The Alligator Gar, Atractosteus spatula, is North America’s largest freshwater fish, known for its impressive size. They can reach lengths exceeding six feet and weights over 300 pounds, identifiable by their torpedo-shaped body and a broad, shovel-like snout resembling an alligator’s head. This species is often confused with Florida’s native gar species, leading to frequent misidentification. While the Alligator Gar was historically present and is still found in a limited region of the Florida Panhandle, it is not established throughout the state.
The Alligator Gar’s Native Range
The core population of the Alligator Gar is distributed across the lower Mississippi River Valley and the Gulf Coast states, extending from Ohio and southern Illinois down to the Gulf of Mexico. Robust populations are found in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama. The species naturally inhabits a variety of aquatic environments, including large, slow-moving rivers, bayous, and reservoirs. Alligator Gar have a high tolerance to salinity, often venturing into brackish estuaries. Their ability to gulp air allows them to survive in oxygen-poor water, which explains why their presence in Florida is mostly limited to the westernmost river systems adjacent to Alabama.
Gar Species Native to Florida
Misidentification is common because Florida is home to three other native gar species that are significantly more widespread than the Alligator Gar. These are the Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus), the Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus), and the Florida Gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus). Distinguishing them requires learning the subtle differences in their morphology.
The Longnose Gar is easily identifiable by its extremely thin and elongated snout, which is proportionally much narrower than that of any other gar species. They typically have spots only on their rear fins and tail, with the rest of their body being a uniform color. This species is found across much of the state, extending from the Panhandle down to Lake Okeechobee.
The Florida Gar and the Spotted Gar are often confused due to their similar size and spot patterns. Both species feature irregular, round black spots covering their entire body and fins, but they can be separated by a specific anatomical detail. Spotted Gar, which generally inhabit the western Panhandle up to the Ochlockonee River, possess small, bony scales on the isthmus, the fleshy area underneath the throat between the gill covers. In contrast, the Florida Gar, which occupies the rest of the peninsula eastward, completely lacks these bony scales on the throat area. These smaller native species rarely exceed four feet in length and have much thinner snouts than the Alligator Gar.
Florida’s Alligator Gar History and Status
The Alligator Gar’s native presence in Florida is geographically restricted to the westernmost Panhandle region, specifically the coastal river systems from the Apalachicola River drainage west to the Escambia and Perdido Rivers. Historical accounts confirm that populations were significantly reduced throughout the 20th century due to widespread habitat modification and unrestricted harvesting. By the mid-2000s, the species was considered extirpated from much of its historical range within the state. In response, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) implemented protective measures in 2006, making it illegal to take or possess the species without a special scientific permit. Researchers are actively monitoring the small, remaining population in the Escambia River, confirming that a native population persists in the far western river systems.