Summary ²

The alligator gar, Atractosteus spatula, is a primitive ray-finned fish. Unlike other gars, the mature alligator gar possesses a dual row of large teeth in the upper jaw. Its name derives from the alligator-like appearance of these teeth along with the fish's elongated snout. The dorsal surface of the alligator gar is a brown or olive color, while the ventral surface tends to be lighter. Their scales are diamond-shaped and interlocking (ganoid) and are sometimes used...

Sources and Credits

1. (c) 2003 California Academy of Sciences, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=126630&one=T
2. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atractosteus_spatula

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
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• Fish Database of Taiwan
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• FishSource
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