Crocodile
- For a member of the biological order, see Crocodilia.
| Crocodiles Temporal range: Upper Cretaceous – Recent |
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| Nile Crocodile | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| (unranked): | Archosauria |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| Order: | Crocodilia |
| Family: | Crocodylidae Cuvier, 1807 |
| Genera | |
A crocodile is a large reptile that lives in water. They are considered to be living fossils. The name "Crocodile" can also sometimes be used for any member of the order Crocodilia.
The crocodile can snap its jaw shut very fast and has much power closing its jaw but crocodiles have very little strength opening their jaws and any regular man can most likely hold it shut with their bare hands.
Crocodiles range in size from African Dwarf crocodiles that measure rarely over 5 feet to saltwater crocodiles which can approach 23 feet.
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Where they live[change]
Crocodiles live in rivers, lakes and dams in parts of America, Asia, Africa and Australia. Some of the crocodiles from Australia live in salt water. These saltwater crocodiles are normally bigger than the ones that live in fresh water. While crocodiles spend most of their time in water, they can come out and move around on the land. Crocodiles cannot breathe underwater: they breathe air, just like people. They can hold their breath for a maximum of about two hours underwater[1].
What they look like[change]
Their colors range from brown to grey and have different patterns covering them. They have many shapes and they differ in color. They have sharp claws and teeth. They can also be a greenish-brownish color.
Difference between an alligator and a crocodile[change]
The difference between an alligator and a crocodile is that one can not see the fourth tooth in the lower jaw of an alligator when the alligator's mouth is closed. One can see the fourth tooth in the lower jaw of a crocodile when its mouth is closed. Sometimes it is said that alligators have as wide a snout as crocodiles have a narrow snout, but there are also some crocodiles with wide snouts.
Other pages[change]
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Wikispecies has information on: Crocodylidae. |
