Spotted gar

Spotted gar
Spotted gar
(Lepisosteus oculatus)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Clade: Ginglymodi
Order: Lepisosteiformes
Family: Lepisosteidae
Genus: Lepisosteus
Species:
L. oculatus
Binomial name
Lepisosteus oculatus
Synonyms[2][3]
  • ?Lepisosteus latirostris Girard 1858
  • Cylindostreus productus Cope 1865
  • Lepisosteus productus (Cope 1865)
  • Cylindrosteus agassizii Duméril 1870
  • Cylindrosteus bartonii Duméril 1870
  • Cylindrosteus zadockii Duméril 1870

The spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) is a freshwater fish native to North America that has an abundance of dark spots on its head, fins, and dart-like body. Spotted gar have an elongated mouth with many needle-like teeth to catch other fish and crustaceans. It is one of the smallest of the seven species of gar found in North America, growing 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m) in length and weighing 4–6 lb (1.8–2.7 kg) typically. Gars have diamond-shaped, thick, enamel (ganoid) scales. The name Lepisosteus is Greek for "bony scale".

Gars are almost never eaten in the central and northern United States. They have high levels of mercury and are considered a cancer risk.

  1. ^ Collette, B.B.; Grubbs, D.; Pezold, F.; Simons, J.; Caruso, J.; Carlson, J.; McEachran, J.D.; Brenner, J.; Tornabene, L.; Chakrabarty, P.; Robertson, R.; Daniels, A.; Maiz-Tome, L. (2019). "Lepisosteus oculatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T191026A1967019. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T191026A1967019.en. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  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.