Alligator gar identification

[KingGatorGar]

Ok here is the simplest way to know if you have an alligator gar. If your gar has two rows of teeth on the top jaw, then that is a true alligator gar.

 

[xander]

^ i'd like to know where you got that information from, and what information you have suggesting that other species of gars don't have 2 rows of teeth in the upper jaw.

 

[RedDwarf]

Now wouldn't that be harder than looking at the fish from the top down (ventral view)?

 

[creepyoldguy]

Ok here is the simplest way to know if you have an alligator gar. If your gar has two rows of teeth on the top jaw, then that is a true alligator gar.

uhhh..........there are other ways a lot easier than that. plus as xander said, are you sure gators are the only species with 2 rows up top?

 

[creepyoldguy]

uhhh..........there are other ways a lot easier than that. plus as xander said, are you sure gators are the only species with 2 rows up top?

Actually, why did you even post something like this? It makes you sound arrogant and pompus. Which, you are not correct.

 

[catfish dude]

He is rite i sold when it was to big for my 90 tank

 

[aidenb]

other species have the second row as well. gators are easy enough too tell by looking at it, its not like there hard to find

 

[Wiggles92]

This thread makes me laugh. The spotted gar head (a byproduct of a dissection) that is on my shelf definitely does have two rows of teeth.

The stickies give plenty of information for figuring out which species of gar one has thereby rendering threads like this one moot.

 

[E_americanus]

This thread makes me laugh. The spotted gar head (a byproduct of a dissection) that is on my shelf definitely does have two rows of teeth.

The stickies give plenty of information for figuring out which species of gar one has thereby rendering threads like this one moot.

good to know that SPG head is going to good use! did you dry it out after it was in the formalin? if it's not dried already you can boil it a bit and it will release the jaw muscles so you can position them open.

did you guys end up ageing that fish? if not, you should get a hold of the otoliths and have Keiser show you how...and of course get back to me with that info!--
--solomon

PS--

i realize the OP may be trying to help, but it does come off as kind of know-it-all-ish (not that i don't sound that way in my fair share of posts ), but in this case the info is also incorrect...or at least non-diagnostic for the species in question--

 

[Wiggles92]

good to know that SPG head is going to good use! did you dry it out after it was in the formalin? if it's not dried already you can boil it a bit and it will release the jaw muscles so you can position them open.

did you guys end up ageing that fish? if not, you should get a hold of the otoliths and have Keiser show you how...and of course get back to me with that info!--
--solomon

PS--

i realize the OP may be trying to help, but it does come off as kind of know-it-all-ish (not that i don't sound that way in my fair share of posts ), but in this case the info is also incorrect...or at least non-diagnostic for the species in question--

Yes, I dried out the head, but I was able to get the jaws to stay open without boiling it. As far as the otoliths go, we didn't do anything with them yet, but I'll be sure to ask if we can.