Let’s be honest: if you came across a giant reptile with rows of sharp teeth and hard, scaly skin, you probably wouldn’t stop and ask yourself, “Is that a crocodile, an alligator, or a caiman?” You’re going to be running for the hills.

But if you’re curious about these three little lookalike reptiles, you’ll be interested to know that there are quite a few differences between them. From differences in size to different geographical locations, there are a few distinctive ways you can tell one from the other.

What do they have in common?

Let’s start with what caimans, alligators, and crocodiles share. The first is their appearance, which includes a long, powerful tail; hard, scaly skin; and sharp, pointy teeth. Another similarity is their diet–they’re all carnivores, feeding mostly on fish, birds, and mammals. Each of them can hunt and kill animals much larger than them, which means they’re all dangerous to humans.

How to identify an alligator

All three reptiles fall within the order Crocodilia, but each separates into a different family and genus. There are two different species in the Alligator genus: American and Chinese. While American alligators inhabit freshwater locations in the southeastern United States, Chinese alligators inhabit the Yangtze River in China.

American alligators are the bigger of the two, usually ranging from 10 to 11 feet (although some of them can grow up to 15 feet!) When young, they are black with yellow banding, although they turn a brownish color as adults. Chinese alligators are a bit smaller, with the largest ones only reaching 7 feet. They are usually black with faint yellow markings.

You can tell an alligator from a crocodile by the form of their jaw and teeth–they have a U-shaped snout and an overbite, which means you can’t see their lower teeth when their mouths are closed.

How to identify a crocodile

In the Crocodylidae family, also known as “true crocodiles“, there are 18 different species. The various species live in both freshwater and saltwater locations in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Central and South America.

Crocodiles are the biggest and heaviest of the three, with some species growing up to 23 feet in length and 2600 lbs in weight! You can tell different species of crocodiles apart by the differences in their skulls, snouts, and scales. You’ll quickly see the difference between a crocodile and an alligator based on the shape of its snout–they have pointed V-shaped snouts, and their teeth are much sharper than an alligator’s.

How to identify a caiman

In the Caiman genus, there are six different species alive today, although many more once existed that are now extinct. Caimans live in freshwater locations in South and Central America.

Caimans vary in size, from the smooth-fronted caiman (4-5 feet long) to the black caiman (15 feet long). The spectacled caiman is known for the bony ridge between its eyes, which looks a lot like a pair of glasses. You can tell a caiman apart from a crocodile or an alligator by the size and shape of their head. They have a round, U-shaped snout, and their teeth usually stick out when their mouths are closed. With the exception of the black caiman, they’re also more likely to be much smaller.

So, the next time you spot one of these creatures at the zoo (or God forbid, out and about), put your knowledge to the test! You might just wow your friends and family with a few fun reptile facts.