A large-mouthed carnivore is pretty scary if you come across it in the wild, but which creature has the hardiest jawline? In other words, who holds the animal record for the strongest bite force in the world?

From sharks to dolphins to hippos, there are many animals out there with pretty well-defined jawlines.

While they might have a nice smile and a hefty mouth full of pearly whites, are their jaws as strong as they might seem? Or are they relatively weak and fragile?

Let's get to the bottom of this curious cutting conundrum.

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TAG24 is champing at the bit to take a look at which animal has the strongest bite force in the world.

Let's take a bite!

It may not surprise you to find out that the saltwater crocodile has the strongest jaw and bite in the entire animal kingdom, according to Paleobiologist Gregory M. Erickson.

Living primarily in saltwater and brackish habitats, these giant reptiles can be found on India's east cost, across Southeast Asia, and in the north of Australia. They are vicious carnivores and some of the most dangerous animals in the world.

To make matters even more terrifying, saltwater crocodiles ambush their prey and swallow them whole, and are widely considered an apex predator. They are literally dinosaurs, having evolved from the Voay of Madagascar around 25 million years ago. Considering how old that is, it's no surprise that they have become the dominant predators within their habitats.

Saltwater crocodiles grow to be huge. Males often reach 11 feet in length and about 2000–2500 pounds in weight. Meanwhile, females are a bit smaller, averaging around 8–9 feet in length and about 500–700 pounds in weight.

According to Erickson, who studied the bite force of a variety of animals, the saltwater crocodile bites with a stunning force of 3700 pounds per square inch (PSI), the equivalent of 16,460 newtons.

Seeing as humans generally bite into something with about 200 PSI, that means that saltwater crocodiles have jaws that are 82 times more powerful than ours.

If a crocodile latched onto you, it could easily snap you in half. As we mentioned, they are apex predators and will kill and eat any other animal in their habitat. There are no animals that hunt the saltwater crocodile and, seeing as they are legally protected, no humans either.

Saltwater crocodiles aren't the only beasties out there with a chomper to marvel at. Indeed, there are many predators out there with jaws so strong that they won't have a problem breaking bones.

What other animals have an insanely strong and ferocious bites? Spoiler alert: They're all dangerous predators!

Here are some other animals with strong jaws and bites:

• Hyena (1100 PSI)
• Grizzly Bear (1160 PSI)
• Great White Shark (2000-4000 PSI)
• Hippopotamus (1800 PSI)
• Jaguar (1500 PSI)
• Gorilla (1300 PSI)
• Polar Bear (1200 PSI)

Indeed, these creatures are scary and threatening. Hippos, polar bears, and grizzly bears are particularly worrying if you see them in the wild. Why? Well, they are extraordinarily territorial and they are likely to attack.

Out of all the animals in the world, the saltwater crocodile is possibly the most dangerous. These reptiles are not only incredibly strong and scary-looking, but unbelievably aggressive as well. Chances are that they will attack you, and if they succeed, you won't be around much longer.

Crocodiles grab their prey with those strong jaws of theirs, drag them into the water, and then twist until it is dead. They will then eat whatever it is that they have ensnared.

If you see one of these beasts, it's best to steer clear.