Alligator mississippiensis

Kate Cutting

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Crocodylia
Family: Alligatoridae
Common name of family: Alligators and Caimans (which are a subfamily)
There are 13 genera within the family
all are extinct except 1, Alligator.
Within the genus Alligator there are 6 species
all of which are extinct except for Alligator sinensis (the Chinese Alligator)
and Alligator mississippiensis (The American Alligator).

Genus Alligator: Two living Species

Range and Habitat

Freshwater Aquatic Habitats: Including swamps, marshes, rivers, lakes, ponds
Occasionally found in brackish water (like mangrove forests)
Prefer calm waters so that they can rest with their nostrils and eyes above the water

Their
historical
range
includes
most of the
south eastern
US but it is
constantly
changing due
to habitat
alteration
from humans

Introductions

Introduced outside
of historical range
mostly as released
pets
Evidence that
introduction could
negatively impact
native fauna (prey)
Create difficulties
when deciding how
to remove
introduced
populations that
interfere with
native fauna and
humans

Adaptations
Eyes
Placement allows them to remain submerged and see above water
Third, transparent eyelid that protects the eye when it is opened under
water
Respiratory System
Allows air to flow through in only one direction for gas exchange
Allows for more oxygen intake per breath and is more energy efficient
Mouth
Contains a structure at the base of the tongue that isolates the
respiratory system from the mouth
Allows mouth to be open under water without drowning
Osteoderms
The upper portion of their bodies are covered with armor that allows
for heat exchange to control temperature
Young
Mothers typically protect their young against predation for 1-3 years
until they are able to fend off predators on their own

Special Adaptations
Underwater Sound Locating Capability
Can tell where sounds are originating from underwater
Extremely hard to do due to properties of water
Homing Instinct
Can return to their home after being moved 100+ miles
Causes problems for alligator relocation programs
Alligator relocation is illegal in SC-> Replaced by licensed alligator
specialist to remove ie kill alligators
Antibacterial Properties of Blood
Get neither bacterial nor fungal infections
Can swim in Contaminated waters
Cold tolerance
More cold tolerant than crocodiles which allows them to venture further
North
Placement of nostrils allows them to breathe above ice levels
May burrow into ground and slow metabolism until surrounding warms

Mutation of Genes- Leucism

Genes c-kit, mitf, and EDNRB
Causes reduced pigmentation
12 Alligators in captivity from Louisiana

Mortality
80% of young die before age 3 due to
predation
Toothlessness
When teeth fall out for tooth
replacement but are not replaced
Caused by disease, dietary
deficiencies, and old age
Pentastomida (Sebekia
mississippiensis)
Parasites that are found in the
respiratory systems of alligators
Larger gators are more prone
Causes weight loss, anorexia,
respiratory distress, and death
Metals
Travel up the food chain into meat
Copper, zinc, iron, chromium,
mercury, lead, cadmium, and
arsenic
Pesticides
Effect egg development

Predation of Young
Mainly by Raccoons and
Bears

Predation
Large variety in diet mainly based on size of the
alligator
Small alligators will feed mainly on insects,
frogs, snakes, fish, turtles, etc.
Large alligators will feed mainly on raccoons,
wading birds, small mammals, fish, deer, and
even juvenile alligators
If fed by humans may feel comfortable and
attack children or pets
Feed mainly at night
Feeding activity is related to water temperature
Cease foraging below 68-73F
Cold blooded so they require only about one-tenth
the amount of food as a warm blooded animal of
the same size
Slow to digest so usually only eat one meal per
week during active season
If food is scare, can survive on one large meal
for almost a year

Reproduction
Breed in spring
Gather in large numbers and preform
alligator dances
Polygynous (1 male, many females)
Become territorial
Males ram heads to defend territory
Females build nests near waters edge
Lay 20-50 eggs
Covers them with decaying vegetation to
keep warm
Temperature determines sex (93+ =males,
86- =females)
Mother remains close for 65 day incubation
period
Young have 1 large tooth to break out of
egg
When eggs hatch, mother carries young in
mouth to water
Young stick together and are guarded by
mother until approx. 3 years
80% of hatched young die before age 3

Life History Stats

Age at first reproduction

At about 6 feet in length (usually
achieved at 6 years of age,
sooner in males)
Litter Size
Females usually lay 25-50 eggs
Litter frequency
Average once per year
Peak fertility between May and
June
Similar egg production to birds

Life Table

LIFE TABLE (give l x per 1000 individuals in this table)

