![]() According to wildlife officials, the fish was estimated to be between 50 and 70 years old one report estimated the gar's age to be at least 95. Williams was pulling up his net on Lake Chotard, expecting to find buffalo fish, but instead discovered a large alligator gar tangled in his net. The largest alligator gar officially recorded was inadvertently caught in the net of fisherman Kenny Williams of Vicksburg, Mississippi, while he was fishing the oxbow lakes of the Mississippi River on February 14, 2011. However, anecdotal reports suggest they can grow up to 10 ft (3 m) in length, and weigh as much as 350 lb (159 kg). Mature alligator gar commonly measure 6 ft (1.8 m) in length, and weigh over 100 lb (45 kg). Anatomy Īlligator gar maneuvering with pectoral fins in large zoo aquariumĪlligator gar are the largest species in the gar family, and among the largest freshwater fishes found in North America. Alligator gar are being cultured in ponds, pools, raceways, and tanks by federal hatcheries for mitigation stocking, by universities for research purposes, and in Mexico for consumption. Several state and federal resource agencies are monitoring populations in the wild, and have initiated outreach programs to educate the public. ![]() They are also protected under the Lacey Act, which makes transporting certain species of fish in interstate commerce illegal when in violation of state law or regulation. Over time, alligator gar were afforded some protection by state and federal resource agencies. The 1980s brought a better understanding of the ecological balance necessary to sustain an ecosystem, and eventually an awareness that the alligator gar is an important element of the ecosystems they inhabit. They are considered euryhaline because they can adapt to varying salinities ranging from freshwater lakes and swamps to brackish marshes, estuaries, and bays along the Gulf of Mexico.įor nearly a half century, alligator gar were considered "trash fish", or a "nuisance species" detrimental to sport fisheries, and were targeted for elimination by state and federal authorities in the United States. Populations are now located primarily in the southern portions of the United States extending into Mexico. Populations of alligator gar have been extirpated from much of their historic range as a result of habitat destruction, indiscriminate culling, and unrestricted harvests. Alligator gar are stalking, ambush predators, primarily piscivores, but they also ambush and eat waterfowl and small mammals they find floating on the water's surface. ![]() Unlike other gar species, the upper jaw of an alligator gar has a dual row of large, sharp teeth that are used to impale and hold prey. Ganoid scales are nearly impenetrable and are excellent protection against predation. Their scales are not like the scales of other fishes rather, they are ganoid scales, which are bone-like, rhomboidal-shaped scales, often with serrated edges, and covered by an enamel-like substance. In very rare occurrences, they can also be black, seen in gars that have a high level of melanin. The body of an alligator gar is torpedo-shaped, usually brown or olive, fading to a lighter gray or yellow ventral surface. Anecdotal evidence suggests that an alligator gar can grow up to 10 ft (3.0 m) in length. Their common name was derived from their resemblance to the American alligator, particularly their broad snouts and long, sharp teeth. Gars are often referred to as " primitive fishes" or " living fossils" because they have retained some morphological characteristics of their early ancestors, such as a spiral valve intestine, which is also common to the digestive system of sharks, and the ability to breathe in both air and water. The fossil record traces its group's existence back to the Early Cretaceous over 100 million years ago. It is the largest species in the gar family (Lepisosteidae), and is among the largest freshwater fish in North America. The alligator gar ( Atractosteus spatula) is an euryhaline ray-finned fish in the clade Ginglymodi of the infraclass Holostei / h oʊ ˈ l ɒ s t i aɪ/, being most closely related to the bowfins. ![]()
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