Alligatorid

This species is large compared with known Eocene alligatorids, although its character states present a mosaic of resemblances to earlier and later alligatorids.

Although most alligatorids have ventral osteoderms, the American alligator usually has only poorly developed single osteoderms in the pectoral and midventral regions, if at all (Fig. 6C and D).

The oldest alligatorid, Navajosuchus mooki, is from the lowermost Paleocene (66-62 Ma).