Age

# Dead

#Alive

lx

800

1000

lx*1000
1000

dx

dx*1000
0.80
800

qx
qx*1000
0.80
800

100

200

0.20

200

0.10

100

0.50

100

0.10

100

0.01

95

0.10

95

0.01

12

90

0.09

90

15

85

0.09

18
21

5
5

80
75

24

27

Lx
0.60

Yx
1.26

ex

500

0.15

0.88

4.39

0.05

50

0.10

0.76

7.58

0.05

53

0.09

0.68

7.16

0.00

0.06

56

0.09

0.60

6.67

85

0.01

0.06

59

0.08

0.52

6.12

0.08
0.08

80
75

0.01
0.00

5
5

0.06
0.07

63
67

0.08
0.07

0.44
0.36

5.50
4.83

70

0.07

70

0.01

0.07

71

0.07

0.29

4.14

10

65

0.07

65

0.01

10

0.15

154

0.06

0.22

3.42

30

10

55

0.06

55

0.01

10

0.18

182

0.05

0.16

2.95

33

10

45

0.05

45

0.01

10

0.22

222

0.04

0.11

2.50

36

10

35

0.04

35

0.01

10

0.29

286

0.03

0.07

2.07

39

10

25

0.03

25

0.01

10

0.40

400

0.02

13.38

535.03

42

15

0.02

15

0.01

0.33

333

0.01

13.36

890.39

45

10

0.01

10

0.01

0.50

500

0.01

13.34

1334.33

48

5
1000

0.01

0.01

1.00

1000

0.00

1213.34

242667.17

1.26

Type III Survivorship Curve

The greatest mortality is experienced early

on in life, with relatively low rates of death
for those that survive

1000

Survivorship of American Alligator

100

lx*1000

10

1
0

12

15

18

21

24

27

30

33

Population Genetics
Studies have focused on microsatellite portions of DNA in American Alligators
Shown no evidence of differentiation among populations from the extremes of
the species range
Suggests that American alligators underwent a severe population bottleneck
Probably back in the Pleistoncene
American alligators only differ from Chinese by 17.5% at the nucleotide level (13.8%
amino acids)
Consistent with theory of divergence of the species

Restrictions on Habitat
Require freshwater
Cannot venture very far in salt water (ie no islands)
Cannot venture too far North because its too cold
Cannot travel too far south because it becomes too dry (not enough
freshwater habitats in Mexico)
The current hunting laws are also not as stringent which leads to over
hunting
Never really occurred South anyway

Interaction with Other Species

Predation on snakes and turtles accounts for trophic benefits
Magnified down trophic levels
Florida Red-bellied turtle (Chrysemys nelson)
Use alligator holes to incubate their own eggs
Alligators can then choose to eat the turtles
Technically Mutualism

What to do during winter?

Dormancy
Alligator holes
Microhabitats of deeper water
Retain water into dry season
Used as shelter during cooler months of the
year

Alligator Condition
Body condition
Relationship of body length and
weight
Can change over short time
periods as prey availability
changes
As water depth increases, prey
becomes dispersed across the
landscape
Alligators find less prey and
body condition decreases
As water depth decreases, prey
becomes concentrated in alligator
holes
Alligators capture more prey and
body condition increases
If water depth decreases too much or
for too long, prey suffer and so do
alligators

Populations in Different States

Louisiana has approximately 2 million wild alligators
300,000 on farms (20,000 are returned to wild)
28,000 wild are hunted each year
Mississippi has a large population of alligators
Much larger in length than other states
Georgia Claims they use hunting to manage a growing population
In 2012 issued 850 permits, 247 were caught (only a 29% success rate)
Must be 12 years old to get an alligator hunting permit.
South Carolina has a large population
In 2008 became a game species (ridiculous faq guild for hunters)
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory has studied extensively
Discovered homing instinct
Florida Everglades have an actual endangered population
Texas populations are denser the farther East you go, thinner as you go West away
from water

Links with Environment

Alligator Nest Numbers

Social Status
Young
Very social in groups for
protection from predators
Adults
Not social but tend to associate
loosely in groups
Forced to live in close proximity
during droughts
Ignore each other
Home Range
Females usually remain in
small areas
Males have areas greater than
2 miles
Extend ranges during
breeding

Conservation Status
Listed as an Endangered Species in 1967
Due to Hunting and Habitat Loss
Population recovered 1987
Still listed as threatened
Extremely similar to American Crocodile in
appearance
Hunting is now allowed in some states
Restricted to 1 alligator/person
Still endangered in some areas due to habitat
destruction
Pollution of heavy metals (particularly
mercury)
Reduction of habitat for developments and
Construction of drainage basins

Management?
Large-scale captive and wild sustainable harvest programs
Over 150 farms
Florida, Louisiana, Texas
Captive Rearing, ranching, and direct cropping (harvesting) of wild populations
(eggs and adults)
Use proper monitoring programs?
Strict quotas
Reintroduce a percentage of young from ranches to restock (Arkansas &
Mississippi)
17% from Louisiana
Hunting
With permit
Believe that
13% of sub-adult to adult animals, plus all the eggs from 50% of all
located nests, can be safely removed from the alligator population
annually without affecting population stability

Product Management

The End