Shortnose gar

Fish Disease Tips: Set up and use a quarantine tank. This is a small inconvenience that can really save your butt.

Contents of this page belong to www.fishlookup.com The shortnose gar (Lepisosteus platostomus) is a primitive freshwater fish of the family Lepisosteidae. In Greek, Lepisosteus translates to “bony scale,” whereas platostomus means “broad mouth.”

Shortnose gar can be discerned from other gar species in that they lack the upper jaw of the alligator gar, the long snout of the longnose gar, and the markings of the spotted gar.

Shortnose gar are native to the Mississippi River system, ranging from the Gulf Coast to as far north as Montana (in the west) and the Ohio River (in the east). They inhabit large rivers and their backwaters, as well as oxbow lakes and large pools. Shortnose gar typically spawn during May to July and are often accompanied by more than one male. The female scatters yellow eggs in submerged vegetation and other underwater structures where they will hatch within eight days. The fry remain in the yolk sac for another week where they feed on insect larvae and small crustaceans. Sexual maturity is achieved when the gar reaches approximately 15 inches in length.[1]

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