Vertebrate Zoology

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alligator

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

alligator large aquatic reptile of the genus Alligator, in the same order as the crocodile . There are two species—a large type found in the S United States and a small type found in E China. Alligators differ from crocodiles in several ways. They have broader, blunter snouts, which give their heads a triangular appearance; also, the lower fourth tooth does not protrude when the mouth is closed, as it does in the crocodile.

The American alligator,Alligator mississipiensis, is found in swamps and sluggish streams from North Carolina to Florida and along the Gulf Coast. When young, it is dark brown or black with yellow transverse bands. The bands fade as the animal grows, and the adult is black. Males commonly reach a length of 9 ft (2.7 m) and a weight of 250 lbs (110 kg); females are smaller. Males 18 ft (5.4 m) long were once fairly common, but intensive hunting for alligator leather eliminated larger individuals (a specimen over 10 ft/3 m long is now unusual) and threatened the species as a whole. The wild American alligator is now protected by law, but it is also raised on farms for commercial uses.

Alligators spend the day floating just below the surface of the water or resting on the bank, lying in holes in hot weather. They hunt by night, in the water and on the bank. Young alligators feed on water insects, crustaceans, frogs, and fish; as they grow they catch proportionally larger animals. Large alligators may occasionally capture deer and cows as they come to drink; they do not commonly attack humans. Alligators hibernate from October to March. In summer the female builds a nest of rotting vegetation on the bank and deposits in it 20 to 70 eggs, which she guards for 9 to 10 weeks until they hatch.

The Chinese alligator,A. sinensis, which grows to about 6 ft (1.8 m) long, is found in the Chang (Yangtze) River valley near Shanghai. This species is nearly extinct. Caimans are similar, but distinct members of the Alligatoridae family found in Central and South America. There are several species, classified in three genera. The largest grow up to 15 ft (4.8 m) long. Unlike alligators, caimans have bony overlapping scales on their bellies. Baby caimans are often sold in the United States as baby alligators.

Alligators and caimans are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Reptilia, order Crocodilia, family Alligatoridae.

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alligator

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

al·li·ga·tor / ˈaliˌgātər/ • n. a large semiaquatic reptile (genus Alligator, family Alligatoridae, order Crocodylia) similar to a crocodile but with a broader and shorter head. ∎ the skin of the alligator or material resembling it. ORIGIN: late 16th cent.: from Spanish el lagarto ‘the lizard,’ probably based on Latin lacerta.

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alligator

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

alligator Broad-snouted crocodilian reptile found only in the USA and China. The American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, is found in the se USA; it grows up to 5.8m (19ft) long. The almost extinct smaller Chinese alligator, A. sinensis, is restricted to the Yangtze-Kiang river basin. Length: up to 1.5m (5ft). Family Alligatoridea.

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alligator

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

alligator XVII (earlier lagarto, aligarto, ala- XVI). — Sp. el lagarto the LIZARD, which was applied spec. to the large saurians of the New World. Alligator pear (XVIII) is a corruption of AVOCADO pear.

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T. F. HOAD. "alligator." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "alligator." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-alligator.html

T. F. HOAD. "alligator." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-alligator.html

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