Alligator mississippiensis is a multicellular, heterotrophic organism classified in the Kingdom Animalia.  They are part of the Chordates because they have notochords, pharyngeal slits, a nerve cord, and endostyle.  They belong to the subphylum Vertebrata because they have bones that make up a vertebral column.  They fall under the Class Sauropsida because their embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane.  They are classified in the Order Crocodilia because they are large reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago.  They are the closest living relative to birds, the two groups are the only two to survive Archosauria.  They the fall under the Family Alligatoridae.  This family consists of two genus', the Alligators and the Caimans.  Which finally leads the only two species of the Genus Alligator.  These two species include the Alligator mississippiensis (American alligator) and the Alligator sinensis (Chinese alligator).  The Alligator mississippiensis is the only species of alligator in the entire United States!

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