Article
Article
Alligator
Article By:
Cash, W. Ben Department of Biology, Maryville College, Maryville, Tennessee.
Campbell, Howard W. National Fisheries and Wildlife Laboratory, Gainesville, Florida.
Last reviewed:March 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.024200
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A large aquatic reptile of the family Alligatoridae. Alligators belong to the family Alligatoridae in the reptilian order Crocodylia (Crocodilia). Common usage generally restricts the name alligator to the two extant species of the genus Alligator (see illustration). However, the family Alligatoridae also includes three extant genera (six species) of caimans. With the crocodiles and gavials (gharials), these are survivors of archosaurian stock and are considered close to the evolutionary line that gave rise to birds. See also: Archosauria; Crocodile; Crocodylia; Gavial; Reptilia
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