Species: Lepisosteus osseus, Longnose Gar

Lepisosteus osseus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Longnose Gar

Elongate; a long conical snout, snout very elongate (79-83% of upper head length), very narrow; nostrils at front of snout; one row large teeth on each jaw (2 in young), smaller teeth on side of roof of mouth; gill rakers small and pear shaped; 14-31 on first gill arch; fleshy isthmus of body separating gill openings under throat with small bony ossicles; pectoral low on flank; pelvics at about middle of belly; single dorsal fin and anal fin at rear just before tail; fins without spines, with large scales around their bases; vertebral column continues upwards in a fleshy ridge at base of tail fin; body covered with an armor of large, heavy, rhomboidal scales that are attached diagonally to each other by peg-and-socket; top edge of tail fin covered with bony scales

Body darker grey above, lighter below; head usually without blotches, small and rounded if present; median fins and rear half of body with dark blotches.

Reaches over 160 cm; current IGFA record 22.7 kg.

Depth 0-10 m.

Mainly in freshwater; adults frequently in brackish and inshore marine areas.

New Jersey to S Texas.