The Chinese & American Alligator

By Heather Shand

What is the Chinese Alligator?The Chinese alligator is one of two species of alligator. The other is the American alligator. The Chinese Alligator grows to about 6 ft., though at one time it was longer and it can live to be at least 70 years old. It hunts mainly at night, feeding on hard-shelled mollusks, but also fish and occasional birds and rats. Sometimes it eats domestic ducks, which angers many farmers. During the winter, it hibernates for about six months in a complex burrow system. Historically, these alligators were widespread in slow-moving rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and so on in areas around the lower Yangtze River.

The Yangtze River

Taxonomy of Chinese Alligator

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder: CrocodiliaFamily: AlligatoridaeGenus: AlligatorSpecies: Alligator sinensis

What is the American Alligator? The American alligator

(Alligator mississippiensi) is the largest reptile in North America. It has a large, dark (usually black), slightly rounded body and thick limbs. American alligators mainly eat fish, turtles, various mammals, birds and other reptiles. Males can grow up to 18 feet; females are smaller. Alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, and swamps, as well as brackish environments.

Taxonomy of the American Alligator

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ReptiliaOrder: CrocodiliaFamily: AlligatoridaeGenus: AlligatorSpecies: Alligator mississippiensis

Location of the American Alligator

What Are the Differences?Chinese Alligator•Snout is slightly upturned and more tapered

•Two rows of bony ridges run along the length of the body and converge in the center of the tail, where they become one row. •The feet end in sharp claws, and the toes are not joined by webbing•Is the bony plates located on the upper eyelids. •Dark green to black in colour; young are black with bright yellow cross-branding, just like the American alligator(however, Chinese alligators have fewer bands).The scales on the belly are ossified (turned to bone). •has 72-76 teeth

•Less armored and not as protected•The snout is less tapered •teeth are less adapted for crushing shells •has 74-80 teeth•Adults have olive, brown, gray, or black skin•The belly is creamy white and can also be seen around the jaws and on the neck•The eyes are generally olive green•Has many ridges along its back to its tail

American Alligator

1. Cream colored belly…………go to 2Plated Belly……….go to 3

2. Two rows of ridges along body……….go to 4Many ridges………go to 5

3. 74-80 teeth……….go to 674-76 teeth……….go to 7

4. Feet have webbing………go to 6feet do not have webbing………go to 7

5. Eyes are olive green……….go to 6eyes are black……….go to 7

6. Scales over eyes……….go to 4no scales over eyes……….go to 7

7. Belly becomes ossified………. Alligator sinensis

belly doesn’t become ossified……… Alligator

mississippiensis

• The Chinese and American alligators are both considered endangered animals. However, there are much more American alligators than Chinese alligators. There are about 5 million American alligators and only about 150 Chinese alligators.

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