What type of animal is an alligator?
crocodilians
An alligator bellowing. alligator, (genus Alligator), either of two crocodilians related to the tropical American caimans (family Alligatoridae). Alligators, like other crocodilians, are large animals with powerful tails that are used both in defense and in swimming.
Is a crocodile a reptile or a dinosaur?
Some other non-dinosaur reptiles are also archosaurs, including pterosaurs (the now-extinct flying reptiles) and modern crocodiles and their ancestors. These and many other types of ancient reptiles are often wrongly called dinosaurs. Marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and mosasaurs are not dinosaurs.
Are any dinosaurs alive today?
Other than birds, however, there is no scientific evidence that any dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, or Triceratops, are still alive. These, and all other non-avian dinosaurs became extinct at least 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
Can a croc and alligator mate?
Question: Can alligators and crocodiles mate? Answer: No, they can’t. Although they look similar, they are genetically too far apart. Although related, they split into separate genera a long time ago.
What’s the largest alligator caught in the United States?
Gator Country is also the home of Big Tex, who holds the national record as the largest alligator ever caught in the US at nearly 14 feet long and weighing in at 1,000 pounds.
Where do alligators live in the United States?
American Alligators—These reptiles are found in the Southern United States, most popular in Louisiana and Florida, but can also be found in South Arkansas, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, South and North Carolina and Oklahoma. These freshwater reptiles live in swamps, lakes, rivers, and wetlands – which is their favorite habitat.
Is the alligator a lizard or a crocodilian?
No. The general term “lizard” is restricted to usage for members of the order Squamata (reptiles with overlapping scales), alligators are members of the order Crocodilia.
Where are alligators and Crocodiles most likely to be found?
Mostly found in tropical and subtropical freshwater and saltwater habitats. USFWS: The American alligator is listed as threatened and the American crocodile as endangered. Many other species are listed. Alligators and crocodiles are one of the oldest and most successful groups of predators.
How big are alligators and crocodiles in feet?
Alligators and crocodiles are one of the oldest and most successful groups of predators. A noteworthy extinct crocodile was Deinosuchus, or “terrible crocodile.” The only fossil recovered from this species was a skull found in Texas, which measured more than 2 m (6.6 ft.) in length.
Is an alligator a reptile or a mammal?
The American alligator is a large aquatic reptile and is one of two crocodilians native to Florida. Alligators can be distinguished from the American crocodile by head shape and color. Alligators have a broad, rounded snout with no lower teeth visible when their jaw is closed.
What is an alligator a mammal or an amphibian?
Alligators are reptiles . Reptiles have scaly skin and lay shelled eggs, unlike amphibians that have smooth skin and must be kept wet in order from drying out. Amphibians also differ from reptiles such as alligators, as their eggs do not have shells.
Is a Cayman an alligator or a reptile?
Caiman, also spelled cayman, any of several species of Central and South American reptiles that are related to alligators and are usually placed with them in the family Alligatoridae. Caimans, like all other members of the order Crocodylia (or Crocodilia), are amphibious carnivores.
Do Aligators eat turtles and snakes?
Juvenile alligators eat smaller animals like small fishes, insects, snails, worms, mice, crawfish, and many other invertebrates. Older alligators will eat snakes, turtles, birds, bobcats, raccoons, and even smaller alligators. The jaw of an alligator is very strong. So, even the shell of a turtle would not save it from being eaten.
