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Alligator

An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae.

Note: The above text is excerpted from the Wikipedia article "Alligator", which has been released under the GNU Free Documentation License.

For more information, see the following related content on ScienceDaily:

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Research Findings Can Help to Increase Population Size of Endangered Species

Feb. 3, 2021 — The findings of a new study examining the behaviors of alligator and caiman hatchlings have enhanced our understanding of how we can conserve, and increase, the population of endangered crocodilian ...

Study Shows Life Near the Golf Course Isn't Easy for Alligators

Sep. 20, 2023 — Living on a golf course dramatically changes alligator feeding ...

Beheaded Croc Reveals Ancient Family Secrets

Mar. 9, 2022 — The partially fossilized remains of a giant extinct crocodilian that could have been ritualistically beheaded explain how modern crocodilian species may have evolved. Discovered in southern China, ...

Alligator Hearts Keep Beating No Matter What

Feb. 16, 2021 — A new study finds that an alligator heart will not fibrillate when exposed to drastic temperature changes, unlike a rabbit (mammal) heart, which is critically vulnerable to heart trauma under those ...

How Early Tetrapods Learned to Live -- And Eat -- On Land

Feb. 1, 2021 — Recent research has found evidence that the lobe-finned fish species Tiktaalik roseae was capable of both biting and suction during feeding, similar to modern-day ...

Mapping North Carolina's Ghost Forests from 430 Miles Up

Apr. 6, 2021 — Throughout the U.S. East Coast, trees are dying off as rising seas and higher storm surges push saltwater farther inland. While these 'ghost forests' are becoming more common in North ...

Alligators Exposed to PFAS Show Autoimmune Effects

Oct. 20, 2022 — A recent study of alligators in the Cape Fear River found the animals had elevated levels of 14 different per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals in their blood serum, as well as clinical and ...

How Coastal Forests Are Managed Can Impact Water Cycle

Mar. 29, 2021 — Using meteorological sensors perched on towers above the forest canopy, researchers are able to track water flow to and from wetland forests on the North Carolina coast. They have gathered data on ...

Dinosaurs Were the First to Take the Perspectives of Others

May 22, 2023 — Understanding that others hold different viewpoints from your own is essential for human sociality. Adopting another person's visual perspective is a complex skill that emerges around the age of ...

Revealing the Genome of the Common Ancestor of All Mammals

Sep. 28, 2022 — An international team has reconstructed the genome organization of the earliest common ancestor of all mammals. The reconstructed ancestral genome could help in understanding the evolution of mammals ...

Plants & Animals News

December 8, 2023

'Shocking' Discovery: Electricity from Electric Eels May Transfer Genetic Material to Nearby Animals

Dec. 5, 2023 — Researchers have discovered that electric eels can alter the genes of tiny fish larvae with their electric shock. Their findings help to better understand electroporation, a method by which genes can ...

Mice Pass the Mirror Test, a Classic Indicator of Self-Recognition

Dec. 5, 2023 — Researchers report that mice display behavior that resembles self-recognition when they see themselves in the mirror. When the researchers marked the foreheads of black-furred mice with a spot of white ink, the mice spent more time grooming their ...

More Than a Meteorite: New Clues About the Demise of Dinosaurs

Dec. 4, 2023 — What wiped out the dinosaurs? A meteorite plummeting to Earth is only part of the story, a new study suggests. Climate change triggered by massive volcanic eruptions may have ultimately set the stage for the dinosaur extinction, challenging the ...

Twin Research Indicates That a Vegan Diet Improves Cardiovascular Health

Nov. 30, 2023 — A recent trial of identical twins comparing vegan and omnivore diets found that a vegan diet improves overall cardiovascular ...

Latest Headlines

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Immersive VR Goggles for Mice Unlock New Potential for Brain Science

Dec. 8, 2023 — New miniature virtual reality (VR) goggles provide more immersive experiences for mice living in laboratory settings. By more faithfully simulating natural environments, the researchers can more ...

Climate Change Will Increase Wildfire Risk and Lengthen Fire Seasons

Dec. 8, 2023 — Wildfires are some of the most destructive natural disasters in the country, threatening lives, destroying homes and infrastructure, and creating air pollution. In order to properly forecast and ...

Coral Reefs in Peril from Record-Breaking Ocean Heat

Dec. 8, 2023 — Record breaking marine heatwaves will cause devastating mass coral bleaching worldwide in the next few years, according to a coral reef ...

New Genes Can Arise from Nothing

Dec. 8, 2023 — The complexity of living organisms is encoded within their genes, but where do these genes come from? Researchers resolved outstanding questions regarding the origin of small regulatory genes, and ...

First Global Estimate of Marine Aquarium Trade to Encourage Sustainable Practices

Dec. 7, 2023 — New research estimates 55 million marine organisms worth $2.15bn are sold in the marine aquarium trade each year, making it as valuable as global ...

Growing Biofilms Actively Alter Host Environment

Dec. 7, 2023 — Dental plaque, gut bacteria and the slippery sheen on river rocks are all examples of biofilms, organized communities of microorganisms that colonize our bodies and the world around us. A new study ...

Urbanization Increases Seasonal Differences in Plant-Pollinator Networks

Dec. 7, 2023 — Increasing urbanization worldwide is a growing threat to biodiversity. At the same time, flowering plants are often more diverse in cities than in the countryside. This is due to flowering plants and ...

Baboons in Captivity in Ancient Egypt: Insights from Collection of Mummies

Dec. 6, 2023 — Baboons were raised in captivity before being mummified in Ancient Egyptian sites, according to a new ...

Jays Jump in While Crows Hold out for the Treat

Dec. 6, 2023 — New research has found that two similar species of birds behave very differently around their favorite food when they have company. Biologists compared the behavior of two species of corvids, ...

Influx of Water and Salts Propel Immune Cells Through the Body

Dec. 6, 2023 — Researchers have shown that an influx of water and ions into immune cells allows them to migrate to where they're needed in the body. ...