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Talk:American alligator/GA1

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GA Review

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Reviewer: Cwmhiraeth (talk · contribs) 10:39, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I propose to take on this review and will be starting in the next couple of days. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 10:39, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

First reading

[edit]

In general the prose standard is good but there are some sentences that need clarification or rephrasing. I did a bit of copyediting.

  • Wikilink or explain - extant, lingual salt glands.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "During the breeding season, males bellow in infrasound to attract females." - I think this needs clarification.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • Is "layed" the correct spelling in American English?
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "It is likely that the Chinese alligator descended from a linage that crossed Beringia in during the late Tertiary, despite the climate." - First, there is an extra preposition in the sentence. Second, I don't think the last phrase is satisfactory. I suggest you either omit it or find information on what the climate was like at that period.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "American alligators range up to 4–4.5 m (13–15 ft) for adult males" - If you are going to use "up to", you need a single figure.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "... lower teeth which fit into the jaws depressions." - You either need an apostrophe or a different way of expressing this.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • " In the water, alligators swim in a matter similar to fish" - I think you mean "manner".
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "During respiration, airflow is unidirectional, moving in the same direction during inhalation and exhalation." I think this needs some explanation.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "They could survive only in captivity." - Why?
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "American alligators are less prone to cold than American crocodiles." - I don't think "prone" is the right word here.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Both sexes likely den underneath banks or clumps of trees during the winter." - I don't care for this sentence construction.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "The American alligator is considered the apex predator through its range." - You probably mean throughout.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • There is an excessive use of the word "prey" in the first and second paragraph of the Diet section, and there is some repetition in the second paragraph of matters mentioned in the first.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "The teeth of the alligator are designed to grip prey but can not rip or chew flesh as well as the dentition of some other predators (such as canids and felids)." - This sentence needs rephrasing because the "as well as" is ambiguous.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "The biting force of the alligator is enormous, packing enough power to smash a turtle's shell or through a moderately sized mammal bone." - I think this is not really expressed in an encyclopaedic matter.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:20, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
To be continued. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 13:09, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

A few more observations on the prose:

  • "Male alligators are also known to use infrasound during their mating behavior, as one of their routines is to engage in bellowing at this frequency while their head and tail are above the water, with their midsection very slightly submerged, making the surface of the water that is directly over their back literally "sprinkle" from their infrasound bellowing, in a so-called "water dance"" - This sentence is too long and complex and needs to be split up.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 17:08, 10 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "This differs from Nile crocodiles who lay their eggs in pits" - I would use "which" here.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 17:08, 10 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Those eggs which are hatched at a temperature of 34 °C (93 °F) or more become males, while those at a temperature of 34 °C (93 °F) or lower become female." - This sentence needs rewriting. The 34 °C cut-off point only needs to be stated once.
Fixed typo. LittleJerry (talk) 17:08, 10 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "Hatchlings gather into pods and are guarded by their mother with whom thy keep in contact with via vocalizations." - Too many "with"s.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 17:08, 10 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • The "Human deaths and injuries" has several sentences at the end of paragraphs that lack references.
Removed. LittleJerry (talk) 17:08, 10 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Cwmhiraeth (talk) 09:04, 10 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Rate Attribute Review Comment
1. Well-written:
1a. the prose is clear, concise, and understandable to an appropriately broad audience; spelling and grammar are correct. My previous concerns have been met.
1b. it complies with the Manual of Style guidelines for lead sections, layout, words to watch, fiction, and list incorporation. It complies with the MOS guidelines.
2. Verifiable with no original research:
2a. it contains a list of all references (sources of information), presented in accordance with the layout style guideline. It is well referenced.
2b. reliable sources are cited inline. All content that could reasonably be challenged, except for plot summaries and that which summarizes cited content elsewhere in the article, must be cited no later than the end of the paragraph (or line if the content is not in prose). Sources are reliable as far as I can see.
2c. it contains no original research. Not as far as I can see.
3. Broad in its coverage:
3a. it addresses the main aspects of the topic. The main topics expected of an article of this kind are included.
3b. it stays focused on the topic without going into unnecessary detail (see summary style). Article remains focused.
4. Neutral: it represents viewpoints fairly and without editorial bias, giving due weight to each. No problem.
5. Stable: it does not change significantly from day to day because of an ongoing edit war or content dispute. Article seems stable.
6. Illustrated, if possible, by media such as images, video, or audio:
6a. media are tagged with their copyright statuses, and valid non-free use rationales are provided for non-free content. Images are appropriately licensed as far as I can see.
6b. media are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions. Images are relevant and well captioned.
7. Overall assessment. I believe this article meets the Good Article criteria. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 11:07, 12 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
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