Danny Blake, age 10, of South Windam, Me., for his question;

Is a salamander related to an alligator?

The salamander and the alligator are not even distantly related, though in some respects they look alike. The salamander is an amphibian, a distant relative of the frogs and toads. The alligator is a reptile, a distant relative of the snakes and lizard. Most salamanders are only a few inches long but an alligator grows to be several feet long. The alligator has a scaly skin and the salamander has a soft, moist skin.

The main difference between them, however, is in their life history. Both lay eggs, but alligator eggs hatch on land are salamanders must hatch in the water„ Baby alligators look just like their parents. Baby salamanders go through a tadpole stage, like their froggy cousins. They have gills and can take in oxygen from the water. Some salamanders keep their gills all their lives and never leave the water. Those that develop lungs can still take oxygen from the water through the skin. The alligator must breathe air all his life.