Alligator Gar
Lepisosteus spatula
Description
They are one of the most distinctive freshwater fish species. Alligator gars are the largest of all gar species with a head that looks very much like an alligator's. They can be distinguished from all other gars species by the two rows of teeth in the upper jaw, their short-broader snout, and their size when fully grown. The body is long, slender, and olive or greenish brown (sometimes black) along the back. The dorsal surface of the alligator gar is a brown or olive-color, while the ventral surface tends to be a lighter color. The sides are mottled toward the head with large black spots toward the rear and on the rear fins. The young have a light stripe along their back from tip of snout to upper base of caudal fin. Unlike other gars, the mature alligator gar possesses a dual row of large teeth in the upper jaw. It is these remarkably alligator-like teeth which gives it its name.
Warning
The roe (eggs) of the Alligator Gar are considered poisonous.
Habitat
They inhabit sluggish pools and backwaters of large rivers, bayous and lakes. They rarely are found in brackish or salt water. Though the alligator gar prefers slow-moving waters, it appears to need running water in order to spawn. Spawning occurs in May-Aug, when the fish deposit their eggs in shallow water. The female swims up stream with an escourt of 2 or more males. They are one of the monsters of fresh waters.Range
Alligator gar are found in the southeastern United States: Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. They have also been known occasionally to come as far north as central Kansas, off the Republican River and up into Clarks Creek. They inhabit sluggish pools and backwaters or large rivers, bayous, and lakes. They are rarely found in brackish or saltwater, but are more adaptable to the latter than are other gars.