How can the shape of a crocodile’s snout help distinguish it from an alligator’s?

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Illustration of an estuarine or saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) with its mouth open, showing scaly skin and powerful limbs, alongside a scale bar for size reference. — crocodile Estuarine, or saltwater, crocodile (*Crocodylus porosus*), found in brackish waters from Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar east to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and south to Australia.

The shape of the snout is one of the primary physical characteristics used to distinguish between these two crocodilians.

Crocodiles: Possess a narrow, V-shaped snout.12
Alligators: Possess a broad, U-shaped snout.12

Beyond the snout shape, you can also differentiate them by their teeth. When an alligator’s mouth is closed, its lower teeth are typically hidden from view because they fit within the upper jaw. In contrast, when a crocodile’s mouth is closed, several teeth in the lower jaw remain visible, most notably the large fourth tooth, which projects outside the upper jaw.12