Longnose Gar

Longnose Gar
(also known as the needle nose gar)

Lepisosteus osseus


Size: The Longnose gar are as long as 71-120 cm.


Habitat: The Longnose Gar is found in the St. Lawrence River, along the eastern seaboard, Québec and all the Great Lakes except Superior. They prefer slow moving water in large rivers, lakes and streams. They are found in both freshwater and saltwater .


Diet: The Longnose Gar feed at night. 98% of their diet consists of small fish such as the bullhead catfish and small bluegill. The rest of their diet are insects and fish eggs.


Native/ Non-native: Native to North America.


Status: There are currently no major threats to the Longnose Gar.


Fun Fact: Longnose Gar’s eggs have been known to be toxic to humans and other mammals and birds. They have also been around since the time of the dinosaurs.


Image attribution: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons