gars

Gars are a group of elongated, predatory freshwater fishes that belong to the family Lepisosteidae, in the order Lepisosteiformes. They comprise two extant genera, Lepisosteus (gars) and Atractosteus (alligator gar), and have a fossil record dating back about 100 million years. Gars are notable for their long, narrow snouts filled with sharp teeth, their thick, diamond-shaped ganoid scales, and their elongated bodies. Most species have dorsal and anal fins situated far back near the tail. They can reach substantial sizes; some species exceed two meters in length, with the alligator gar capable of approaching three meters in extreme cases. Their coloration is generally olive to brown with vertical blotches.

Habitat and range: Gars inhabit freshwater and brackish water in North America and parts of Central America. In the United States, several species occur in river systems such as the Mississippi, Missouri and adjacent basins; tropical gar species are found further south in Central America. They are most active in clear, slow-moving waters but can tolerate a range of conditions.

Behavior and diet: Gars are ambush predators, feeding primarily on fish and occasionally crustaceans and amphibians. They have a specialized gas bladder that functions as a primitive lung, allowing some species to gulp air at the surface, enabling survival in oxygen-poor water.

Reproduction: Gars are oviparous, with external fertilization. Spawning occurs in warmer months in shallow waters.

Relationship to humans: Gars are valued as game fish and for their ecological role as predators, though they are sometimes regulated or protected where populations are threatened.