SPRINGS FIELD GUIDE

Longnose Gar

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FISH PROFILE

COMMON NAME

Longnose Gar

Scientific name

Lepisosteus osseus

FAMILY

Lepisosteidae family

LENGTH

Up to 6 feet

DIET

Mainly fish

Play Video

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!

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