I am trying to get some history on alligators but for some reason the internet doesn't like alligators: (
So if you could answer some of these questions that would be great:)
When did they first appear?
Who were they discovered by?
How long have they been around?
WHERE were they first discovered?
How have they changed/evolved?
How does their size now compare to back then?
Change in diets since they have been around?
I can't think of any other questions about the history. But if you can give more that would be great :))))
Thank you so much: D
This website has a lot of information on the Alligator.
http://edis .ifas.ufl.edu/uw230 Some of the information it states is:
It is believed that the family Alligatoridae first appeared about 35 million years ago.
The name "Alligator" was originally thought to be from the Spanish as "El Lagarto" and American settlers changed it to the common word, Alligator.so it safe to say the Spanish may have come across them first.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com And so fourth. Alligator haven't really evolved much throughout time. They have gotten a lot smaller than their ancestors who could reach lengths of up to 50 feet (Deinosuchus) but most stayed around 33 feet and could weight 5 to 10 TONS!
Where of the only TWO alligator species, The American Alligator can reach lengths of 19 feet and around 600lbs and the Chinese Crocodile can reach around 6 feet long and weigh considerably less. They pretty much the same diet or large to medium sized fish, small mammals and birds and pretty much anything alive that will fit in their mouth is going to be food.
Hope this helped, if you have anymore info just let me know.
http://crocodilian.com/
