Help ID these Gar fry

[xander]

shorty shorty shorty. damn i want more variations of gar here:S

 

[lhamagedon]

I found this on eBay listed as "ALLIGATOR GAR...REAL DEAL!"

I was wondering if this is the real deal because it looks just like my Spotted Florida Gar?

 

[alcohologist]

yep, gator.

 

[lhamagedon]

Can someone help me with the distinguishable differences between my Florida Gar and this Alligator gar fry. The only differences I can see is the slope of the forehead and the well defined stripe.
Thanks.

 

[city_of_evil6661]

Can someone help me with the distinguishable differences between my Florida Gar and this Alligator gar fry. The only differences I can see is the slope of the forehead and the well defined stripe.
Thanks.

the gator gar has bigger fins and different pattern. juvenile gators look different from most other gar when young. you can tell them apart pretty easily.

 

[E_americanus]

the gator gar has bigger fins and different pattern. juvenile gators look different from most other gar when young. you can tell them apart pretty easily.

the main differences are much stockier body, much broader snout, shorter snout; there are other differences less outright noticeable to someone not used to looking at gars (Atractosteus will generally have larger fins and their eyes are different), but the main difference is the extremely broad, shorter snout in the gator--
--solomon

 

[city_of_evil6661]

the main differences are much stockier body, much broader snout, shorter snout; there are other differences less outright noticeable to someone not used to looking at gars (Atractosteus will generally have larger fins and their eyes are different), but the main difference is the extremely broad, shorter snout in the gator--
--solomon

the main difference i look for is fin size. i know of those differences but that is the main now i look at.

 

[E_americanus]

the main difference i look for is fin size. i know of those differences but that is the main now i look at.

it's cool to go with what works for you, but it should be noted that fin size difference is not quite as consistent nor as prevalent as snout width and body type...those latter two characters are considered better diagnostics of the species (and in some way genus) as opposed to fin size--
--solomon

 

[city_of_evil6661]

it's cool to go with what works for you, but it should be noted that fin size difference is not quite as consistent nor as prevalent as snout width and body type...those latter two characters are considered better diagnostics of the species (and in some way genus) as opposed to fin size--
--solomon

i know what you mean. the way i tell a gator from other gars is fin size, the width of the snout and the general coloration, although color can vary with the individual fish.

 

[Polypterus]

it's cool to go with what works for you, but it should be noted that fin size difference is not quite as consistent nor as prevalent as snout width and body type...those latter two characters are considered better diagnostics of the species (and in some way genus) as opposed to fin size--
--solomon

Case in point: Shortnosed also have quite large fins..
Snout however is much more narrow and nowhere near as broad as a gator. Really Gators and Cubans are the most distinctive and obvious of all gars. There is little to confuse them with as they really look nothing like any of the other gar species in any stage of their life.