An interesting anatomical feature of Alligator Gar fish is that its buoyancy bladder is directly attached to its throat, giving it the ability to draw the air above the water. For this reason, Alligator gar is often found near the surface of a body of water.

Let us find out 20 facts about Alligator Gar fish:

(1) The Alligator Gar is one of the largest freshwater fish is considered a surviving prehistoric animal.

(2) The crocodile fish or alligator owns its name by the similarity to the jaw of the crocodile that is to say its elongated snout in the form of a spatula, as much the upper jaw as the inferior one is filled with an edge of teeth which is prepared to catch its next victim and to devour it.

(3) It is the largest among the petrels which unlike the fish within its family.

(4) This fish is also known for its ability to be out of the water being able to reach up to two hours on the surface of the water.

(5) It is a species that in adulthood acquires great wingspan.

(6) Its average length is 2 meters although specimens of up to 3 meters and a maximum weight that amounted to about 137 kg have been recorded.

(7) This fish has a broad snout and too long neck, the coloration is olive green to brown in the dorsal part with or without spots, the central area is clear white to yellowish. The fins have spots that stand out for their darker colorations.

(8) They have a certain resemblance to crocodiles, especially their robust snout, provided with strong teeth and elongated body also due to their habits of staying on the surface of the water.

(9) The eyes of Alligator Gar is small and the size of the females are larger than the males.

(10) It is a fish that lives in fresh water, although it is also adapted to live in salty water rather brackish because it is unusual to find it in marine waters.

(11) When they are adults they prefer subtropical sweet waters of slow course with predilection by great marshes, streams, and rivers, in-depth ranges of between 0 and 1 meter.

(12) There are not many data related to the reproduction of Alligator Gar Fish, it is known that females lay eggs between rocks and vegetation. These are toxic to avoid being devoured.

(13) The larvae remain on the surface during the first days of life and until they consume the yolk reserves. They have a kind of disc in the oral cavity to be able to adhere to objects.

(14) As its name implies, its face is similar to that of a crocodile, mainly its snout. The resemblance is more appreciated when it has its snout open.

(15) The sexual maturity of Alligator Gar is reached over 11 years in females and 6 years in males, possibly reproducing once a year.

(16) The females can lay more than 80000 eggs which hatch in the course of about 6 to 8 days. There is no parental care after laying.

(17) They are quite voracious and consume a wide range of foods, including turtles, birds, crabs, small mammals, even carrion.

(18) It is distributed in North America specifically in the Mississippi basin, the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz and Florida.

(19) At present, Alligator Gar spatula does not have conservation measures.

(20) An average life of this fish is reported between 26 to 50 years.