Which Gar Species Do I Have Exactly?

[E_americanus]

Your not alone on this as the two are nearly identical in almost every way. The only way I know of to tell them apart is if the distance from the eye to the gills are greater than 2/3 of the over lenght of the head then it is a Spotted Gar. If the distance is less than 2/3 the overall legnth of the head then it is a Florida Gar. There maybe other ways to tell them apart but I am not aware of anyother way at this time.

this diagnostic MIGHT be useful with very large individuals of those species (spotted vs Florida), but i know for a fact that this does not hold true with juveniles and most sub-adults. in fact, the opposite seems to be true, and a transition takes place where the two switch. i have discussed this in-depth with polypterus on several occasions and personally observed many individuals of both species (both live and preserved) and seen this to be true.

young Florida gars will have slightly longer and narrower snouts than young spotted gars. this can really only be seen with a side-by-side comparison of similarly sized fishes, OR if you have seen enough individuals you can pick up on the difference...and even then it's quite a challenge. as they get larger, the spotted gar will develop a narrower snout, and the Florida gar will develop a broader snout...the end result being a Florida gar with a shorter broad snout as an adult, and a spotted gar with a longer narrower snout.

there are notes of bony ossifications/ossicles around the isthmus of the spotted gar which are lacking in the Florida, but close inspection of several small to medium inviduals does not show this (perhaps very large specimens -more than 2'- do). hope that helps--
--solomon

 

[Sarcosuchus]

Thank you very much for all the replies, the discussion, it means a lot. I have come to believe that my Gar is the Florida Gar. Here is why I think it is so :

a ) Let me say why I say this isn't a Tropical Gar first, a Tropical Gar has the Devil's spear / weapon / fork like pattern on its head. From my observation the youngs seem to have it too, correct me here if I am wrong. So since my Gar does not have that, I do not think it is a Tropical Gar.

b ) Why not a Spotted Gar? From the young specimen, I see that Spotted Gars have a shorter snout than of the Florida Gar. Although there seems to be an argument that shorter snout could be a female and longer male, I am unsure if this is a valid sex dimorphism but not individual characteristics. Plus, is the shorter ( female ) snout shorter than of the Spotted Gar's? But that doesn't matter, although it seems unclear here I see that the skin between the lower jaw has the ganoid scales still for a Spotted Gar while such scales is not present when it comes to the Florida Gar. Mine does not have it, it looks like plain skin. I also read that Florida Gar's lower jaw is broader than the upper jaw, yes mine is so but then I am unsure how clear this is compared to others and even if this is a valid characteristics.

It seems he has grown a little, here are new pictures:

 

[Bullterrier]

i know im not a expert in gar but i think the third and last pics is a spottedgar

by the way welcome here

The third one is not a spotted,is a Oculatus

 

[Bullterrier]

Thank you very much for all the replies, the discussion, it means a lot. I have come to believe that my Gar is the Florida Gar. Here is why I think it is so :

a ) Let me say why I say this isn't a Tropical Gar first, a Tropical Gar has the Devil's spear / weapon / fork like pattern on its head. From my observation the youngs seem to have it too, correct me here if I am wrong. So since my Gar does not have that, I do not think it is a Tropical Gar.

b ) Why not a Spotted Gar? From the young specimen, I see that Spotted Gars have a shorter snout than of the Florida Gar. Although there seems to be an argument that shorter snout could be a female and longer male, I am unsure if this is a valid sex dimorphism but not individual characteristics. Plus, is the shorter ( female ) snout shorter than of the Spotted Gar's? But that doesn't matter, although it seems unclear here I see that the skin between the lower jaw has the ganoid scales still for a Spotted Gar while such scales is not present when it comes to the Florida Gar. Mine does not have it, it looks like plain skin. I also read that Florida Gar's lower jaw is broader than the upper jaw, yes mine is so but then I am unsure how clear this is compared to others and even if this is a valid characteristics.

It seems he has grown a little, here are new pictures:

Just for your informations
This is a Florida gar

And this is a Oculatus

And if u wanna know hw a spotted look like see my post
Cheers

 

[Bullterrier]

Hello there, the day before yesterday I was at the nearest LFS standing between three Gar species. One was what I believe a Shortnose Gar swimming with a two short and broad snouted Gars. They were all juveniles.

On the other side of the aquarium was a nice patterned Gar which I assumed was either a Florida Gar or a Spotted Gar. It was a juvenile as well, about 5 to 6 inches long. I wanted to choose between the broad and short snouted and the spotted type Gar although I had no idea which one was exactly the Spotted Gar as the broad and short snouted had spots all over its body and fins as well except on top of its body which was just dark.

Well so it's clear I am new to Gar, due to the attraction I had to that broad and short snouted Gar I baught it! such an awesome snout like the Saltwater Crocodile. The fish is a beauty, about 5 inches long and it was great to see it cruising near the surface like a Crocodile and BAMM!! lightning fast striking at feeders, and those teeth..impressive. Still unsure what species it was exactly that I asked a fish forum and was told that it's the Alligator Gar! was I not shocked ( Pictures below, or is it the hybrid Crocodile Gar? ). All the ones responded said it was the Alligator Gar.

Although I was very attracted, I had to rush to the LFS and tell the shopkeeper about my situation ( I can't handle it as I live in an apartment ), he agreed to trade with what I believe is a Florida or Spotted Gar ( pictures below ). I think it's a Florida Gar, isn't it?

The 1st and the 2nd gar is a Lepisosteus platostomus plus Atractosteus spatula,is a Hybrid Gars 'Crocodile gars' and i got 3 of them

 

[Sarcosuchus]

The 1st and the 2nd gar is a Lepisosteus platostomus plus Atractosteus spatula,is a Hybrid Gars 'Crocodile gars' and i got 3 of them

I realize the first picture is a Florida Gar, such a beauty isn't it? And yes, the second picture is a hybrid between either a Florida or a Spotted Gar with an Alligator Gar. The Crocodile Gar type 2 as said in the Primitivefish.com. A real beauty too..

Another picture:

 

[Sarcosuchus]

The 1st and the 2nd gar is a Lepisosteus platostomus plus Atractosteus spatula,is a Hybrid Gars 'Crocodile gars' and i got 3 of them

That's what I thought too, but then when I observed I see that this first type Crocodile Gar has the typical lines of the Shortnose Gar ( Lepisosteus Platostomus ) at the sides of its body which root from the sides of its snout. But I did not see such lines from the one I baught, its body is so silvery at the sides with yellowish tone and black spots, plain dark at the top and light to dark yellow fins and tail with nice black spots. We can see that on the Crocodile Gar too which is a characteristic of the Alligator Gar.

Correct me if I'm wrong and you may post pictures of your Crocodile Gars so we may take a look at it. How big is it? Mine was just 5 inches and below is a 4.5 inches Crocodile Gar, looks different from mine.

 

[Polypterus]

The third one is not a spotted,is a Oculatus

OK....Are you sure it is not a Lepisosteus productus it could be one of those also.

 

[Polypterus]

While time really will tell best Sarcosuchus your fish is is best Identified as a Flordia. All the traits are there given that you have posted several photos showing the fish from many angles and the ID to me is pretty confident.

ID of gars is not really easy when it comes down to going off of photos alone, especially when it is narrowed to the very difficult Spotted ( L. oculatus) and Florida (L.platyrhinchus)

Thanks for the detail in your photos as it helped alot to help me help you.
Great gar you have BTW and I hope to see regular updates about it.

 

[Malcus]

The third one is not a spotted,is a Oculatus

Spotted and oculatus, isnt that the same fish????