

Which has the stronger bite; an alligator or a crocodile? Do crocodile and alligator jaws open in different ways or does the same part of the jaw open? So the creatures in the Amazon River are alligators? Are alligators more aggressive than crocodiles? Are caimans a species of alligator or they are a different species?


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Who would win in a fight between an alligator or crocodile? Thank you so much u helped with a merit badge in boy scouts I loved your article! HI I give thanks for this helpful article.

Nile crocodile photo - Crocodylus niloticus - G | Arkive

It is a wonderful website which teaches us about animals. I'm proud of this website. Used this to do a speech in my college class, was very helpful thanks dude. I 've some doubts about them that were cleared now. Thanks for this information because I really need this information for my studies. That was very informative! See a pointy nose and teeth Alligators are not so wild as crocs. For me both are charming, well I won't dare to get closer to them: Thank you for pointing out the video problem, Will.

I have now replaced it!