Habitat: This endangered species spends most of its life in warm, quiet waters, either brackish or salt-water, like mangrove swamps and estuaries (where rivers meet the sea). They live along the coast of Florida, Central America, and parts of South America.
Anatomy: Adult American Crocodiles are gray-green, dark olive, or grayish-brown on their back which has ridged, bony scales. The belly is yellow to white and has smooth scales. They grow up to 15 feet (4.6 m) long. The fourth tooth on either side of the lower jaw is exposed (unlike alligators, whose teeth fit into sockets). They have 66 teeth.
Diet: American Crocodiles are carnivorous (meat-eaters). They eat fish and other animals that they find in or near the water, including turtles, snakes, crustaceans (like crabs), small mammals, and birds. They are nocturnal, hunting mostly at night.
Classification: Kingdom Animalia (animals), Phylum Chordata (chordates), Class Reptilia (reptiles), Order Crocodilia (alligators, crocodiles, and gavials), Family Crocodylus (crocodiles), Genus Crocodylidae, Species C. acutus (the American crocodile).
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