ALLIGATORS By Abriana Egleston

THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF ANIMALS WITH VERTEBRATES  Mammal  Amphibians  Birds  Reptiles  fish

An alligator has many characteristics to make it a reptile  It lays eggs.  It uses lungs  It has scales  Or a shell.  It is cold  blooded.  It lays shelled Eggs It breaths air. It has 80 teeth 40 teeth on top 40 teeth on Bottom it is a big reptile

Diagram of an alligator

writing Did you know that an a female alligator can lay up to 40 eggs?

Alligator mating Alligators mate in April to may. Alligator males (water dance ) to attract females, water dancing is when a male alligator splashes water and moans and groans. Then if the male s Alligators mate by water dancing male alligators try and impress the female by splashing the water and groaning. If done right the female rides on the male alligator’s back and they groan and moan on the ride to a nesting ground on land, were the female lays eggs. Then female alligator builds a large nest in a marshy area on land. The nests are made out of plants, sticks, mud and grass. Female alligators do not sit on eggs because she would squish the eggs. Females can lay up to about 60 eggs. The female puts mud and grass over the nest to protect the eggs in the nest. The female stays hidden away by the nest to protect the baby alligators, raccoons, birds, snapping turtles and snakes eat the eggs and baby alligators. The eggs hatch in 4 days gender of the baby depend on the temperature of the embryo of the eggs. She Digs them up. Then the mother carries the baby alligators to the water to eat tiny minnows and bugs. Baby alligators make high pitched sounds to alert the mother of danger.

mating Baby alligators are called hatchlings. If an egg is at 93 degrees+ the eggs are going to be a male. If incubated at 86 degrees + it would be a female. The eggs take two months to hatch

Alligator behaviors a)Alligators have 3 layers of eyelids, to see underwater. They also have a flap in their throat to open under water and eat their prey. They also have a flap in their nose so water does not get in the nose. Alligators have scales called scutes these plates are really tough for protection and camouflage for the alligator. Adaptations in habitat The alligator accidentally get in people’s pools but are supposed to live in their lakes and rivers and bayou's and alligators eat birds and turtles and fish and other alligators. Alligators have teeth for clamping on to prey not for chewing it up. Alligator babies get ate up by snapping turtles. Alligators have webbed feet and tail for swimming super fast through water and to steer. Alligators have sharp scales for protection.