Head to head
Morelet's Crocodile vs American Crocodile
Morelet's Crocodile
VS American Crocodile
Morelet's crocodile and the American crocodile are two Crocodylus crocodiles that share parts of Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala, one inland and one coastal.
| Morelet's Crocodile | American Crocodile | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Crocodylus moreletii | Crocodylus acutus |
| Size | Grows to around 3 metres long | Males commonly 3.5 to 4 metres, and up to 5 or 6 metres |
| Snout | A broad snout compared with many other crocodiles | Narrower than an alligator's, with a bulge in front of the eyes |
| Habitat | Freshwater swamps, lagoons, slow rivers, and lakes in lowland forest and wetland, rather than the open sea | Mangrove estuaries, lagoons, and the open sea between islands, helped by salt glands on the tongue |
| Diet | Fish, snails, turtles, birds, and small mammals | Fish, crabs, turtles, birds, and mammals, with large individuals taking dogs and livestock |
| Nesting | Builds a mound nest of vegetation and soil in the wet season, and guards it | Builds a mound or digs a hole nest, and the female guards the eggs and carries hatchlings to water |
| Range | Eastern Mexico, Belize, and northern Guatemala | Coastal areas of the Americas from southern Florida and Mexico to Peru and Venezuela |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, and increasing after recovering from heavy hunting for its skin | Vulnerable |
Morelet's Crocodile vs American Crocodile: common questions
Which crocodile has recovered?
Morelet's crocodile, which was heavily hunted for its skin in the twentieth century but has recovered under protection.
Which one lives along the coast?
The American crocodile, which lives in mangrove estuaries, lagoons, and the open sea between islands.
Who was Morelet?
The French naturalist Pierre Marie Arthur Morelet, who described the species in the nineteenth century.