The largest reptile in North America, the iconic American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is considered to be a living fossil, having survived on Earth in the same form for 200 million years. The name ‘alligator’ derives from the Spanish ‘el lagarto’ meaning ‘the lizard’, while the species name means ‘of the Mississippi’. Though often confused with various crocodile species, the American alligator can be distinguished by its rounded snout, and by the fact that when the jaws are closed, none of the lower teeth are visible. The body is armoured with thick scales, and bears a long, powerful tail, as well as sturdy limbs with webbed toes, which help to propel this species through the water. The eyes and snout are positioned on the top of the head, enabling the American alligator to breathe and watch for prey, while the rest of the body is submerged. This concealment is further enhanced by the colouration of the body, which is uniform black or olive-brown in the adult, with younger specimens possessing yellow banding across the body and tail. The American alligator’s jaws contain between 74 and 80 sharp, conical teeth, and are capable of delivering massive bite forces.
Roles
- It played Nile Crocodile in The Grizzly King and The Grizzly King II: Simba's Pride
- It played Juggling Octopus in The Great Elephant Detective
- It played Koolasuchus in AMERICAN ANIMAL
- It played Tommy/Green Ranger in Beastly Morphin Power Rangers
- It played Ricky Plesuski in American Animals, Inc.
- It played Marker in Battle For North American Island
- It played Panda in We Bare Crocodilians
Gallery
.jpg "Gator (Wild Kratts).jpg (170 KB)")
.jpg "Alligator (Youda Safari).jpg (9 KB)")
.jpg "Alligators (2).jpg (36 KB)")
.jpeg "Images (47).jpeg (17 KB)")
Add a photo to this galleryIs a Crocodile a Reptile?
Books
.jpeg "The Kingfisher First Animal Encyclopedia (2).jpeg (2.04 MB)")
.jpeg "The Animal Atlas (5).jpeg (2.04 MB)")
_(9).jpeg "Reptiles (Over 100 Questions and Answers to Things You Want to Know) (9).jpeg (1.75 MB)")
_(1).jpeg "Bunnies' ABC (Little Golden Book) (1).jpeg (717 KB)")
.jpeg "Growing Up- Strange Beginnings (5).jpeg (1.9 MB)")
.jpeg "Reptiles and Amphibians Dictionary (1).jpeg (1.88 MB)")
_(5).jpeg "Killer Creatures (Valerie Davies) (5).jpeg (1.96 MB)")
.jpeg "Scholastic Encyclopedia Of Animals (1).jpeg (1.95 MB)")
.jpeg "Deadly Creatures Dictionary (1).jpeg (1.85 MB)")
.jpeg "An A to Z Walk in the Park (1).jpeg (1.65 MB)")
.jpeg "Predator Showdown (17).jpeg (1.93 MB)")
.jpeg "The Dictionary of Ordinary Extraordinary Animals (1).jpeg (1.52 MB)")
.jpeg "Predator VS Prey (1).jpeg (2.01 MB)")
.jpeg "What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? (1).jpeg (1.29 MB)")
_(11).jpeg "Fangs (Heather Dakota) (11).jpeg (1.58 MB)")
.jpeg "Predator Splashdown (26).jpeg (1.64 MB)")
.jpeg "Marcus Pfister's Animal ABC (1).jpeg (1.22 MB)")
.jpeg "Alphabet Zoo (1).jpeg (1.41 MB)")
.jpeg "8- An Animal Alphabet (1).jpeg (730 KB)")
.jpeg "Alligator Alphabet (1).jpeg (1.39 MB)")
.jpeg "DK Encyclopedia Of Animals (65).jpeg (2.07 MB)")
.jpeg "DK Encyclopedia Of Animals (139).jpeg (2.04 MB)")
.jpeg "The Kingfisher Illustrated Encyclopedia of Animals (2).jpeg (1.61 MB)")
.jpeg "Tom Jackson's A-Z of Animals (1).jpeg (1.27 MB)")
.jpeg "The Great Animal Search (3).jpeg (2.53 MB)")
.jpeg "DK First Animal Encyclopedia (39).jpeg (2.35 MB)")
.jpeg "Alligator to Zebra ABC's- Learning Your ABC's with Animals (1).jpeg (1.67 MB)")
See Also
Scary Creatures
