Longnose Gar

Description:

Longnose gar have long, narrow snouts more than twice as long as the rest of the head and they have abundant, sharp, villiform teeth. Mature L. osseus are olive brown in color with a white belly. Dark spots can be found on the median fins and, in individuals from clear water, on the body. Young L. osseus have a narrow brown stripe along their back and a broad dark brown strip along their sides (Page and Burr, 1991; Becker, 1983). The dorsal and anal fins of the longnose gar are located far back on the body, which is encased in a heavy armor of interlocking, rhomboid, ganoid scales (Ross, 2001).

Habitat:

Blue Springs State Park.

Notes:

Primitive ray-finned fish of the gar family. The gar have been present in North America for about 100 million years.