Alligator

An alligator is a crocodilian in the family Alligatoridae, distinguished from crocodiles by a broad snout and other anatomical traits. Living species occur naturally in the southeastern United States and China.

Alligatoridae: A family of crocodilians that includes alligators and caimans. Alligators belong to this family, whose other living members are caimans.
Alligator bite: The forceful closure of an alligator’s jaws, used to seize and restrain prey. Jaw mechanics make the alligator’s ambush attack effective, despite weaker jaw-opening muscles.
American alligator: A large alligator species native to the southeastern United States. It is the widespread North American species most often meant by “alligator.”
Ecosystem engineer: An organism that physically modifies its environment in ways that affect other species. By digging holes and trails, alligators alter water access and wetland habitat.
Crocodile attack: An incident in which a crocodile injures or kills a person or animal. Crocodile attacks are often compared with alligator attacks, though risk varies by species and location.
Crocodilia: The order of reptiles containing crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials. Alligators are one branch of this broader group of semiaquatic reptiles.
Ambush predator: A predator that waits for prey before launching a rapid attack. Alligators conserve energy by attacking animals that approach the water’s edge.
Chinese alligator: A small, critically endangered alligator species native to eastern China. Its restricted range and severe decline contrast with the American alligator’s recovery.
Keystone species: A species whose ecological effects are unusually large relative to its abundance. Alligator predation and habitat modification can influence wetland communities beyond their numbers.
Alligator attack: An incident in which an alligator injures or kills a person or animal. It illustrates the real but geographically limited risks of living near alligators.

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