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Florida Gar
Florida Gar |
Longnose Gar |
Spotted Gar |
Alligator Gar
Florida Gar
(Lepisosteus platyrhincus)
Common Names
- gar, garfish, spotted gar
Description
- They have irregular round, black spots on the top of
the head and over the entire body and on all the fins.
Other gars, except for spotted gars, have spots on the
fins and usually on the posterior part of the body. They
can be distinguished from other gars, such as spotted
gars, by the distance from the front of the eye to the
back of the gill cover. In Florida gars, the distance is
less than two-thirds the length of the snout. In spotted
gars, the distance is more than two-thirds the length of
the snout. Other characteristics of Florida gars include
a shorter, broader snout with a single row of
irregularly spaced sharp teeth on both upper and lower
jaws and no bony scales on the throat. The coloration is
olive-brown along the back and upper sides with a
white-to-yellow belly. The young sometimes have dark
stripes along back and sides.
Subspecies
- There are no recognized subspecies.
Range
- They are found in the Ochlockonee River and waters
east and south in peninsular Florida.
Habitat
- They inhabit medium-to-large lowland streams, canals
and lakes with mud or sand bottoms near underwater
vegetation. Like all gars, they use an air bladder to
breathe air to survive in poorly oxygenated water.
Spawning Habits
- Spawning occurs in late winter and early spring.
Groups of fish of both sexes congregate in shallow weedy
waters where the females discharge their adhesive eggs
among the submerged aquatic plants. The newly hatched
young possess an adhesive organ on the end of their
snout and stay attached to vegetation until they are
about 3/4-inch long.
Feeding Habits
- Young fish feed on zooplankton, insect larvae and
small fish. Adults primarily feed on fish, shrimp and
crayfish.
Age and Growth
- Florida gars grow rapidly and can reach a length of 30
inches.
Sporting Qualities
- See longnose gar.
Eating Quality
- Although edible, they are unpopular as food. The roe
is highly toxic to humans, animals and birds.
World Record
- 21.19 pounds, caught in Boca Raton, Florida, in 1981.
State Record
- 9.44 pounds, caught in Lake Lawne, Orange County, in
2001.
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