Tuesday 12 June 2012

Silver Lake (Serbia)


Silver Lake (Serbia)

Fishing Destination

Silver Lake
Satellite photo of Silver Lake
Coordinates44°46′N 21°27′E / 44.76°N 21.45°E / 44.76; 21.45Coordinates: 44°46′N 21°27′E / 44.76°N 21.45°E / 44.76; 21.45
Primary inflowsDanube
Primary outflowsDanube
Basin countriesSerbia
Max. length14 km
Max. width300 m
Surface area4 km²
Max. depth8 m
Surface elevation70 m
SettlementsVeliko Gradište, Biskuplje, Kisiljevo
Silver Lake or Srebrno jezero (Serbian Cyrillic: Сребрно језеро) is an oxbow lake along the right Danube bank in the Braničevo region in eastern Serbia, near the town of Veliko Gradište. It is a popular tourist resort.

Geography


Silver Lake is popular tourist resort
The lake itself is in the broad, low valley of the Danube, but the neighboring hills rise up from 282 meters on the north (Gorica hill) to 362 meters on the south (Lipovača hill), while the entire western part of the valley is enclosed by the elongated hill of Veliko brdo and its highest peak of Anatema (324 m). The mouth of the river Pek into the Danube, known by its inverse flow during the high water levels, is just south of the lake. Historical sites of the medieval city-fortresses of Ram and Golubac also in the vicinity of the lake, so as the springs of "Hajdučka voda" (Hajduk's water).
Silver Lake is an arm of the Danube on its right bank. With the main river bed of the Danube it engulfes the marshy ada (river island) of Ostrovo. On both points which connect the lake to the Danube it was dammed and bridged in 1971 by the Veliko Gradište-Zatonje road which also crosses the island. Other settlements on the lake are Biskuplje and Kisiljevo.
Silver Lake has an irregular arch shape, it is 14 kilometers long, up to 300 meters wide and covers an area of 4 km². It is situated at the altitude of 70 meters and deep as much as 8 meters. The water is clear due to the lack of pollution and the natural filtration of the water through many sand dunes. The lake is abundant in fish, including white amur, carp, catfish, pike, perch and other freshwater whitefish.

Economy

The lake is a popular holiday and fishing destination for decades, but recently experienced visitor's boom, attracting tourists from all over Central Serbia, despite lack of major accommodations. The lake has one hotel (Srebrno jezero), several restaurant-boardinghouses, a weekend-settlement and the largest car camping park in Serbia.
As a result of lake's growing popularity, it has been since recently advertised as "Serbian sea", since Serbia is landlocked. A major plans for turning Silver Lake from the resort of the middle class into the more elite place were announced in July 2007.[1]. In the next seven years it is planned to build three hotels, congressional halls, pools (both opened and covered), golf courses, cycling paths, shopping malls and marina. The tennis courts have been concstructed earlier this year.

References

  1. ^ Politika daily, July 28, 2007, p. 18


King mackerel


King mackerel

King mackerel
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Perciformes
Family:Scombridae
Genus:Scomberomorus
Species:S. cavalla
Binomial name
Scomberomorus cavalla
(Cuvier, 1829)
The king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) is a migratory species of mackerel of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. It is an important species to both the commercial and recreational fishing industries.

 

 Description

The king mackerel is a medium-sized fish, typically encountered from five to 30 pounds, but is known to exceed 90 pounds. The entire body is covered with very small, hardly visible, loosely attached scales. The first (spiny) dorsal fin is entirely colorless and is normally folded back into a body groove, as are the pelvic fins. The lateral line starts high on the shoulder, dips abruptly at mid-body and then continues as a wavy horizontal line to the tail. Coloration is olive on the back, fading to silver with a rosy iridescence on the sides, fading to white on the belly. Fish under 10 pounds (5 kg) show yellowish-brown spots on the flanks, somewhat smaller than the spots of the Atlantic Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus. Its cutting-edged teeth are large, uniform, closely spaced and flattened from side to side. These teeth look very similar to those of the bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix.

