{"product_id":"5-alligator-mississippiensis-jaw-section-fossil-florida-pleistocene-epoch-florida-06jzz769","title":"5\" Alligator Mississippiensis Jaw Section Fossil Florida Pleistocene Epoch Florida","description":"\u003cp\u003eLocation: Polk County, Florida\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeight: 7 Ounces \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDimensions: 5 Inches Long, 2.1 Inches Wide, 1.3 Inches Thick \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(17, 97, 10);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe item pictured is the one you will receive.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePliocene Epoch Age 1-25 Million years old\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003eThe American alligator (\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(144, 68, 14);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlligator mississippiensis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e) is a highly adaptable crocodylian that has lived in the southeastern United States for millions of years with little significant change in its form. In Florida, the fossil record of Alligator mississippiensis and its ancestral relatives offers a detailed glimpse into the island's evolutionary history, past climates, and ancient ecosystems. Fossils of A. mississippiensis in Florida are definitive from the late Blancan of the early Pleistocene (around 2 million years ago) to the late Pleistocene (about 11,000 years ago). However, fossils called cf. Alligator mississippiensis, resembling but not definitively identified as the modern species, go back further, from the middle to late Miocene Epoch (roughly 12 to 6 million years ago). During warmer periods like the Miocene and Pliocene, alligators and their close relatives (such as Alligator mefferdi and Alligator thomsoni) ranged much further north and west across North America than today. The transition from these ancient forms to the modern species is debated among paleontologists due to considerable morphological variation within both living and extinct populations. Some researchers see A. mefferdi as a distinct Miocene species with a shorter, blunter snout and heavier cranial ornamentation, while others argue these variations are within the natural range of A. mississippiensis, potentially making A. mefferdi a junior synonym. The most definitive evidence for Alligator mississippiensis in Florida comes from fossils found at the Haile 7C and 7G sinkholes in Alachua County, showing their presence at least 2 million years ago. Pleistocene Florida specimens of A. mississippiensis reached impressive sizes, with some individuals estimated to have been nearly 23 feet long—much larger than any modern wild alligator. Since alligators continuously shed and replace their teeth (polyphyodont), isolated teeth and osteoderms (bony armor plates) are the most common fossils in Florida. A single alligator can produce thousands of teeth over its lifetime, which fossilize easily due to their dense enamel. Complete skull fossils are ideal for species identification within Alligator but are very rare, as the bones tend to disarticulate after death. Studying both modern and fossil alligator bones has provided broader biological insights. For instance, paleontologists examine thin sections of long bones, like the femur, to observe cyclical growth rings under a microscope. These rings reflect seasonal growth patterns—fast growth during warm, wet summers and halting during cooler winters—allowing scientists to estimate the age at death. This sclerochronological technique, refined using Florida alligator specimens, has also been used to determine the lifespan and rapid growth rates of extinct dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Aman 2026","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52412918825240,"sku":"06JZZ769","price":149.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1250\/0441\/files\/5U8A8790.jpg?v=1784306583","url":"https:\/\/www.fossilageminerals.com\/products\/5-alligator-mississippiensis-jaw-section-fossil-florida-pleistocene-epoch-florida-06jzz769","provider":"Fossil Age Minerals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}