Longnose gar

Lepisosteus osseus

Longnose gar. Photo:Duane Raver, USFWS

This gar species is a long, cylindrical, predatory fish, easily recognized by its long, narrow snout. This gar is a primitive fish that is armored with large ganoid scales. Ratios of males to females for gars undergoes a dramatic shift with age. Early in life, male gars outnumber females by a factor of 2.6:1.0. For gars aged 10 and older, the ratio drops down to 0.08:1.0. Females also grow much faster than males. Like the bowfin, gars can gulp air at the surface. Consequently, this species can survive in poor quality habitats such as stagnant ponds and canals that are characterized by low oxygen conditions.