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REPTILIA:
CROCODYLIA: ALLIGATORIDAE: Alligator
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Alligator mississipiensis (Daudin,
1802)
American alligator
Photos
& text by Dr. Robert Sprackland. Specimen shown was photographed in
Gainesville, Florida.
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Range: Widely distributed in and near fresh water from
North Carolina west to Louisiana and south to Florida.
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Diagnosis: Similar to the American crocodile, but differs in
having a broader and shorter snout, dark unpatterned back and limbs, and
no teeth show when the mouth is closed.
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Description:
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Natural History:
Alligators are sit-and-wait predators that feed on fishes (including
gars), snakes, birds and mammals. They are excellent swimmers and can stay
submerged for long periods of time.
Alligators are dormant during winter
months, and emerge into activity once temperatures reach 80° F/ 27° C.
Though given an bad reputation, alligators are
generally uninterested in humans and there are few verified attacks on
people that were initiated by the gators.
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A young meter-long alligator at the Everglades, Florida.
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Reproduction: Alligators
lay eggs in mounds built by the adults. The composting vegetation helps
incubate the eggs. Young are guarded by the adults for the first few
months after hatching.
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Taxonomy & Relationships:
Alligators are closely related to the South and Central American caimans,
but the only other member of the genus Alligator is a small species
restricted to a small region of China.
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Variation:
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Additional Comments:
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Type Specimen: For some reason, alligators have been sensitized to
white objects, and will actually chase small white animals and even
joggers wearing white running shoes.
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Literature:
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