Gar

Gars (or garpike) are a type of ray-finned fish. They are part of a group called the Lepisosteiformes. Gars have long bodies that are heavily armoured with scales. Their long jaws have long, sharp teeth.^[1][2] All gars are relatively large fish. Some 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).

Gar Temporal range: Late Jurassic–recent
Spotted gar, Lepisosteus oculatus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Lepisosteiformes
Family:	Lepisosteidae

Alligator gars can grow to more than nine feet long

They are carnivores which eat other fish. There are seven species of living gars. Their peak period was in the early Mesozoic. Once worldwide, they are now confined to the Americas.

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]

Phylogeny

Gars are the family Lepisosteidae. This is the only living family in the order Lepisosteiformes. Most fish are teleosts, but gars are Holostei.

Neopterygii	Holostei Ginglymodi (gars and their fossil relatives) Halecomorphi (bowfin and its fossil relatives) Teleostei

Genera

Extant

• Atractosteus
• Lepisosteus

Extinct

• Nhanulepisosteus
• Masillosteus
• Cuneatus