Longnose Gar - Abstract

Abstract

The following information has been created as a monitoring plan for the longnose gar (Lepisosteus osseus). L. osseus resides along the east coast of North and Central American freshwater lakes and has been found as far west as Kansas and Texas. The gar have been present in North America for about 100 million years. Predation is not a problem on adult longnose gar, however they are vulnerable to other gar predation when they are young, including adult longnose gar. L. osseus are piscivores, for example, their diet consists of sunfish, catfish, crayfish in their Texas range. Sexual maturity for males is reached between 3 and 4 years of age while females at 6 years of age. Sex ratios are in favor of the males in the early life stages until about 10 years, then switches in favor of females. Females hold an average clutch size of about 27,000 eggs per clutch. Their eggs are very toxic to terrestrial vertebrates, but other piscivorous fish could tolerate the toxins. In the early 1900s, longnose gars were considered as destructive and worthless predators. Soon after this characterization, gar population reduction methods were established. L. osseus has been reported as a threatened species (South Dakota, Delaware, and Pennsylvania). Their declining populations are due to over fishing, habitat loss, dams, road construction, pollution, and other human caused destruction of the aquatic systems. Overfishing is more of a trophy fish than for food; people find their meat to have a rank taste. Because of their long life spans and older sexual maturity age, anything affecting their reproductive population is a huge issue in preserving their existence.