Gar
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2008-07-02T01:14:56Z
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{{about|North American freshwater fish of the family Lepisosteidae}}
{{Taxobox
| name = Gar
| image = Lepisosteus oculatus.jpg
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Actinopterygii]]
| ordo = '''Lepisosteiformes'''
| familia = '''Lepisosteidae'''
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
''[[Atractosteus spatula]]''<br>
''[[Atractosteus tristoechus]]''<br>
''[[Atractosteus tropicus]]''<br>
''[[Lepisosteus oculatus]]''<br>
''[[Lepisosteus osseus]]''<br>
''[[Lepisosteus platostomus]]''<br>
''[[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]]''
}}
In [[American English]] the name '''gar''' (or '''garpike''') is strictly applied to members of the '''Lepisosteus''', a family including seven living species of fish in two genera that inhabit fresh, brackish, and occasionally marine, waters of eastern [[North America]], [[Central America]], and the [[Caribbean]] islands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/FamilySummary.cfm?ID=34|title=Family Lepisosteidae - Gars|accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref><ref>Sterba, G: Freshwater Fishes of the World, p. 609, Vista Books, 1962</ref>
==Etymology==
In [[British English]] the name gar was originally used for a species of [[needlefish]], ''[[Belone belone]]'', found in the North Atlantic, itself likely named after the [[Old English]] word ''gar'' meaning "spear".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gar|title=Gar|accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref> ''Belone belone'' is now more commonly referred to as the "garpike" or "gar fish" to avoid confusion with the North American gars of the family Lepisosteidae.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fishbase.org/comnames/CommonNamesList.cfm?ID=47&GenusName=Belone&SpeciesName=belone&StockCode=57|title=Common Names of Belone belone|accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref>
The genus name ''Lepisosteus'' comes from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''lepis'' meaning "scale" and ''osteon'' meaning "bone".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Eschmeyer/GeneraSummary.cfm?ID=Lepisosteus|title=Genera reference detail|accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref> ''Atractosteus'' is similarly derived from Greek, in this case from ''atraktos'', meaning "arrow".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Eschmeyer/GeneraSummary.cfm?ID= Atractosteus|title=Genera reference detail|accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref>
==Distribution==
The gars are members of the '''Lepisosteiformes''' (or '''Semionotiformes'''), an ancient order of "primitive" [[ray-finned fish]]; [[fossil]] gars are known from the [[Permian]] onwards. Their primitive traits are their very hard armour-like ganoid scales, a [[swimming bladder]] open to the [[pharynx]] that can function as a [[lung]] and the heterocercal tail. Fossil gars are found in both Europe and North America, indicating that in times past these fish had a wider distribution than they do today. Gars are considered to be a remnant of a group of rather primitive [[Osteichthyes| bony fish]] that flourished in the [[Mesozoic]], and are most closely related to the [[bowfin]], another archaic fish now found only in North America.
==Anatomy and morphology==
[[Image:Gar shedd.jpg|thumb|left|Large gar at the [[Shedd Aquarium]]]]Gar bodies are elongated, heavily armored with [[Scale (zoology)#Ganoid scales| ganoid scale]]s, and fronted by similarly elongated [[jaw]]s filled with long sharp teeth. Tails are [[heterocercal]], and the [[dorsal fin]]s are close to the tail. As their vascularised [[Gas bladder|swim bladders]] can function as lungs, most gar surface periodically to take a gulp of air, doing so more frequently in [[stagnant (water)|stagnant]] or warm water when the concentration of oxygen in the water is low. As a result, they are extremely hardy and able to tolerate conditions that would kill most other fish.
All the gars are relatively big fish, but the alligator gar ''Atractosteus spatula'' is the champion, as specimens having been recorded up to 3 meters in length.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=1073|title=Atractosteus spatula - Alligator gar|accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref> Even the smaller species, such as ''Lepisosteus oculatus'', are large, commonly reaching lengths of over 60 cm (2 feet), and sometimes much more.<ref>Kodera H. ''et al''.: Jurassic Fishes. TFH, 1994, ISBN 0-793800-86-2</ref>
==Ecology==
Gar tend to be slow moving fish except when striking at their prey. They prefer the shallow and weedy areas of [[river]]s, [[lake]]s, and [[bayou]]s often congregating in small groups.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/FamilySummary.cfm?ID=34|title=Family Lepisosteidae - Gars|accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref> They are voracious predators, catching their prey with their needle-like teeth, obtaining with a sideways strike of the head.<ref>Kodera H. ''et al''.: Jurassic Fishes. TFH, 1994, ISBN 0-793800-86-2</ref> Gar feed extensively on smaller fish and invertebrates such as crabs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=1073|title=Atractosteus spatula - Alligator gar|accessdate=2007-07-19}}</ref> Gar are found across eastern North America from [[Costa Rica]] to southern [[Quebec]] (for example ''Lepisosteus osseus'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/FamilySummary.cfm?ID=34|title=Family Lepisosteidae - Gars|accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref> Although gar are primarily found in freshwater habitats several species enter [[brackish]] waters and a few, most notably ''Atractosteus tristoechus'', are sometimes found in the sea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/FamilySummary.cfm?ID=34|title=Family Lepisosteidae - Gars|accessdate=2007-04-21}}</ref><ref>Monks N. (editor): Brackish Water Fishes, pp 322-324. TFH 2006, ISBN 0-7938-0564-3</ref>
==Significance to humans==
Gar flesh is edible, and sometimes available in markets, but unlike the [[sturgeon]] that they resemble, their [[roe|eggs (roe)]] are poisonous. Several species are traded as aquarium fish.<ref>Kodera H. ''et al''.: Jurassic Fishes. TFH, 1994, ISBN 0-793800-86-2</ref>
==Cultural Significance==
The Gar fish is of considerable significance to Native American peoples of the southeastern United States where the gar figures prominently in ceremonial life and music. See [[Creek]], [[Seminole]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/FamilySummary.cfm?ID=34 Family Lepisosteidae entry at FishBase]
{{Actinopterygii}}
[[Category:Lepisosteidae]]
[[Category:Fish of Central America]]
[[Category:Fish of North America]]
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[[de:Knochenhechtartige]]
[[es:Lepisosteiformes]]
[[fr:Semionotiformes]]
[[it:Lepisosteidae]]
[[lt:Kaimanžuvės]]
[[hu:Kajmánhalfélék]]
[[nl:Beensnoeken]]
[[ja:ガー]]
[[pl:Niszczukokształtne]]
[[pt:Semionotiformes]]
[[sr:Холостеи]]
[[tr:Lepisosteiformes]]
[[zh:雀鳝目]]