{{Taxobox
| color = pink
| name = Alligators and Caimans
| fossil_range = [[Cretaceous]] - Recent
| image = Florida Alligator.jpg
| image_width = 200px
| image_caption = [[American Alligator]]
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[reptile|Sauropsida]]
| ordo = [[Crocodilia]]
| familia = '''Alligatoridae'''
| familia_authority = [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1844
| subdivision_ranks = Living Genera
| subdivision =
''[[Alligator]]'' <br />
''[[Caiman]]'' <br />
''[[Melanosuchus]]'' <br />
''[[Paleosuchus]]''
}}
'''Alligators''' and '''caimans''' are [[archosaur]]s, small [[species]] of [[crocodilia]]ns and forming the [[family (biology)|family]] '''Alligatoridae''' (sometimes regarded instead as the [[subfamily]] '''Alligatorinae''').

[[Alligator]]s differ from crocodiles principally in having wider and shorter heads, with more obtuse snouts; in having the fourth, enlarged tooth of the under jaw received, not into an external notch, but into a pit formed for it within the upper one; in lacking a jagged fringe which appears on the hind legs and feet of the crocodile; in having the toes of the hind feet webbed not more than half way to the tips; and an intolerance to salinity, alligators strongly preferring fresh water, while crocodiles can tolerate salt water due to specialized glands for filtering out salt. In general, crocodiles tend to be more dangerous to humans than alligators.

Alligators proper occur in the fluvial deposits of the age of the [[Cretaceous|Upper Chalk]] in Europe, where they did not die out until the [[Pliocene]] age.

The true alligators are now restricted to two species, ''[[American Alligator |A. mississippiensis]]'' in the [[Southern United States]], which grows to an average of 4 m (12 ft), with the record of 5.79 m (19 ft) in length, and the small ''[[Chinese Alligator|A. sinensis]]'' in the [[Yangtze River]], [[People's Republic of China]], which grows to an average of 1.5 m (5 ft). Their name derives from the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] ''el lagarto'', which appears to be a cognate of ''la lagartija,'' "the lizard").

In [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]], alligators are represented by five species of the [[genus]] ''[[Caiman]]'', which differs from the alligator by the absence of a bony septum between the nostrils, and the ventral armour is composed of overlapping bony scutes, each of which is formed of two parts united by a suture. Some authorities further divide this genus into three, splitting off the smooth-fronted caimans into a genus ''Paleosuchus'' and the Black Caiman into ''Melanosuchus''.

''C. crocodilus'', the Spectacled Caiman, has the widest distribution, from southern Mexico to the northern half of Argentina, and grows to a modest size of about 2.2 meters. The largest, attaining an enormous bulk and a length of 6 meters, is the [[red list|near-threatened]] ''Melanosuchus niger'', the Jacare-assu, Large, or Black Caiman of the Amazon. The [[Black Caiman]] and [[American Alligator]] are the only members of the alligator family posing the same danger to humans as the larger species of the [[crocodile]] family.

Although the Caiman has not been studied in-depth, it has been discovered that their mating cycles (previously thought to be spontaneous or year-round) are linked to the rainfall cycles and the river levels in order to increase their offspring's chances of survival.

<br clear=left>
[[Image:Crocnest.JPG|thumb|right|250px|An alligator nest at [[Everglades National Park]], [[Florida]].]]

==Species==

* '''ORDER [[Crocodilia]]'''
** '''Family Alligatoridae'''
*** Genus ''[[Leidyosuchus]]'' (extinct)
*** Genus ''[[Deinosuchus]]'' (extinct)
*** '''Subfamily Alligatorinae'''
**** Genus ''[[Albertochampsa]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Chrysochampsa]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Hassiacosuchus]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Navahosuchus]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Ceratosuchus]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Allognathosuchus]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Hispanochampsa]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Arambourgia]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Procaimanoidea]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Wannaganosuchus]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Alligator]]''
***** ''[[Alligator prenasalis]]'' (extinct)
***** ''[[Alligator mcgrewi]]'' (extinct)
***** ''[[Alligator olseni]]'' (extinct)
***** [[Chinese Alligator]], ''Alligator sinensis ''
***** ''[[Alligator mefferdi]]'' (extinct)
***** [[American Alligator]], ''Alligator mississippiensis
*** '''Subfamily Caimaninae'''
**** Genus ''[[Necrosuchus]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Eocaiman]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Paleosuchus]]''
***** [[Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman]], ''Paleosuchus palpebrosus''
***** [[Smooth-fronted Caiman]], ''Paleosuchus trigonatus''
**** Genus ''[[Purussaurus]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Mourasuchus]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''[[Orthogenysuchus]]'' (extinct)
**** Genus ''Caiman''
***** [[Yacare Caiman]], ''Caiman yacare''
***** [[Spectacled Caiman]], ''Caiman crocodilus ''
****** Rio Apaporis Caiman, ''C. c. apaporiensis ''
****** Brown Caiman, ''C. c. fuscus''
***** ''[[Caiman lutescans]]'' (extinct)
***** ''[[Caiman sorontans]]'' (extinct) - Not reported in the literature, probably a ''nomen nudum''
***** [[Broad-snouted Caiman]], ''Caiman latirostris ''
**** Genus ''[[Melanosuchus]]''
***** ''[[Melanosuchus fisheri]]'' (extinct)
***** [[Black Caiman]], ''Melanosuchus niger''

==Cultural aspects==
[[image:Largealligatorfarm_panorama.jpg|thumb|400px|right|South Beach Alligator Farm.]]
In [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] and [[African American]] [[folklore]], the alligator is revered, especially the teeth, which can be worn as a charm against [[witchcraft]] and [[poison]].

''El hombre caiman'' (The caiman man) is a legend from the north coast of Colombia.

Often, it is the butt of practical jokes by [[trickster]]s like [[Brer Rabbit]].

An [[urban legend]] states that full grown alligators exist in the sewers of cities like [[New York City]]. According to one version of this story, people buy baby alligators after visiting [[Florida]] or other places where they are native, and flush them down the toilet once they get big. Such alligators could not survive, however, because without UV rays from sunlight, alligators cannot properly metabolize calcium, resulting in metabolic bone disease and eventually death. Small released alligators and caimans, though, are occasionally found in northern lakes. See [[Sewer alligator]] for more information.

Alligator skin was once a highly prized [[leather]], and was farmed in some areas, as pictured in the panoramic image above. Alligator is sometimes eaten as an exotic meat. Specifically, the alligator's tail is eaten commonly in the southern U.S., especially in [[Florida]].

[[Category:Crocodilians]]

[[bg:Алигаторови]]
[[ca:Caiman]]
[[de:Alligatoren]]
[[es:Alligatoridae]]
[[eo:Aligatoredoj]]
[[fr:Alligatoridae]]
[[ko:앨리게이터과]]
[[hr:Aligatori]]
[[it:Alligatoridae]]
[[he:אליגטוריים]]
[[la:Alligatoridae]]
[[lt:Aligatoriniai]]
[[hu:Aligátorfélék]]
[[nl:Alligators]]
[[ja:アリゲーター科]]
[[pl:Aligatorowate]]
[[pt:Jacaré]]
[[ru:Аллигаторовые]]
[[simple:Alligatoridae]]
[[sr:Алигатор]]
[[fi:Alligaattorit]]
[[sv:Alligatorer och kajmaner]]
[[zh-yue:短吻鱷科]]