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American Alligator
Scientific Name:
Family:
Photo by: Quentin Stiles
Largest reptile in North America.
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Large head, with a rounded snout, long jaws, and protruding eyes and nostrils.
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Several rows of dorsal scales on body are strongly keeled, but ventral scales are soft and rectangular.
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Tail has two rows of keeled scales that converge to form one strong keel at the midpoint of the tail.
How to identify:
Coloration:
Adults are dark, appearing almost black,
Juveniles have yellowish crossbands that generally fade with age.
Diet:
Size:
the American Alligator can grow to be 6 to 16 feet long including the tail
Habitat:
The American alligator can be found in a variety of freshwater habitats, including swamps, lakes, and bayous. It also occurs in the brackish waters of coastal marshes
Range of habitat:
In North America, the American alligator is found in the southern coastal states, from North Carolina to Texas.
Orange counties indicate new records since previous Herps of Texas updated in 1998; all other colors represent counties with known American Alligator population prior to 1998
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