Gar
family of fishes
Gars (or garpike) are a type of ray-finned fish. Gars have long bodies that are heavily armored with scales, and fronted by similarly long jaws filled with long, sharp teeth.[1][2] All of the gars are relatively large fish. The alligator gar is the largest. Some specimens have been reported to be 3 metres (9.8 ft) in length.[1] However, they typically grow to 2 metres (6.6 ft) and weigh over 45 kilograms (99 lb). Unusually, their swim bladders can function as lungs. Most gars surface once in while to take a gulp of air.[3] Gar flesh is edible and the hard skin and scales of gars are used by humans. However, their eggs are highly toxic.[4]
ReferencesEdit
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Gars, Gar Pictures, Gar Facts". National Geographic. 16 November 2009. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ↑ "Gar". Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ↑ "Atractosteus spatula". Florida Museum of Natural History. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ↑ Love, Chad. "Did You Know That Gar Eggs Make You Sick?". Field & Stream. Retrieved 14 June 2019.