The Longnose Gar

The longnose gar is an ugly, strange, freshwater species of fish. They are predatory fish that burst out of hiding to stab their prey with their needle-sharp teeth. These fish are also known as the "longnose garpike" and the "billy gar." 

Longnose gars have gray, brown or olive green torpedo-shaped bodies covered in an armor of scales. They have long snouts that are about three times the length of their heads filled with very sharp, cone-shaped teeth. 

Longnose gars usually live in freshwater lakes, swamps, and sluggish rivers and streams. They can breathe both air and water so they can survive in environments that are low in oxygen. They can be found along the east coast of North and Central America, and as far west as Kansas, Texas and New Mexico.

Longnose gars cannot open their mouths very wide, so they mainly eat smaller fish such as shad, sunfish, and little catfish. They feed both day and night, but are more active at night. Longnose gars do not have any natural predators except for the American alligator. 

A single longnose gar can lay about 30,000 eggs a year. The eggs have a coating to help them stick to gravel or plants. This coating is toxic to other animals like mammals and birds. Females are typically larger than males, and the average length of a longnose gar is 2.5 to 4 feet. They can live for 17 to 20 years. 

Cool Fact: Longnose gars are often called "living fossils" and have been present in North America for 100 million years! 

Click here for information on the alligator gar!