Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Holostei (gars and bowfins) > Lepisosteiformes (Gars) > Lepisosteidae (Gars)
Etymology: Lepisosteus: Greek, lepis = scale + Greek, osteon = bone; bony sacled (Ref. 45335).
More on author: DeKay.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; demersal. Subtropical; 43°N - 28°N

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

North America: USA from Savannah River drainage, Georgia to Ocklockonee River drainage, Florida and Georgia; throughout the peninsular Florida.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 132 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 59.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 9.6 kg (Ref. 4699)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Numerous dark spots on the anterior part of its body and head. Lacks plates on ventral surface of the isthmus, wider snout and wider lower jaws. Dark in coloration (Ref. 37032).

Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Adults occur in sluggish mud or sand-bottomed pools of quiet lowland streams and lakes. Usually found near vegetation.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Observed presence of two distinct waves of developing oocytes in a study indicates a group-synchronous ovary in this species, thus, subsequent spawning during the same breeding season may occur though unverifiable in the same study (Ref. 57432).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Wiley, Ed | Collaborators

Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott, 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. (20):183 p. (Ref. 3814)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 01 March 2012

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators

Ecology
Ecology

Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance

Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics

Distribution
Countries
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Anatomy
Gill area
Brain
Otolith

Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)

Genetics
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability

Human related
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Aquaculture profiles
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Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.

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References
References

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5781 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00186 (0.00090 - 0.00385), b=3.21 (3.02 - 3.40), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.7 ±0.58 se; based on food items.

Generation time: 7.3 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 1 growth studies.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High vulnerability (63 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Lepisosteus platyrhincus DeKay, 1842