Gar Quiz - the return - ID the fish

[Conner]

Was I backwards on my answers? Or was it 1: tropical and 2: cuban?

Iwill post comparison photos soon. thanks to all who participated...i'll get the next quiz up soon!--
--solomon

PS-- and by learning experience, i didn't mean you all got it wrong, i meant we all learned a bit more on diagnosing gars with minimal info...i learn from this like everyone else

GAH! my flippant answer was the correct one .

For the life of me I couldn't find a picture that illustrated that white dorsal stripe. Could you provide some links so I can see? I can't access some of the pictures in your stickies, so if that's where its located, I guess I just can't see them (not a member at AP).

 

[Madding]

Humph, so my answers were backwards.

At least I was correct in that they were both Atractosteus genus.

--

I wasn't even looking at the white markings on picture two, I was too focused on the skull/snout structure. Ah well, knowledge is power.

 

[Polypterus]

this shot is from some juvenile Cubans we brought in 3 years ago...several pics in this thread and a lot of background info if you want to read up on our previous work with YOY Cubans:

THREAD:
http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35816&st=0

Note that even at this size the white stripe really only shows on the dorsum of the snout, but look at how much slimmer the Cuban gar is at this stage from the gator gar (even the snout). this diagnoses gar #2 as a Cuban effectively:

For more reference:

 

[E_americanus]

thanks for the additional pics Peje!

we'll move right into the next quiz...just one fish this time, you may be able ascertain from the environment in the image something about the fish. good luck, and be sure to post why you think it is what it is!--
--solomon

 

[nubz0rz]

thanks for the additional pics Peje!

we'll move right into the next quiz...just one fish this time, you may be able ascertain from the environment in the image something about the fish. good luck, and be sure to post why you think it is what it is!--
--solomon

shortnose because of the tail pattern

 

[xander]

i can't play this one..it'a from garvana.

 

[Polypterus]

i can't play this one..it'a from garvana.

I think that is the only fish I took tons of photos from on that trip. And we got a lot of gar that day.

 

[xander]

haha indeed! the close up shot of the snout would have thrown everyone off. i especially like the "5 gar fingers" shot.

 

[Madding]

I've only seen yellow fins on longnose, but the body pattern and snout seem to say shortnose. Something seems off about this gar.

Longnose/shortnose hybrid? Or just a longnose with a not-so-long nose...

 

[Madding]

Of course the yellow fins is more likely an environmental influence and is probably common in more species than just long nose, but I am going to go with my above guesses simply to keep things interesting.