Longnose Gar

Lepisosteus osseus

Also known as: Billfish, Billy Gar, Garfish, Garpike, Longnose Garpike, Long-nosed Gar, Needlenose Gar

ALSO KNOWN AS

Billfish
Billy Gar
Garfish
Garpike
Longnose Garpike
Long-nosed Gar
Needlenose Gar

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2019

Add a photo

Longnose Gar adult, photographed at Arizona Aquarium, United States — @fishx6 · Arizona Aquarium, United States · September 20191 / 1

Overview

Found in sluggish backwaters, oxbows, lakes, pools, and large rivers.
Widespread Central America, North America

Gars have heavily armoured scales and are usually found in freshwater but occasionally can be found in marine waters.
They have an air bladder to breathe air in oxygen depleted water.

How to identify

COLOURS

Pattern: spots
Head & Mouth: long nose
Behaviour: breathes air

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Habitat & where to find it

Country only · 1

LIVES IN

freshwater

Found in sluggish backwaters, oxbows, lakes, pools, and large rivers.

Adult photos 1

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ALL STAGES

FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

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Taxonomy

kingdomAnimalia
phylumChordata
classHolostei
orderLepisosteiformes
familyLepisosteidae
genusLepisosteus
speciesLepisosteus osseus (Linnaeus, 1758)

SourcesWoRMS FishBase