 Longnose Gar Lepisosteus osseus |
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Longnose gar are large, cylindrical fish with a long beak-like nose and rounded
tail. The skin of the gar is very tough -- their hard, diamond-shaped rhombic
scales create a very effective armor against most predators. The scientific name
for gar, Lepisosteus osseus, translates into "boney scale,” and reportedly, early settlers and native American used their hide as abrasives and shield covers.
Typically, the upper side of the longnose gar is gray to olive, while the lower side is white or silvery. They often have large black spots on their sides and fins and a wide, dusky brown midlateral stripe running from nose to tail.
Longnose gar occur in the fresh to brackish waters of some tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. They are often found in shallow, protected coves and other slow moving water, and tend to be found where bay grasses are plentiful. Gar can survive at the surface with very little oxygen. Their specialized swim bladder allows them to utilize air that they gulp at the surface of water to supplement oxygen that is taken in through the gills.
Longnose gar are known to be aggressive predators. Fish are their favorite food, but they will also eat crustaceans and insects. Gar spawn in shallow water between May and June and their eggs are green, adhesive and unfortunately, can be toxic to other animals.
Illustration
of Longnose Gar courtesy of Duane Raver, USFWS For More Information |
