Reptiles have always made humans shiver in fear. The larger the size of the reptile, the most ferocious it is. Some of the most feared reptiles are crocodiles, Alligators, and Gharial. But the special features of these creatures are mostly ignored, and all of them are categorized under the same category. These reptiles reside in different parts of the world. Such as crocodiles are residents of Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America, while alligators can be found in North America and Asia. Gharials are accustomed to India and its neighboring countries. This article will help you distinguish between the three creatures and give you a better understanding of one each of them. So, go ahead, read the entire page, and know all about the topic.
Differences between Crocodile, Alligator, and Gharial
Crocodile
Regarding scientific terms, crocodiles are part of the Crocodylidae family and are mostly olive and tan in color. These are found in salt water. The crocodile is pretty aggressive with its Pointed & V-shaped snout shape. The biggest distinction of crocodiles is that their lower teeth are visible when the mouth is closed. These are the largest of the three types of reptiles, about 17 feet long and weighing around 2200 lbs. The crocodile’s bite force is the largest, 3500 pounds per square inch, along with a good locomotion speed of 20mph. These are huge creatures with 13 species and have lived for about 70 years.
Also, read: 5 Arctic Animals That Could Vanish In Upcoming Years
Gharial
The gharial is local to the Indian subcontinent but is mentioned under the endangered animal list due to a sudden decline in their count. Gharials are found in the Gavialidae family. Moreover, this olive-colored beast is found in freshwater. The shape of their snout is long and thin. Furthermore, these are shy and are paired with a very sharp set of teeth. They have a low locomotion speed of 15 mph. Also, these are 2000lbs in weight and 15 feet in length. The bite force of Gharials is 2006 PSI. Two species of Gharials are known, and they live up to 60 years.
Alligators
Alligators are gray and black reptiles that belong to the Alligatoridae family. And, These are freshwater creatures with no sweat glands on their body. The snout of this reptile is Wide & U-shaped. Moreover, these less aggressive reptiles have a quick locomotion speed of 30mph. Digging deeper into it has shown that these creatures are the highest among the three, with a weight of 1000lbs and a length of 14 feet. Apart from this, these creatures have a moderate bite force of 2900 PSI. These are found in 8 different forms and live up to 50 years.
We hope that you have received enough information about the creatures. It has also been discovered that external factors such as temperature, habitat, and the presence of other animals also affect the activeness of reptiles. Another surprising fact is that the crocodile has sensors all over the body whereas, in the other two, these are limited to the mouth only.
