There are essentially two main types of alligators, American and Chinese. The American ones live mostly in the southern United States and parts of Mexico, while the Chinese ones live mostly in Eastern China. Alligators have long been used for the manufacture of luggage, handbags, shoes and belts. In the United States, they are also a popular tourist attraction as a central part of swamp tours. Archaeologists have uncovered numerous sites from Neolithic China that feature alligator drums, made from alligator skin, wood and clay.
There is an interesting connection to rhythm, performed by the male American alligator, that occurs during courtship. Alligators have near infra-sound capabilities, and the male uses these to communicate seismically with females. He will assume a “reverse-arch” position at the the water’s surface (holding his head and tail elevated, with his midsection barely breaking the surface of the water). The low frequencies he emits make the the water’s surface vibrate. We can hear the grunt coming out of his mouth, but it’s the low frequency rumble (the one that makes the water “shake”) that the female hears. This is usually called their “water dance”, check it out in this cool National Geographic video.
