SPRINGS FIELD GUIDE
Longnose Gar
FISH PROFILE
COMMON NAME
Longnose Gar
Scientific name
Lepisosteus osseus
FAMILY
Lepisosteidae family
LENGTH
Up to 6 feet
DIET
Mainly fish
FISH PROFILE
COMMON NAME
Longnose Gar
Scientific name
Lepisosteus osseus
FAMILY
Lepisosteidae family
LENGTH
Up to 6 feet
DIET
Mainly fish
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The longnose gar is a larger fish that can grow up to 6’ long! It is a tan-olive color, with brown spots and a very long narrow snout that measures twice as long as the rest of its head. These fish have a much longer, more narrow snout than Florida gar and lack spots on their pectoral and pelvic fins.
RANGE, HABITAT, BEHAVIOR, AND dIET
Longnose gar is typically found in the freshwaters of Central America, Cuba, and North America along the eastern half of the United State, but can be also be found in brackish waters. Their diet consists of smaller fish, crustaceans and occasionally insects. This species primarily feeds at night.
FUN FACTS
Gar eggs stick to aquatic plants and are toxic to animals and humans. Gar are an ancient, primitive fish, with relatives dating back 100-200 million years. All gar can breathe air via swim bladders, and can gulp air at the surface in low-oxygen conditions!