Camouflaged gator glides through carpet of algae - PHOTO

Gliding effortlessly through a carpet of algae, this American alligator barely skims the surface - until it lifts its head and seems to break into a smile.The feared creature shows rows of small pointed teeth as its jaws gape wide in a relaxed yawn.Spotted by marine wildlife photographer Mark Conlin, 54, the reptile made its sneaky appearance in a small pool connected to the Wacissa River in Jefferson County, Florida.Returning to the same spot every day for two weeks, the Colorado-born photographer was told by locals that a big gator could be found lurking in the water.'For the first couple of days I never saw it, and assumed I was in the wrong spot as there are a bunch of small side pools off the main river,' he said.'They told me to go back every day and be patient, and they were right.'On the third day, there it was - right in the middle of the pool.'It felt like time stood still, as if this is how it would have looked 1000 years ago.'Perched about 20 feet away, Mark watched as the alligator moved silently through the duckweed.Despite leaving a small trail, the duckweed in the pool is so thick it fills in the space behind the reptile immediately.Back in the main river, where pines and cypress trees line both sides, the duckweed is barely visible, washed away by the force of the current.Yet in the summer, the algae in this hideaway gathers in abundance, covering both water and wildlife - with only a solitary reptile breaking the green.Mark said: 'The pictures just show how amazingly prehistoric the gator looks. You need to see them up close to really appreciate their force and power.'(dailymail.co.uk)ANN.Az