The crocodilian whose males develop a bulbous snout growth called a ghara is the gharial.
The gharial, Gavialis gangeticus, is a fish-eating crocodilian native to the Indian subcontinent. Adult males grow a hollow, rounded protuberance at the tip of the snout when they reach sexual maturity. It resembles a traditional earthen pot, called a ghara in Hindustani, which gives the animal both its common name and its distinctive appearance.
The ghara is more than a visual hallmark. It helps the male produce loud hissing or buzzing sounds, especially during the breeding season, and is associated with courtship and social signaling. Because females lack this prominent structure, it is one of the clearest examples of sexual dimorphism among living crocodilians.
Gharials are recognizable by their exceptionally long, narrow jaws and numerous sharp teeth, adaptations for catching fish. They are not simply unusually thin-snouted crocodiles: their anatomy, behavior, and family placement distinguish them from crocodiles and alligators. Habitat loss, sand mining, declining fish supplies, and harmful fishing practices have severely reduced wild populations, and the species has been listed as critically endangered since 2007.