The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is a crocodilian reptile endemic to the United States. A. mississippiensis has existed in the US for over 8 million years and is an important ecosystem engineer of marsh and wetland habitats (Whiting et al. 2016). They are apex predators consuming a wide range of prey items. As individuals mature, there are significant changes in their diet, which is reflected in the teeth morphology; younger individuals have piercing teeth for insect and small fish prey items, whereas mature adults have blunt, robust teeth capable of resisting damage from impacting on bone (Erickson et al. 2003). A. mississippiensis has an exceptionally strong bite force at 9,452N which at one point was the strongest recorded bite of any animal (Erickson et al. 2003).
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