LEPISOSTEIDAE.NET

Order      Lepisosteiformes

Family     Lepisosteidae

Genus     Atractosteus

Species  tristoechus (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

Common name:  Cuban gar     

Illustrations © Emily S. Damstra, Joe Tomelleri; used with permission

www.emilydamstra.com

www.americanfishes.com

Max Size/Age:      

200 cm (wild)

 

Identification:      

Lateral line scales -

Short and very broad snout.  Prominent second row of teeth in upper jaw.  Body generally lacks pattern, yellow bronze in coloration.  Fins have striated pattern.                  

 

Habitat:                   

Freshwater, brackish, rarely marine

tropical

Backwaters and pools of large rivers, lakes, swamps

 

 

Distribution:

Central America: Western Cuba and Isla de la Juventud.

 

Comments:

This species is aquacultured in Cuba.  Rarest of the extant gar species.

 

References:          

www.fishbase.org