Holostei (gars and bowfins) >
Lepisosteiformes (Gars) >
Lepisosteidae (Gars)
Etymology: Lepisosteus: Greek, lepis = scale + Greek, osteon = bone; bony sacled (Ref. 45335); platostomus: From the words platy, meaning flat and stomus, meaning mouth (Ref. 10294).
More on author: Rafinesque.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Subtropical; 10°C - 18°C (Ref. 2060); 46°N - 31°N
North America: USA in Mississippi River basin from south central Ohio, north Indiana, and Wisconsin to Montana and south to north Alabama and Louisiana; Lake Michigan drainage, Wisconsin ; Calcasieu and Mermentau rivers on Louisiana Gulf Coast.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 88.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); common length : 62.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 2.6 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 20 years (Ref. 12193)
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Inhabit quiet pools and backwaters of creeks and small to large rivers, swamps, lakes and overflow areas of large streams. Often occur near vegetation and submerged logs. Feed on other fishes and insects. Spawning occurs over vegetation or other submerged objects (Ref. 10294).
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott, 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. (20):183 p. (Ref. 3814)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5781 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00234 (0.00105 - 0.00523), b=3.18 (2.97 - 3.39), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.9 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High vulnerability (55 of 100).