Alligator and Crocodile

Part of Hall of Reptiles and Amphibians.

In the Hall of Reptiles and Amphibians, the Museum's American alligator is shown in a glass case, its jaws open wide to reveal sharp teeth.

Modern crocodiles and alligators have been traced back to ancestors that survived the mass extinction of all nonavian dinosaurs.

Once an endangered species, the American alligator now lives in rivers and swamps across much of the southern United States, from North Carolina to Texas. Its skull looks remarkably similar to that of its ancient relatives.