---
title: "What the sources say about the American Alligator | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "46 claims from the American Alligator profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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---

# What the sources say about the American Alligator (*Alligator mississippiensis*)

> 46 claims from the American Alligator profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [American Alligator](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/american-alligator/)

## Erickson et al. (2012). Insights into the Ecology and Evolutionary Success of Crocodilians Revealed through Bite-Force and Tooth-Pressure Experimentation. PLoS ONE.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0031781

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A 9,452-Newton Bite | Alligator mississippiensis 15 0.69 142 47–297 285 213–372 5117 2442–9452 (note: blockquote lead-in; the top of the measured range, not rounded) |
| A 2012 study measured bite forces in adults of all 23 living crocodilian species and found these reptiles generate the highest bite forces and tooth pressures known for any living animals | We measured adult bite forces and tooth pressures in all 23 extant crocodilian species and analyzed the results in ecological and phylogenetic contexts. We demonstrate that these reptiles generate the highest bite forces and tooth pressures known for any living animals. (note: 2012 is the reference's own year) |
| The 15 American alligators tested bit with up to 9,452 newtons at a back tooth, about 2,125 pounds of force | Alligator mississippiensis 15 0.69 142 47–297 285 213–372 5117 2442–9452 (note: Table 1 row: N = 15 specimens; RMBF (Range of Molariform Bite Forces, N) = 2442-9452. The molariform tooth is the prominent upper tooth 'at the maxilla convexity nearer the back of the jaws'. 9452 N / 4.44822 = 2,125 pounds of force. MBF 5117 is a power-law-modelled taxon representative value, not a mean, so it is not quoted) |
| A 2012 study that measured bite forces in adults of all 23 living crocodilian species found they generate the highest bite forces and tooth pressures known for any living animals | We measured adult bite forces and tooth pressures in all 23 extant crocodilian species and analyzed the results in ecological and phylogenetic contexts. We demonstrate that these reptiles generate the highest bite forces and tooth pressures known for any living animals. (note: faq 1; 2012 is the reference's own year) |
| The 15 American alligators tested bit with up to 9,452 newtons at a back tooth, about 2,125 pounds of force | Alligator mississippiensis 15 0.69 142 47–297 285 213–372 5117 2442–9452 (note: faq 1; Table 1 row: N = 15 specimens; RMBF (Range of Molariform Bite Forces, N) = 2442-9452. The molariform tooth is the prominent upper tooth 'at the maxilla convexity nearer the back of the jaws'. 9452 N / 4.44822 = 2,125 pounds of force. MBF 5117 is a power-law-modelled taxon representative value, not a mean, so it is not quoted) |
| for jaws that bit with up to 9,452 newtons when 15 adults were tested | Alligator mississippiensis 15 0.69 142 47–297 285 213–372 5117 2442–9452 (note: vibe.reason (#391): n=15, bite force range 2442-9452 N) |

## Green et al. (2014). Three crocodilian genomes reveal ancestral patterns of evolution among archosaurs. Science.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1254449

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| A 2014 study of three crocodilian genomes, the American alligator's among them, found an exceptionally slow rate of genome evolution within crocodilians at every level it measured | we generated draft genomes of three crocodilians: Alligator mississippiensis (the American alligator), ... We observed an exceptionally slow rate of genome evolution within crocodilians at all levels (note: 2014 is the reference's own year) |
| Compared with birds and turtles, the results suggested that the shared ancestor of all these groups also had slow genome evolution, and that the faster change seen in birds came later | When placed within the context of related taxa including birds and turtles, this suggests that the common ancestor of all of these taxa also exhibited slow genome evolution and that the comparatively rapid evolution is derived in birds. (note: 'came later, in the bird line' paraphrases 'the comparatively rapid evolution is derived in birds') |

## Elsey, Woodward & Balaguera-Reina (2019). Alligator mississippiensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T46583A3009637.

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2019-2.rlts.t46583a3009637.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | IUCN Red List Category Least Concern (LC) Alligator mississippiensis (note: stats.conservationStatus; GBIF's copy of the Red List; assessed 2018, published 2019) |

