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Crocodiles and Alligators have distinct evolutionary histories for starters. Both are members of an a group of crocodylomorphs that radiated from archosaurs (that group includes dinosaurs and therefore birds) in the Triassic and are both are part of the order Crocodylia that began in the Cretaceous. Crocodiles first evolved ~60mya and Alligators evolved some 20my later. Another living group, the Gavials emerged in the Cretaceous- older than either crocs or alligators.

As for telling the animals apart visually today, Gavials are pretty distinct with the narrow jaws and are almost exclusively piscivorous. The best way to distinguish a croc is to note protruding teeth from the lower jaw outside of the mouth. Crocs will have one or a few teeth poing out from the lower jaw, upwardly and alligators tend to have a bigger upper jaw and will not have lower teeth protruding.

There are other differences as well that are not visibly discernable. I think alligators are interesting for having a respiratory system that is unidirectional. This is a trait dinosaurs and birds have that is very advanced and allows for fresh air to fill the lungs at both the inspiration and expiration stages of breathing as opposed to only at inspiration as in our "dead-end" lungs.

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12y ago

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