Stats

Lifespan

25-50 yrs

Size

Huge

Diet

Carnivore

Activity

Cathemeral

Social

Solitary

Biome

Freshwater wetland

Range

North America

Movement

Swimming

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Armor

Status

Rare

About

The alligator gar is a freshwater ray-finned fish in the Ginglymodi clade of the Holostei infraclass, and it is the largest species in the Lepisosteidae family. These primitive fishes are among the largest freshwater fishes in North America, and they can grow up to 10 feet long.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   hatchling fry

   A tiny fry hatches with a yolk sac and begins free-swimming once the sac is absorbed.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A juvenile takes on adult body shape and feeds on small prey, often in nursery waters.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown at adult size and coloration.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Actinopterygii

Order

Lepisosteiformes

Family

Lepisosteidae

Genus

Atractosteus

Species

Atractosteus spatula