The Gar Pictorial ID Guide

Useful Links for Gar IDENTIFICATION

Here are some useful (and painstakingly completed) links for you to access should you want to identify your gar or learn more about gar identification.

Important Gar References/Resources:

Lepisosteidae.net
(illustrations of all gar species, photo IDs coming soon)

GARS - PrimitiveFishes.com
(photos of all gar species - adults, juveniles, hybrids)

ID Keys

GAR Key v.2.0
(photos of all gar species - adults, sub-adults, hybrids)

Juvenile Gar Key
(photos of all gar species - young of the year & juvenile individuals)

Other useful links

The Gar Quiz
(interesting pictures of gars with their ID's and reasons behind it)


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Hey guys, I'm still in need of more pics so feel free to send in images that is of similiar quality to the ones below! if possible, i will use them and credit you, so remember to specify how you wish to be credited (your name). otherwise, i will simply credit it to your screen name.

images may be subject to slight editing and watermarking in the manner below

Author(s):
Images by:
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by

*** All Information Copyright 2010 the authors and www.MonsterFishKeepers.com OR used with permission. All Images Copyright 2010 the correspondingly credited and used with permission.

Gar Identification : Useful Tips - The Tri-factor

Author(s): Wiggles92 (Ryan Bing), Xander (Alexander Eng)
Images by: Conner (Conner Means)
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by Xander

*** All Information Copyright 2010 the authors and www.MonsterFishKeepers.com OR used with permission. All Images Copyright 2010 the correspondingly credited and used with permission.

No material (listed above) may be reproduced without permission.

Gar Identification Guide : Lepisosteus platostomus - Shortnose gar

Description :
The shortnose gar is most easily identified by its lack of spots on head or body, but spotted individuals occasionally found from clear water habitats. The snout of larger specimens are shorter and broader than that of the longnose gar and spotted gar. However, smaller specimens have narrower snouts that get broader with time and growth. The caudal peduncle is shorter than that of the longnose gar. These fish have two rows of teeth, but only the outer row of teeth is prominent.

Key ID Traits :
-Small specimens have relatively long, narrow snouts that broaden as they grow.
-Bronze/yellow colouration
-Lack of pattern
-Large fins compared to other gars

Pictorial Guide :

~13" - 18"
Lateral profile of L.platostomus


Lateral close-up headshot of L.platostomus


Dorsal profile of L.platostomus


~19" - 24"
Lateral profile of L.platostomus


Dorsal profile of L.platostomus

Author(s): Wiggles92 (Ryan Bing), Xander (Alexander Eng)
Images by: Xander
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by Xander

*** All Information Copyright 2010 the authors and www.MonsterFishKeepers.com OR used with permission. All Images Copyright 2010 the correspondingly credited and used with permission.

No material (listed above) may be reproduced without permission.

Gar Identification Guide : Lepisosteus osseus - Longnose gar

Description :
The longnose gar is most easily identified by its long, narrow snout and slender body. Longnose gars have the longest and most narrow snout of all gar species. Longnose Gars are also the most slender among the 7 species of gar, especially when under 18". specimens over 2' have been noted to get quite thick.

L. osseus have highly variable body and head patterns. The pattern is more pronounced in individuals from clearer water than the pattern of individuals from more turbid waters. These fish have two rows of teeth, but only the outer row of teeth is prominent.

Key ID Traits :
-Long, narrow snout
-Large fins
-Long caudal peduncle

Pictorial Guide :

~19" - 24"
Lateral profile of L.osseus


Lateral close-up headshot of L.osseus

Author(s): Mrwinkle (Rodney Terrell), Xander (Alexander Eng)
Images by: Azroy (Azroy Tan), Sidoker (Sid Sarvankar), Xander
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by Xander

*** All Information Copyright 2010 the authors and www.MonsterFishKeepers.com OR used with permission. All Images Copyright 2010 the correspondingly credited and used with permission.

No material (listed above) may be reproduced without permission.

Gar Identification Guide : Lepisosteus platyrinchus - Florida gar

Description :
The Florida Gar has dark, irregular spots that cover its snout, head, body and fins (It is often incorrectly refered to as spotted gar because of this.) It has an olive to gray coloration running from its snout, back, and down its upper sides. This is met by a yellow to white lower half and belly. Keep in mind this varies due to individual fish and its environment. Lepisosteus Platyrinchus has a shorter, broader snout and stockier body when compared to Lepisosteus Oculatus. L.Platyrinchus also lacks the bony scales on the throat that are present on L.Oculatus.

Key ID Traits :
-Highly variable pattern
-Broad & short (for Lepisosteus) snout, longer and narrower than shortnose but shorter and broader than longnose and spotted gars

Pictorial Guide :
~2" - 4"
Lateral profile of L.platyrinchus


Lateral close-up headshot of L.platyrinchus


~5" - 8"
Lateral profile of L.platyrinchus


~9" - 12"
Lateral profile of L.platyrinchus


Lateral close-up headshot of L.platyrinchus


Dorsal profile of L.platyrinchus


Dorsal close-up headshot of L.platyrinchus


~13" - 18"
Lateral profile of L.platyrinchus


Lateral close-up headshot of L.platyrinchus

Author(s):
Images by: Joe00, Conner
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by

*** All Information Copyright 2010 the authors and www.MonsterFishKeepers.com OR used with permission. All Images Copyright 2010 the correspondingly credited and used with permission.

No material (listed above) may be reproduced without permission.

Gar Identification Guide : Lepisosteus oculatus - Spotted gar

Author(s): Madding (Michael Morgan), Xander (Alexander Eng)
Images by: Msjinkz.com, Xander
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by Xander

*** All Information Copyright 2010 the authors and www.MonsterFishKeepers.com OR used with permission. All Images Copyright 2010 the correspondingly credited and used with permission.

