Species: Lepisosteus platyrhincus, Florida Gar

Lepisosteus platyrhincus DeKay, 1842

Florida Gar

Elongate; a long conical snout that is relatively short and broad, < 75% head length, distance from front of eye to back of gill cover < 2/3 snout length; nostrils at front of snout; one row large teeth on each jaw (2 rows in young), smaller teeth on side of roof of mouth; gill rakers small and pear shaped, 14-33; fleshy isthmus of body separating gill openings under throat without 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; top of head with large oblong dark blotches; body heavily blotched; fins blotched.

Reaches 132 cm, 4.3 kg.

Depth 0-10 m.

Freshwater; but also enters brackish water.

S Carolina to Florida.