Alligators and crocodiles are not closely related

Neon Knight Tue 1 Oct - 23:28

This shows just how deceptive appearances can be with regard to genetic relatedness.

Daily Mail, 21st February 2019:

Is it possible for an alligator and a crocodile to produce offspring?

Despite superficial physical similarities, the alligator and crocodile are very different species. the order Crocodylia split into the Alligatoridae and Crocodylidae families between 93 and 100 million years ago. In most other animal groups, such a split would have led to significantly different physical differences. For example, camels, pigs, giraffes, hippos and whales are all members of the rtiodactyla family and have a common ancestor that is 48 million years old.

Though alligators and crocodiles share similarities, they are unable to breed.

The key way to tell the two species apart is the way their teeth fit together when they close their mouths. Alligators have an overbite: the teeth of the upper jaw fit outside the lower jaw and only the teeth of the upper jaw are visible when the mouth is closed. In crocodiles, the teeth interlock, so teeth from both the upper and lower jaw are visible when the mouth is closed. Alligators do not have salt glands — an organ in the tongue for excreting excess salt — unlike their distant cousins, which means crocodiles are more tolerant of saline water.

M. N. Wren, Brighton.

OsricPearl Sat 5 Oct - 1:25

This doesn't surprise me. I can tell the difference because one of them, the Alligator can lift his body off the ground while the Crocodile sorta shuffles while on dry land like he is fat.

Alligators and crocodiles are not closely related

Alligators and crocodiles are not closely related

Re: Alligators and crocodiles are not closely related