So what the hell is a gar and what is not one???

[Polypterus]

LOL, I've always wondered what qualified fish as "ancient" I always thought it should be called Primitive Fish. And technically rays should be included here too...and sturgeon.

Anostomidae? Damn, not a single species I like lol.

I've personally always preferred to use Anachronistic instead of "primitive" or "Ancient".. These fish are truly Chronologically misplaced and out of place by modern standard.... But then who needs evolution when you have already achieved perfection

Primitive is sort of derogatory if you ask me, for the fact there is nothing really primitive about these fish.....But it is a sort of fitting term in common use..It is much better than using ancient in describing these fish.

 

[SimonL]

I don't find "primitive" to be derogatory lol. Just look at sharks, very primitive morphologically, but virtually unchanged for hundreds of millions of years. Same with scorpions...

 

[Polypterus]

I don't find "primitive" to be derogatory lol. Just look at sharks, very primitive morphologically, but virtually unchanged for hundreds of millions of years. Same with scorpions...

Right "Primitive" in morphology but virtually unchanged for hundreds of millions of years....

Otherwise anachronistic !!!! but they really are not primitive...

(Solomon and I argue about this all the time also.. had numerous interesting discussions about these terms and their use)

 

[SimonL]

Ok, we'll go with the politically correct "Pre-Cenozoic evolved"

 

[Polypterus]

Ok, we'll go with the politically correct "Pre-Cenozoic evolved"

LOL.... I like that

 

[SimonL]

Back on topic (well kind of), we get a variety of fake gar in at work. And for the sake of retailability, "Rocket Gar" sounds way cooler than "Silver Pike-characin" lol. Kinda like "Redtail black shark" sounds better than "redtail black carp" My personal name beef is "Garpike" lol.

 

[Polypterus]

Back on topic (well kind of), we get a variety of fake gar in at work. And for the sake of retailability, "Rocket Gar" sounds way cooler than "Silver Pike-characin" lol. Kinda like "Redtail black shark" sounds better than "redtail black carp" My personal name beef is "Garpike" lol.

Garpike
I hate that name also.. It is a stupid archaic name.

I do believe that at one time the term "Garpike" or "Garfish" was used to describe Lepisosteids and "Gar" was reserved for the North Atlantic needle fish Belone.. However this has now been popularly reversed (By learned folk) and "Garpike" or "Garfish" is now the common use name for Needlefish and "Gar" is now rightfully reserved for representative Lepisosteids only.

Whole etymology of this word is actually pretty interesting.....

 

[alex2158]

great discussion guys i may only be 16 but i love marine life and fish and someday i want to become a marine biologist and this puts more information into my head that i will be needing in the future if i want my dream job i strive for but in all great disscussion

 

[minizookeeper]

alex welcome to mfk there is almost an infinite amount of great knowledge here at mfk.and some you have to question. i have a 11 yr old daughter who also would like to have a future in exotic animals(somewhere?) i always show her that all information found should always be checked by more then one source. when i find or ask for info and get it i start reading from as many sources as possible.there are a lot of good people in this site with lots of experience.when ever i get a new species i tend to go a little nuts with info,cant get enough.my friends call me crazy but love my minizoo. well gl and as for this thread starter(richard) i've gotten nothing but good infomation from and cant thank enough great thread by the way!! see ya!

 

[rallysman]

Thank you for this..... good work.