Juvenile Lepisosteus ID

[Polypterus]

Amazing what that little thing called locality can do for you....

 

[demjor19]

Amazing what that little thing called locality can do for you....

at what locations do the florida and spotted gar populations start to overlap? are these fish effectively distinguished in the wild?

 

[city_of_evil6661]

nice thread poly. this should be a sticky

 

[Polypterus]

at what locations do the florida and spotted gar populations start to overlap? are these fish effectively distinguished in the wild?

Sorry I somehow missed this question..
Platyrhinchus overlaps with Oculatus only in a couple drainages of Central south Georgia and in the mid part of Florida's panhandle. This is on the far eastern fringe of Oculatus distribution in the south. There is a strong (anecdotal) possibility that fish in these areas are hybridized to some degree. Details on how the two interact, where they are both found, is really just not known.

It is not known how many Oculatus or Platyrhincus have been moved (I.E. dumped by idiots) within each others distribution. It is presumed to have occurred. Platyrhincus has been recorded for Ontario Canada within the Distribution of Oculatus. It is not fully known if these few fish represent an established population.

These fish can be much more "easily" (Not sure thats the right word) distinguished in the wild as adults with a little knowledge of what to look for. They hold more true to form in the wild than in Aquaria.