A crocodilian of the genus Alligator and the family Alligatoridae, the species often seen in Florida is one of two living species of alligator. The American alligator (A. mississippiensis), often called simply the gator, is endemic to the southeastern United States and is larger in overall size compared to the Chinese alligator species.
Found in freshwater wetlands, marshes, and swamps from Texas to North Carolina, this archaic beast has become something of an icon for the state of Florida. Alligators are apex predators, meaning they are at the top of the food chain in whatever ecosystem they inhabit, and are not preyed upon by any other animal save the occasional human. The American Gator plays an important role as a type of engineer / participant in their wetland ecosystem by creating "alligator holes" or depressions in the land that provide both wet and dry habitats for other nearby animals.
