The genus of alligators is "Alligator" and the family is "Alligatoridae."

An alligatorid is one of two species in the family Alligatoridae - that of either a caiman or an alligator.

The scientific classification of the American alligator is:

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Reptilia
• Order: Crocodylia
• Family: Alligatoridae
• Genus: Alligator
• Species: Alligator mississippiensis

Neither...a cayman (caiman) is a cayman. Crocodile: Order: Crocodilia Family: Crocodylidae Alligator: Order: Crocodilia Family: Alligatoridae Cayman: Order: Crocodilia Family: Alligatoridae Subfamily: Caimaninae The cayman is more closely related to the alligator having the same family, but the cayman has a different subfamily and the genus and species are different for all three. Neither...a cayman (caiman) is a cayman. Crocodile: Order: Crocodilia Family: Crocodylidae Alligator: Order: Crocodilia Family: Alligatoridae Cayman: Order: Crocodilia Family: Alligatoridae Subfamily: Caimaninae The cayman is more closely related to the alligator having the same family, but the cayman has a different subfamily and the genus and species are different for all three. Deb McGuire http://www.hawaiipetphotos.com

North American alligators constitute the genus Alligator,family Crocodylidae and are sometimes recognized as a separate family, Alligatoridae.