Cuban gar
| Cuban gar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Semionotiformes |
| Family: | Lepisosteidae |
| Genus: | Atractosteus |
| Species: | A. tristoechus |
| Binomial name | |
| Atractosteus tristoechus Bloch & Schneider, 1801 | |
The Cuban gar (Atractosteus tristoechus) is a fish in the Lepisosteidae family.[1] It is found in Western Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud.[2]
The Cuban gar is a tropical freshwater fish (18 °C - 23 °C), although also inhabits brackish water lives in rivers and lakes and is found in the Demersal zone of Western Cuba and Isla de la Juventud.[3] The Cuban gar is around 100 cm in length (unsexed),[4] but can grow as large as 200 cm (unsexed).[5] Adult Cuban gar feed on freshwater fishes and birds. Young are prey to the introduced largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The flesh of the fish is edible but the eggs are poisonous for humans.[5]
References
- ↑ "Atractosteus tristoechus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 12 Sep 2012.
- ↑ "Atractosteus tristoechus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)". Fish Base. Retrieved 12 Sep 2012.
- ↑ Baensch, H.A. and R. Riehl, 1985. Aquarien atlas. Band 2. Mergus, Verlag für Natur-und Heimtierkunde GmbH, Melle, Germany. 1216 p.
- ↑ Wiley, E.O., 1978. Lepisosteidae. In W. Fischer (ed.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Central Atlantic (Fishing Area 31). Vol. 3. [pag. var.]. FAO, Rome.
- 1 2 Lee, D.S., S.P. Platania and G.H. Burgess, 1983. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes, 1983 supplement. Occasional Papers of the North Carolina Biological Survey no. 1983-6. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, N.C. 67 p.
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