American Alligator
(Alligator mississippiensis)
- Classification
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Crocodilia
Order: Reptilia
Family: Alligatoridae
Genus/Species: Alligator mississippiensis
- Evolutionary Relationships: In an evolutionary sense, alligators are closely related to lizards.
- Habitat: American alligators can be found in swamplands, particularly in the southeast United States in places such as Louisiana, the Everglades, and southern Florida.
- Type of Diet: American alligators are apex predators and eat fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals.
- Social Interactions: They like to whip there head back and forth and slam there tail.
- Locomotion [how they move]: they move on land and swim in the water they can swim/ run up to 30 to 35 mph
- Endangered Status: American alligators were an endangered species but are now thriving.
- Size and Weight: Adult males can range in size from 11 to 15 feet in length and can weigh up to almost 1000 pounds.
- Behavior: There behavior is calm unless they fell threatened or they think that there land will be taken. They also attack when they do not fell sure about something.
- Interesting Facts: There are about 400,000 american alligators in Texas, and they have been known to attack humans, though such attacks are rare.
- Predators: American alligators are apex predators; they are preyed upon only by man.