Latin name

Lepisosteus oculatus

Other names

French: garpique tachetée; Spanish: gaspar pintado.

Identification

The body of the spotted gar is long and cylindrical, covered with hard ganoid (rhomboid) scales. Each jaw has a single row of teeth. Spotted and Florida gar are the only two species that have spots on the top of the head, as well as on the entire body and fins. The spots in the other gar are limited to the fins and back of the body, usually after the pelvic (ventral) fins. The two species are usually distinguished by the distance between the front of the eye and the posterior edge of the gill cover. If the distance is less than two-thirds of the snout length, it is a Florida gar; if more than two-thirds of the snout length, it is a spotted gar.

Distribution

Spotted gar are found from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and down the Mississippi River drainage. It is found along the entire Gulf Coast from central Texas to western Florida. In the northern part of its range, it occurs as far east as the northern and southern shores of Lake Erie in northern Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario, but is rarely found west of Illinois.

Habitat

Spotted gar are common in pools and dams of streams and small and large rivers, as well as in swamps, lakes, and oxbows, often near vegetation. It sometimes enters brackish water and tolerates warm, stagnant water well.

Size

Spotted gar rarely exceed 3 feet and average 21⁄2 feet. The world record for all-tackle fishing is a 9-pound, 12-ounce fish caught in Texas in 1994.

Life history and Behavior

Like other gar, this species is often seen basking on the surface on warm days, resembling a floating log. Occasionally it will float to the surface and swallow air from its specialized bladder. Spawning occurs in spring in grassy marshes.

Food and feeding habits

The basis of their natural diet consists of fish and shrimp. They may also feed on various invertebrates, insect larvae, algae, and small amphibians.

Reproduction

Males reach sexual maturity at two to three years of age, and females at three to four years, with the latter being larger than the former and living longer. Female individuals also have lower annual mortality. Spawning occurs in shallow waters with abundant submerged and floating plants. Females may have multiple partners at once. The maximum number of eggs laid can exceed 20,000, with an average of 13,000. Eggs are deposited on the leaves of aquatic plants. After 10–14 days, the fry emerge. This period of life is the most dangerous, as the young are often eaten by predators.

Interesting facts

The body coloration of the spotted gar ranges from brownish to olive-green with a pattern of dark spots, the sides are lighter than the back, and the belly is nearly white. The true eyes are camouflaged by small dark spots. This type of eye masking is common among many fish.