Range and Identity
Lepisosteus platostomus occurs through much of the Mississippi-basin region and selected neighboring drainages. It is distinct from Longnose Gar and other gars. The shape of the snout is useful, but a complete identification should consider more than the common name alone.
Habitat and Behavior
Adults occupy quiet pools, backwaters, swamps, lakes and overflow areas of streams. Vegetation and submerged logs are frequent cover. Air breathing supplements aquatic respiration, but does not mean that all warm or oxygen-poor waters are equally suitable habitat.
Food and Life History
The compiled upper references are eighty-eight centimeters total length and 2.6 kilograms. Fishes and insects provide documented food. Spawning occurs over vegetation or other submerged objects, linking reproduction to structure rather than to a described excavated nest.
Field Note
Photograph the head in profile and the complete body when possible. Accurate identification is especially useful where several gar species occur within the same river system.
All Lakes With Shortnose Gar
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Shortnose Gar records in our database, listed alphabetically.
Showing 1–24 of 285 lakes · Page 1 of 12
- Aberdeen Lake Monroe, MS
- Albemarle Lake East Carroll, LA
- Aliceville Lake Pickens, AL
- Amistad Reservoir Val Verde, TX
- Amory Pool Monroe, MS
- Anchor Lake Pearl River, MS
- Andrew Lake Kandiyohi, MN
- Arkabutla Lake DeSoto, MS
- Atoka Reservoir Atoka, OK
- B A Steinhagen Lake Jasper, TX
- Bald Eagle Lake Ramsey, MN
- Bankhead Lake Tuscaloosa, AL
- Barren River Lake Allen, KY
- Beaverdam Lake Tunica, MS
- Bee Lake Holmes, MS
- Bell Cow Lake Lincoln, OK
- Belton Lake Bell, TX
- Big Stone Lake Big Stone, MN
- Birch Lake Osage, OK
- Black Bayou Lake Caddo, LA
- Black Bayou Reservoir Bossier, LA
- Blue Mountain Lake Yell, AR
- Bluff Lake Noxubee, MS
- Brushy Lake Tensas, LA