The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) lives in several places within the Americas, including Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and south Florida. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is also found in south Florida, among other places. South Florida is the only place you can find both animals in the wild. To distinguish the two, alligators have a more U-shaped snout while crocodiles have a more pointed or V-shaped one. In addition, alligators are black, while crocodiles are usually a lighter grayish brown.
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Are there invasive reptiles other than Burmese pythons in the United States that people should be concerned about?
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Species occurrence data for the nation
USGS Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON) is a unique, web-based Federal mapping resource for species occurrence data in the United States and its Territories.BISON’s size is unprecedented, including records for most living species found in the United States and encompassing the efforts of more than a million professional and citizen scientists. Most of BISON’s species occurrence reAuthorsSpecies data: National inventory of range maps and distribution models
The Gap Analysis Project (GAP) produces data and tools that help meet critical national challenges such as biodiversity conservation, renewable energy development, climate change adaptation, and infrastructure investment. The GAP species data includes vertebrate range maps and distribution models for the continental United States, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. ThAuthorsKevin J. Gergely, Alexa McKerrowAmerican alligator ecology and monitoring for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
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