Mississippian alligator: habitat, food, photo

In this article we would like to talk about one of the representatives of the crocodile family. The Mississippian alligator differs from other brethren in a fairly wide and flat muzzle. The jaw of this crocodile is very wide, with a powerful musculature, it is much stronger than the jaw of any other reptile.

Where does the Mississippian alligator live?

This species of crocodiles is also called a pike or an American alligator. It lives in the south-eastern region of the United States. At the moment it can be found only to the south of Virginia, in the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, North Carolina and South, Georgia and Arkansas. The largest and most numerous population lives in the swamps of Florida.

Appearance of an alligator

The Mississippian alligator differs from its brethren in a broad, flat, but very long muzzle. It is interesting that in crocodiles living in captivity, the muzzle is broader than that of wild representatives. This is due primarily to the peculiarities of nutrition.

Nostrils are located at the very edge of the jaws, this allows the animal to breathe and at the same time remain invisible to others, as its entire body is submerged in water.

Adult individuals living in wildlife are divided into two types:

1. Thin and long.
2. Wide and short.

Similar differences are associated with nuances of nutrition, climate peculiarities and other factors. The main weapon of the alligator is his muscular tail.

Has its own characteristics of the structure of the Mississippi alligator. The covers of the body are shields. Four of them are in the occipital part. And in the middle of the trunk there are dorsal shields. The skin on the sides has bone plates. But the abdominal bone is completely absent.

The Mississippian alligator, whose limb structure is distinguished by its features, has short legs when the size of the body is large enough. On the front there are five fingers, and on the back - four. On the front legs there is even a swimming membrane.

Mississippian alligator, whose teeth have a special structure, boasts a large number of them. As a rule, their number ranges from seventy-four to eighty pieces.

Young individuals do not externally look different from adults, not counting bright yellow bands on a black background, which help to perfectly mask themselves.

The difference between a crocodile and an alligator

It is a mistake to think that there is no difference between them. The difference between a crocodile and an alligator is that the first is larger than the second one. In addition, the crocodile has a long and elongated muzzle, but the alligator has a snub-like and blunt snout.

Other differences:

1. In the world at the moment there are two types of alligators, and crocodiles - thirteen.
2. As for the alligators, they live only in America and China. Crocodiles are found in Asia, Africa, Australia and America.
3. Interesting is the fact that crocodiles can live in salt water, they are adapted to such conditions. But alligators live only in fresh water.

Color alligator covers

The Mississippian alligator has a dark green color of the back and a light yellow belly. In young individuals - almost black color of the back with yellow spots on the tail. In adult animals, these blotches darken.

It should be noted that the eastern and western alligators were historically isolated from each other. So, the eastern has white rims around the mouth, and their color is lighter. In adults, bright yellow spots, fading, become olive, brown or black, although otherwise the color does not change. The American alligator has, as a rule, green eyes, but sometimes they can be other colors.

Weight and dimensions of the animal

A large crocodile reaches four and a half meters, and sometimes there are animals and five-meter length. The maximum value recorded by people is 5.8 m. Females, as a rule, are three meters long.

Weigh animals from two hundred to three hundred kilograms. It is said that in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries there were killed the last alligators weighing half a ton, although these facts are not confirmed.

How many live alligators?

With regard to life expectancy, it is recorded that the Mississippi alligator lived in captivity for sixty-six years. And other data indicate a life expectancy of eighty-five years.

What are the sounds of alligators?

It may be erroneous to think that the American alligator is a silent being. But this is not so. Moreover, it is a very loud and terrible animal. The cubs make awkward croaking sounds. But adults in the mating season publish a very loud roar. They say that these sounds can be compared with distant thunder or with explosions when they stifle the fish. Imagine that if several males make sounds together, then the whole marsh shakes and pulses from it.

Habitat

The Mississippian alligator is found in a fairly diverse water body with fresh water. They prefer places with slowly flowing water. These can be freshwater lakes, swamps, rivers, ponds among peat bogs. Here are the ponds, where the water is salty, the alligator does not like it. Of course, it can stay in salty waters for some time, as, for example, in the mangrove swamps of South Florida. It is interesting that quite often a large crocodile is found next to human habitation.

Females usually live within a lake or swamp. But the males capture more extensive areas - more than two square miles.

Enemies of terrible animals

This may seem unrealistic, but the alligator (photo is given in the article) also has enemies. It would seem, who can threaten such a predator?

It turns out that for young and newborn animals there are danger of lynx, raccoons, large swamp birds. Large males sometimes engage in cannibalism, which, in principle, is uncharacteristic for them. By the age of two, they grow to 90 centimeters in length. And from that moment they no longer have enemies. If, of course, do not consider a person.

Power alligators

As you understand, the alligator (photos of the animal are impressive) is a predator. The main food for him is the fish. But at any opportunity he can attack any animal.

Young individuals eat crustaceans and insects, frogs and small fishes. As they grow older, food becomes more diverse. Adult amphibians use for food any terrestrial and aquatic creatures that they only find: snakes, turtles, birds, small mammals.

In those regions where alligators are closely associated with humans, if they are hungry, their prey may be dogs and pets.

For a person, an alligator is not dangerous. But sometimes he can attack, if somehow provoked or he confused a child with a small animal. Sometimes the animal devastates the fishermen's network, and in case of severe hunger does not neglect the carrion.

Predator habits

I must say that the hunting habits of the alligator depend on the temperature of the water: if it falls below twenty-three degrees, then the animal sharply reduces appetite and activity.

On land, alligators often rest with an open mouth, this is due to the process of thermoregulation. Through the mucous membranes, water evaporates faster.

Adult individuals most often hunt in the water. They grab a small booty and swallow it whole, but the big one is first heated, and then they are torn to pieces. In general, these reptiles have a lot of patience, they put only nostrils and eyes out of the water. And in this position they watch their prey for hours. As a rule, in the recessed position, the alligator carefully, imperceptibly moves around the reservoir and looks out for the victim.

These reptiles have the strongest bite among predators. This conclusion was reached by researchers who conducted experiments with a special measuring instrument. Such a strong mouth alligators are used for cracking shells of turtles.

It is interesting that when immersed in water, the nostrils of the animal are closed by the edges of the skin, ear holes, even the circulation of organs stops, only the brain and the heart muscle.

Staying in the water for the first twenty minutes, the alligator consumes half of the entire oxygen supply, and the rest consumes more economically within a hundred minutes.

In cool regions, these reptiles become inactive in winter. The alligator pulls out a den or hole under the shore and lives there for up to four months. At the same time, he moves little and feeds little. There are times when alligators freeze in their holes, but if they have more to breathe, they can survive until the ice melts.

It is said that alligators with their tail knock down prey from the shore, but there is no reliable confirmation of this fact. Female reptiles are very concerned about the offspring, they guard the cubs from enemies for a long time. As a rule, from their own adult congeners, who can attack young animals under hunger.

Instead of an afterword

It must be remembered that the alligator is a formidable predator. It easily hides under the mirror surface of the water. And the log, peacefully swaying among the algae on the surface, is not so innocuous. This may well be a hiding predator, which guards its prey. For a large hungry crocodile, even a horse can become food, although he prefers smaller prey. Here are such interesting creatures alligators.