## American alligator. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/american-alligator

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| An armored reptile | The American alligator is a large crocodilian with an armored body (note: tagline; 'reptile' from the same page: 'This reptile nearly went extinct') |
| with jaws that can crack a turtle shell | very strong jaws that can crack a turtle shell |
| a mouth that can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime | An alligator can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime. |
| from coastal North Carolina to central Texas | ranging from the northern coasts of North Carolina to Lake Worth in central Texas (note: stats.habitat) |
| Jaws strong enough to crack a turtle shell | They have very strong jaws that can crack a turtle shell. (note: stats.superpower) |
| live mostly in the freshwater rivers, swamps, marshes, and lakes of the southeastern United States, from the coast of North Carolina to central Texas | The American alligator is found across the southeastern United States, ranging from the northern coasts of North Carolina to Lake Worth in central Texas. Alligators are usually found in freshwater, slow-moving rivers. They also live in swamps, marshes and lakes. |
| Adult females average 8.2 feet (2.6 meters) long | The average adult size for a female is 8.2 feet (2.6 meters) |
| adult males average 11.2 feet (3.4 meters) | the average size for a male is 11.2 feet (3.4 meters) |
| Exceptionally large males can near half a ton, about 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) | Exceptionally large males can reach a weight of nearly half a ton or 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms). |
| Wild alligators live about 50 years | American alligators live about 50 years in the wild. (note: current Smithsonian page; ADW's older student account gives 20-30 years wild, so the current page wins) |
| The skin on an alligator's back is armored with embedded bony plates called osteoderms, or scutes | The skin on their back is armored with embedded bony plates called osteoderms or scutes. |
| The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) has 74 to 80 teeth in its mouth at a time | Alligators have between 74 and 80 teeth in their mouth at a time. |
| As they wear down they are replaced, and one alligator can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime | As they wear down, they are replaced. An alligator can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime. |
| The large fourth tooth in its lower jaw fits into a socket in the upper jaw and is hidden when the mouth is closed. That does not happen in crocodiles, which makes the teeth an easy way to tell the two apart | It's easy to distinguish an alligator from a crocodile by the teeth. The large, fourth tooth in the lower jaw of an alligator fits into a socket in the upper jaw and is not visible when the mouth is closed. This does not happen in crocodiles. |
| Their very strong jaws can crack a turtle shell | They have very strong jaws that can crack a turtle shell. |
| Small prey gets swallowed whole. Very large prey gets bitten, and then the alligator spins on the long axis of its body to tear off pieces small enough to swallow | They swallow small prey whole. If the prey is large, they shake it apart into smaller, manageable pieces. If it is very large, they will bite it, then spin on the long axis of their bodies to tear off easily swallowed pieces. |
| Its long, rounded snout has upward-facing nostrils at the end, which allows it to breathe while the rest of its body is underwater | Alligators have a long, rounded snout that has upward facing nostrils at the end; this allows breathing to occur while the rest of the body is underwater. |
| The temperature of the nest sets a hatchling's sex | The sex of the juveniles is determined by the temperature of the nest. |
| Temperatures of 31°C (87.8°F) or below produce females | Temperatures of 31? C (87.8? F) or below produce females. (note: Only the female threshold is used: this page also says 32 C gives 75% males but 32.5 C and above mostly females, while NPS (90-93 F males) and ADW (>=33 C males) disagree on the male range. All three agree that 31 C or below gives females.) |
| Alligators do not hibernate, but they go through periods of dormancy when the weather becomes cold | even though they do not hibernate, they undergo periods of dormancy when the weather becomes cold |
| They dig a depression called a "gator hole" along a waterway to use when the seasonal temperature falls | They excavate a depression called a "gator hole" along a waterway to be used when the seasonal temperature falls. |
| They do not hibernate, but they go through periods of dormancy when the weather becomes cold | even though they do not hibernate, they undergo periods of dormancy when the weather becomes cold (note: faq 2) |
| Alligators dig a depression called a "gator hole" along a waterway to use when the seasonal temperature falls | They excavate a depression called a "gator hole" along a waterway to be used when the seasonal temperature falls. (note: faq 2) |
| Where the water level changes, they dig into hollows in the mud that fill with water. These tunnels can run as long as 65 feet (20 meters) and protect them during extreme hot or cold weather | In areas where the water level fluctuates, alligators dig themselves into hollows in the mud, which fill with water. These tunnels can be as long as 65 feet (20 m) and provide protection during extreme hot or cold weather. (note: faq 2) |
| The temperature of the nest | The sex of the juveniles is determined by the temperature of the nest. (note: faq 3) |
| Temperatures of 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 degrees Fahrenheit) or below produce females, while a slightly warmer nest can produce mostly males | Temperatures of 31? C (87.8? F) or below produce females. A temperature of 32? C (89.6? F) produces 75 percent males (note: 'slightly warmer' = 32 C against 31 C; 'can' because the same page says 32.5 C and above are mostly females) |
| Look at the large fourth tooth in the lower jaw. In an alligator it fits into a socket in the upper jaw and is hidden when the mouth is closed. That does not happen in crocodiles | The large, fourth tooth in the lower jaw of an alligator fits into a socket in the upper jaw and is not visible when the mouth is closed. This does not happen in crocodiles. (note: faq 4) |

## American Alligator: Species Profile. Everglades National Park, National Park Service.

https://home.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/alligator.htm

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Freshwater swamps, marshes, rivers, and lakes | Alligators primarily inhabit freshwater swamps and marshes and can also be found in rivers, lakes, and smaller bodies of water. (note: stats.habitat) |
| Typically fish, turtles, small mammals, birds, and reptiles, including small alligators | The adult diet typically consists of fish, turtles, small mammals, birds, and reptiles, including small alligators. (note: stats.diet) |
| some adult males occasionally reach 13 to 15 feet | Adult male alligators occasionally reach 13 to 15 feet in length. |
| Alligators can tolerate a reasonable degree of salinity for short periods, even though, unlike crocodiles, they lack salt-secreting glands | They can tolerate a reasonable degree of salinity for short periods of time and are occasionally found in brackish water around mangrove swamps even though they lack the salt-secreting glands present in crocodiles. |
| Adults typically eat fish, turtles, small mammals, birds, and reptiles, including small alligators | The adult diet typically consists of fish, turtles, small mammals, birds, and reptiles, including small alligators. |
| burrow out dens for shelter when winter temperatures drop | Dens are burrowed out and used for shelter and aestivation when winter temperatures fall |
| Even outside their dens, they can tolerate limited periods of freezing conditions | Even outside their dens they can tolerate limited periods of freezing conditions. |

## Alligator mississippiensis. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Alligator_mississippiensis/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| a diet study in Texas found feral hogs among their prey | Saalfeld et al.(2011) conducted a diet study in Texas, ... A few examples of animals consumed are ... Sus scrofa (feral hog). |
| Sense organs in an alligator's jaws and scales, called integumentary sense organs, help it sense movements in the water, tell it when prey is touching its teeth, and identify what it is holding in its jaws | Integumentary sense organs (ISO) are features of an alligator to help it perceive its environment. These ISOs can be found in the jaws or scales of the alligator. The ISOs help the American alligator sense movements in the water, tell it when prey is in contact with the teeth, and help identify what item it has in its jaw at a certain time. |
| weightKg: 150 | the average weight is 150 kg (note: battleStats (#391); Erickson 2012's 15 adults averaged 142 kg) |