Alligators and CrocodilesBy Joshua .W. and Nicholas .W.

Alligator and Crocodile Types

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Superorder: Crocodylomorpha

Order: Crocodylia

Alligators

• Alligator mississippiensis or American alligator

• Chinese alligator

Crocodiles

• Black Caiman

• Orinoco Crocodile or crocodylus intermedius

• African Slender-snouted Crocodile

• Philippine Crocodile

• Nile Crocodile

• Dwarf Crocodile

Define: Alligator

al·li·ga·tor

   [al-i-gey-ter] noun: either of two broad-snouted crocodilians of the genus Alligator,  of the southeastern U.S. and eastern China.

(loosely) any broad-snouted crocodilian, such as a caiman.

Metallurgy: a machine for bringing the balls of iron from a puddling furnace into compact form so that they can be handled.

Jazz: an enthusiastic fan of swing.

Verb: (of paint, varnish, or the like) to crack and acquire the appearance of alligator hide, as from weathering or improper application to a surface.

Metalworking: (of a rolled metal slab) to split and curl up and down at one end; fishmouth.

From Dictionary.com

Define: Crocodile

croc·o·dile

   [krok-uh-dahyl] noun: any of several crocodilians  of the genus Crocodylus,  found in sluggish waters and swamps of the tropics.

any reptile of the order Crocodylia; crocodilian.

the tanned skin or hide of these animals, used in the manufacture of luggage and accessories, such as belts, shoes, and wallets.

Chiefly British: a file of people, especially a school of children, out for a walk.

Archaic: a person who makes a hypocritical show of sorrow.

Alligators

Two Alligators

Chinese Alligator The Chinese alligator or

Alligator (simplified Chinese: 扬子鳄 ; traditional Chinese: 揚子鱷 , (yáng zǐ è) Alligator sinensis) is one of two known living species of Alligator, a genus in the family Alligatoridae. The Chinese alligator is native only to China. It is smaller than the other alligator species, the American alligator, growing to an average of 1.5 m (5 ft).

American Alligator The American alligator

(Alligator mississippiensis), sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator, is a reptile endemic only to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two living species of alligator, in the genus Alligator, within the family Alligatoridae. It is larger than the other extant alligator species, the Chinese alligator.

The American alligator inhabits wetlands that frequently overlap with human-populated areas.

Chinese Alligator

There are a few differences. One obvious difference is that the Chinese alligator is quite small. Usually only attaining a length of 5 feet (1.5 m), these alligators are known to grow to 7 feet (2.1 m). Unlike the American alligator, the Chinese alligator is fully armored; even the belly is armored, which is a feature of only a few crocodilians. They weigh up to 100 pounds (45 kg). Chinese alligators grow slowly, being only 2 ft (60 cm) long after 2 years of age.

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American AlligatorThey could survive only in captivity. Like all albino animals, they are very vulnerable to the sun and predators.American Alligators can remain underwater for several hours if not actively swimming or hunting (then it is only about 20 minutes); they do this by rerouting blood to reduce circulation to the lungs, and thus the need for oxygen.

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Predators

Babies:

raccoons, otters, herons, snakes, snapping turtles, other alligators, humans

Or else:

Humans

Crocodiles

Black CaimanIt is the largest predator in the Amazon basin and possibly the largest member of the family Alligatoridae. Most adult black caimans are 3 to 4.26 metres (9.8–14 ft) in lengths, with old males rarely growing larger than 5 metres (16 ft). In some areas (such as the Araguaia River) this species is consistently reported at 4 to 5 metres (13–16 ft) in length, much larger than the alligator (which rarely even reaches 4 meters). Several unconfirmed sources report that the black caiman can grow to 6 metres (20 ft) or more.

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Orinoco CrocodileTypical measurements for adults range from 3 to 4.8 m (9.9-16 ft). Typical weight for mature females is 200 kg (440 lbs) and 380 kg (837 lbs) for males. The largest specimen reported was shot in 1800 and allegedly measured 6.6 m (22 ft). Even at although It is restricted to the Orinoco River drainage basin and the Meta River drainage basin in Colombia and Venezuela. Young Orinoco crocodiles are at risk from American Black Vultures, tegu lizards, anacondas, caimans.

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African Slender-snouted CrocodileThese crocodiles are not endangered.

African Slender-snouted Crocodile begin to breed in the rainy season. The female constructs a mound nest consisting mainly of plant matter, which is sited usually on river banks. The eggs have a long incubation period, sometimes up to 110 days.

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Philippine crocodileThe Philippine crocodile is only found on the islands of the Philippines. This species of crocodile is one of the most severely threatened species around. There are roughly 250 left in the wild as of September 2011 according to an article with National Geographic.

The Philippine crocodile has been extirpated in Samar, Jolo, Negros Island, Masbate, and Busuanga. There are still surviving population in the Northern Sierra Madre National Park, San Mariano, Isabela, Dalupiri island in the Babuyan Islands, and Abra in Luzon and Ligawasan Marsh in Mindanao.]

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Nile Crocodile

In antiquity, Nile crocodiles occurred in the Nile delta and the Zarqa River. They are recorded by Herodotus to have inhabited Lake Moeris. The Nile crocodile's range of distribution extends from the Senegal River, Lake Chad, Wadai and the Sudan to the Cunene and the Okavango Delta. many In East Africa, they are found mostly in rivers, lakes, marshes, and dams. They have been known to enter the sea , with one specimen having been seen 11 km off St Lucia Bay in 1917.

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Dwarf CrocodileDwarf crocodiles range across tropical lowland regions of sub-Saharan West Africa and West Central Africa. Such a distribution greatly overlaps with that of the slender-snouted crocodile, encompassing countries as far West as Senegal, reaching the Central African Republic in the East, and ranging as southerly as Angola. The subspecies O. t. tetraspis is found mainly in the westerly reaches of this range while O. t. osborni is restricted to the Democratic Republic of Congo's rain forest.

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Baby Crocodiles and Alligatars

When Baby Crocodiles Hatch

Each hatchling has an "egg tooth," a horny growth at the tip of its snout with which it cuts through the inner membrane of the egg and pokes a hole in its shell.

A baby crocodile has the stealthy hunting technique known as ambush predation. Keeping eyes, ears, and nose at a surface level with the water or seeming to appear asleep on the bank, a crocodile will patiently observe its potential prey for hours until it is absolutely ready to strike. They do not have to learn.

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Endangered Scale

EX: Extinct

EW: Extinct in the wild

CR: Critically Endangered

EN: Endangered

VU: Vulnerable

Cd: Conservation Dependent

Nt: Near Threatened

Lc: Least Concern

And that is all we have for now!

Any questions?