Species: Atractosteus spatula, Alligator Gar

Atractosteus spatula (Lacepede, 1803)

Alligator Gar

Elongate, robust, round bodied; snout elongate, but broad and relatively short (<60% of head length); nostrils at front of snout; top of skull covered with small round bony tubercles; cheeks covered with numerous plates; large fangs in 2 row on both jaws, side of roof of mouth with another row; gill rakers large, flattened and fan shaped, with multi-pointed cusps on outer edge, 59-66 outer rakers; pectoral low on flank; pelvics at about middle of body; dorsal (1) and anal fin at rear just before tail; fins without spines; vertebral column continues upwards in a fleshy ridge at base of tail fin; tail a slightly asymmetrical fan; scales form large rhomboidal plates, attached diagonally to each other by peg-and-socket; 58-62 lateral line scales, 49-54 scales before dorsal fin; median fins with large scales at front of base.

Dark brown to tan above; belly yellowish to white; sometimes dark blotches on tail base and fins.

Reaches over 300 cm, at least 137 kg.

Depth: 0-10 m.

Fresh, brackish and marine inshore waters.

The Gulf of Mexico.