Florida gar

Florida gar
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Clade: Ginglymodi
Order: Lepisosteiformes
Family: Lepisosteidae
Genus: Lepisosteus
Species:
L. platyrhincus
Binomial name
Lepisosteus platyrhincus
DeKay 1842
Synonyms[2][3]
  • Cylindrosteus castelnaudii Duméril 1870
  • Cylindrosteus megalops Fowler 1911

The Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus) is a species of gar found in the US from the Savannah River and Ochlockonee River watersheds of Georgia and throughout peninsular Florida. Florida gar can reach a length over 3 ft (91 cm). The young feed on zooplankton and insect larvae, as well as small fish. Adults mainly eat fish, shrimp, and crayfish. Although edible, they are not popular as food. The roe is highly toxic to many animals, including humans and birds.

  1. ^ NatureServe (2013). "Lepisosteus platyrhincus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T202412A18234213. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202412A18234213.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ^ Froese, R.; Pauly, D. (2017). "Lepisosteidae". FishBase version (02/2017). Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  3. ^ Van Der Laan, Richard; Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ronald (11 November 2014). "Family-group names of Recent fishes". Zootaxa. 3882 (1): 1–230. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1. PMID 25543675.