Alligator Gar

(Lepisosteus spatula)

Presently found: The Mississippi River basin from southwestern Ohio and southern Illinois; Gulf of Mexico coastal plain from the west Florida and south to Vera Cruz, Mexico

Habitat: Slow-moving rivers and backwaters of large rivers, swamps, bayous, and lakes. They sometimes enter brackish waters and occasionally saltwater.

Size: Alligator gar can reach over 130 kg (300 pounds) in weight and 2.4 m (8 feet) in length. 

Life span: up to 30 years

Description: Long, slender, brown or olive-colored bodies and snouts; diamond-shaped interlocking (ganoid) scales. The dorsal and anal fins are placed well back on the body, and the tail is rounded. Alligator gar have two rows of large teeth on either side of the upper jaw.  The scientific name Lepisosteus spatula comes from the Greek Lepisosteus meaning "bony scale," and spatula is Latin for "spoon," referring to the creature's broad snout.  

Diet:   Carnivorous; adults feed mainly on fish but will also eat waterfowl and turtles. Young fish may consume insects.

Reproduction: Spawning usually occurs April - June. Eggs are deposited in shallow water over vegetation and hatch between six and eight days later.

Status: No special status; Texas and Louisiana permit regulated commercial fishing for alligator gars.

Other fun Info:

• The hard scales of the alligator gar were used by some Native American tribes as arrowheads and for adornment on their tribal dress. 
• An alligator gar's air bladder is connected directly to its throat, giving it the ability to breathe both air and water. When alligator gar leap, they will often make a loud grunt noise as the air in its air bladder is forced out.  

Paddlefish

(Polyodon spathula)

Presently found: Mississippi River basin from New York to Montana and south to the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat: slow-moving, large rivers and their lakes. Paddlefish prefer deeper waters but can sometimes be seen near the surface.

Size: Length: up to 1.5 m (5 feet) including the paddle; weight – up to 90 kg (200 pounds)

 Life span:    up to 30 years

Description: Like sharks, paddlefish have a cartilaginous skeletal structure. The tail of a paddlefish is also deeply forked like that of a shark. They have tiny eyes, no teeth, and a long, paddle-shaped snout (hence the Latin name). The skin is grey to blue-black and scaleless.   

Diet:   Paddlefish are plankton (microscopic plant and animal) eaters; they scoop huge mouth’s full of water and filter out food with gill rakers.

Reproduction: Spawning occurs in March-June. Male paddlefish are old enough to spawn when they are four to nine years; females spawn when they are 6-12 years old. Males and females practice “broadcast” spawning, gathering in schools and releasing their eggs over gravel or sandbars. Eggs hatch in 12-14 days.

Status:  Though not federally recognized, most states have restrictive regulations to protect them. The paddlefish is facing a number of threats. Overharvesting occurs, as the eggs of paddlefish are sold as caviar.  Habitat destruction and human alteration of rivers have resulted in significant declines in paddlefish populations.  The Paddlefish is protected under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) in Canada.

Other fun Info:

• The underside of the paddlefish’s "paddle" is covered with taste buds. It is believed that these sensitive structures help the paddlefish to locate plankton reserves.
• Paddlefish are also known as spoonbills, spoonbill catfish, or shovelnose catfish, even though they are not really members of the Catfish family.