Alligator Gar Identification Guide
Identify the alligator gar by its broad toothy snout, double tooth rows, and diamond-shaped armor scales.
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Key identification features
- Long, cylindrical body covered in thick, diamond-shaped ganoid scales
- Broad, short, alligator-like snout, unlike the narrow snouts of other gars
- Two rows of large, sharp teeth in the upper jaw
- Olive-brown to dark green upper body, paler cream to white belly
- Dark blotches, especially on juveniles and on the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins
- Long dorsal and anal fins set far back near an asymmetrical (heterocercal) tail
- Can exceed 2.5 meters, among the largest freshwater fish in North America
Common look-alikes
- Longnose gar: has a much narrower, more slender, elongated snout and only a single row of teeth, compared to the alligator gar's broad snout with two tooth rows
- Spotted gar: is smaller with a shorter snout still narrower than the alligator gar's and heavier spotting over the head
- Shortnose gar: has an even shorter, broader snout but lacks the double row of upper jaw teeth found in alligator gar
Where you'll see one
Alligator gar inhabit large, slow-moving rivers, reservoirs, bayous, and brackish coastal waters of the southeastern and south-central United States and northeastern Mexico, often lying near the surface or drifting motionless.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell an alligator gar from a longnose gar?
Compare the snout: alligator gar has a short, broad snout with two rows of teeth, while longnose gar has a very slender, elongated snout with a single tooth row.
What is the fastest way to confirm a gar is an alligator gar rather than another gar species?
Its overall size and the wide, alligator-like snout are the clearest clues, since other gar species have proportionally narrower, more pointed snouts.