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American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) [Photo: Rodney Cammauf, National Park Service]
American crocodile
Crocodylus acutus
Description: Males and females have armored bodies and a muscular flat tail. The strong tail helps to propel the crocodiles forward while swimming. Crocodiles have longer, more pointed snouts than alligators; also, unlike alligators, crocodiles have the fourth tooth on the lower jaw protruding from the mouth.
Habitat: Occupies lagoons, shallow lakes, coastal mangrove swamps, marshes, and other aquatic habitats. Tends to live in nonsaline waters when not breeding. Moves to more saline water when breeding.
Distribution: Along the Caribbean coasts from southern Florida to northern South America. Also found along the Pacific Coast of Middle America.
Status: American crocodiles are severely to rapidly declining around the world. The United States protects the American crocodile as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. One major threat to the crocodile is poaching for skins. Habitat loss is also a great threat, especially in Florida.
Resources: NatureServe Explorer: An Online Encyclopedia of Life
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Endangered Species Program
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