No material (listed above) may be reproduced without permission.

Gar Identification Guide : Atractosteus tropicus - Tropical gar

Description :
The Tropical gar is notable for its large, blotchy pattern spread unevenly over a dark green/grey body. However the blotches tend to be concentrated toward the posterior of the fish. The blotches are reminiscent of Lepisosteus osseus in their size and variation. Fins have striated patterns and colour, less so than Atractosteus tristoechus but still noticeable in larger specimens. White markings on the tail and fins are common. The highly variable pattern is perhaps the most appealing physical quality of the Tropical gar.

Atractosteus tropicus have short, broad snouts compared to Lepisosteus species, but have the narrowest snout of the three Atractosteus species. There is a prominent second row of teeth in the upper jaw. These fish are usually thick as well as long, though slender specimens are not unheard of in both the wild and captivity.

Key ID Traits :
-Snout is thicker and shorter than any Lepisosteus gar (perhaps with the exception of large shortnose gars) but longer and more narrow than any Atractosteus gars.
-Small fishes have a "trident" pattern on the head.
-Blotchy pattern toward the posterior of the fish.

Pictorial Guide :

A. tropicus @ 4" -5"
Lateral profile of A.tropicus. This TPG shows a more blotchy pattern that's usually present in larger specimens.


Lateral profile of A.tropicus. This TPG shows a fairly standard pattern of a fish this size.


Lateral close-up headshot of A.tropicus. Notice that the snout is shorter than that of a florida gar.


Dorsal profile headshot of A.tropicus


Dorsal close-up headshot of A.tropicus. you can see the distinctive trident pattern starting to form.


A. tropicus @ 8" - 10"




A. tropicus @ 24"
Lateral profile ofA.tropicus


Lateral close-up headshot of A.tropicus


Dorsal close-up headshot of A.tropicus


References:

Lepisosteidae.net

• http://lepisosteidae.net/index_files/Page796.htm

More pictures of Tropical gar:

Gar Media Lounge

• Atractosteus tropicus : Post your tropical gar (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=395176)

Author(s): Xander (Alexander Eng)
Images by: Xander, Deathcurl
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by Xander

*** All Information Copyright 2010 the authors and www.MonsterFishKeepers.com OR used with permission. All Images Copyright 2010 the correspondingly credited and used with permission.

No material (listed above) may be reproduced without permission.

Gar Identification Guide : Atractosteus tristoechus - Cuban gar

Description :
The Cuban gar is most easily identified by its lack of pattern (upon shedding its yoy markings), unique striation patterned fins and colour. These fish vary from an olive green to yellow bronze colouration.

A.Tristoechus have short, broad snouts (especially the lower jaws) and a prominent second row of teeth in the upper jaw. These fish are also very girthy. It is interesting to note that while other Atractosteus gars put on length before putting on mass, A.Tristoechus have observed to grow exponentially.

Key ID Traits :
-Very broad lower jaw
-olive green - yellow bronze colouration
-Clear stritation pattern on the fins

Pictorial Guide :

A. tristoechus @ 5" -6"
Lateral profile of A.tristoechus



Lateral close-up headshot of A.tristoechus

Dorsal close-up headshot of A.tristoechus


A. tristoechus @ 7" - 8"
Lateral profile of A.tristoechus


Lateral profile of a more washed out A.tristoechus


Dorsal profile of A.tristoechus


A. tristoechus @ 10"
Lateral profile of A.tristoechus


A. tristoechus @ 22-24"
Lateral profile of A.tristoechus


Lateral close-up headshot of A.tristoechus


Dorsal profile of A.tristoechus


Dorsal close-up headshot of A.tristoechus


References:

Aquaticpredators.com

• http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/i...s-tristoechus/

Lepisosteidae.net

• http://lepisosteidae.net/index_files/Page673.htm

MonsterFishKeepers.com

• http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...d.php?t=390477

More pictures of Cuban gar:

Gar Media Lounge

• Atractosteus tristoechus : Post your Cuban gar (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=395177)

Author(s): Xander (Alexander Eng)
Images by: Azroy (Azroy Tan), Sidoker (Sid Sarvankar), Xander
Edited, Arranged, and Referenced by Xander

*** All Information Copyright 2010 the authors and www.MonsterFishKeepers.com OR used with permission. All Images Copyright 2010 the correspondingly credited and used with permission.

No material (listed above) may be reproduced without permission.

Gar Identification Guide : Atractosteus spatula - Alligator gar

Description :
The Alligator gar has a short, very broad snout. Their pattern and appearence can vary greatly throughout their lives as they age and mature.

"Very young specimens have a dorso-medial white stripe, which is lost when the fish reaches approximately 10-15cm" (lepisosteidae.net). Juveniles to sub-adult gator gars can be identified by their large eyes (even when compared to other Atractosteus species) and "dashed" pattern along the lateral side of the fishes. They range from a bronze to dark colouration.

As they age, gator gars tend to lose most of their patterning and adopt an olive to grey colouration with some dashing on the posterior of the fish.

Gator gars usually have a blotched or stritationed patterned fins, and are the largest (both in length and girth) of the 7 extant species of gars.

Key ID Traits :

Pictorial Guide :
A.spatula
~4" - 6"
Lateral profile of A.spatula




A.spatula
~9" - 12"
Lateral profile of A.spatula


Lateral close-up headshot of A.spatula


References:

Fishbase.org

• http://fishbase.org/Summary/speciesS...a&lang=English

Lepisosteidae.net

• http://lepisosteidae.net/index_files/Page578.htm

More pictures of Alligator gar:

Gar Media Lounge

• Atractosteus spatula : Post your Alligator gar (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=395175)