 Distribution and habitat

The king mackerel is a subtropical species of the Atlantic Coast of the Americas. Common in the coastal zone from North Carolina to Brazil, it occurs as far south as Rio de Janeiro, and occasionally as far north as the Gulf of Maine. Nonetheless, a preference for water temperatures in the range of 68 to 85 °F (20 to 29 °C) may limit distribution.
King mackerel commonly occur in depths of 40 to 150 feet (12–45 m), where the principal fisheries occur. Larger kings (heavier than 20 lb or 9 kg) often occur inshore, in the mouths of inlets and harbors, and occasionally even at the 600-foot (180-m) depths at the edge of the Gulf Stream.

 Migration patterns


A male King Mackerel, about 13 pounds.
At least two migratory groups of king mackerel have been found to exist off the American coast. A Gulf of Mexico group ranges from the Texas coast in summer to the middle-east coast of Florida from November through March. Spawning occurs throughout the summer off the northern Gulf Coast.
An Atlantic group is abundant off North Carolina in spring and fall. This group migrates to southeast Florida, where it spawns from May through August, and slowly returns through summer. Apparently, this group winters in deep water off the Carolinas, as tagging studies have shown they are never found off Florida in winter.

 Life history

Eggs and sperm are shed into the sea and their union is by chance. Depending on size, a female may shed from 50,000 to several million eggs over the spawning season. Fertilized eggs hatch in about 24 hours. The newly hatched larva is about 0.1 inches (2.5 mm) long with a large yolk sack. Little is known about king mackerel in their first year of life. Yearling fish typically attain an average weight of 3 to 4 pounds (1.4–1.8 kg) and a fork length of 25 inches (60 cm). At age seven, females average 21 lb (9.5 kg), males 11 lb (5 kg). King mackerel may attain 90 lb (40 kg), but any over 15 pounds (7 kg) is almost certainly a female.

 Feeding habits

King mackerel are voracious, opportunistic carnivores. Their prey depends on their size. Depending on area and season, they favor menhaden and other sardine-like fish (Clupeidae), jacks (Carangidae), cutlassfish (Trichiuridae), weakfish (Sciaenidae), grunts (Haemulidae), striped anchovies (Engraulidae), cigar minnows, threadfin, northern mackerel and (blue runners).

 Fisheries




Commercial capture of king mackerel in tonnes from 1950 to 2009

 Fishing gear and methods

King mackerel are among the most sought-after gamefish throughout their range from North Carolina to Texas. Known throughout the sportfishing world for their blistering runs, the king mackerel matches its distant relative, the wahoo, in speed. They are taken mostly by trolling, using various live and dead baitfish, spoons, jigs and other artificial lures. Commercial gear consists of run-around gill nets. They are also taken commercially by trolling with large planers, heavy tackle and lures similar to those used by sport fishers. Typically when using live bait, two hooks are tied to a strong metal leader. The first may be a treble or single and is hooked through the live bait's nose and/or mouth. The second hook (treble hook) is placed through the top of the fish's back or allowed to swing free. This must be done because king mackerel commonly bite the tail section of a bait fish. When trolling for kings using this method, it is important to make sure the baitfish are swimming properly. Typical tackle includes a conventional or spinning reel capable of holding 400 yards (370 m) of 20 lb (9 kg) test monofilament and a 7 foot (2.1 m), 20 pound (9 kg) class rod.
Several organizations have found success in promoting tournament events for this species because of their popularity as a sport fish. The most notable are the Southern Kingfish Association (SKA) and the FLW Outdoors tour. These events are covered in several outdoors publications, both in print and online.

 As food

 Processing

As of 2005, king mackerel are primarily marketed fresh. They may be sold as fillets, steaks, or in the round (whole). Their raw flesh is grayish, due to its high fat content. They are best prepared by broiling, frying, baking or, especially for large "smoker" king, by smoking.

 Nutrition

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, king mackerel is one of four fishes, along with swordfish, shark, and tilefish, that children and pregnant women should avoid due to high levels of methylmercury found in these fish and the consequent risk of mercury poisoning.[1]

 Similar species

Small king mackerel are similar in appearance to Atlantic Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus, and cero mackerel, Scomberomorus regalis, all three species being similar in shape and coloration. They may be distinguished as follows:
The lateral line on Atlantic Spanish mackerel and cero slopes gradually from the top edge of the gill to the tail. In contrast, that of the king mackerel takes an abrupt drop at mid-body (see illustration).
The first (spiny) dorsal fin on Atlantic Spanish mackerel and cero has a prominent black patch. The king mackerel does not. As all three species normally keep the first dorsal folded back in a body groove, this difference is not immediately evident.
Atlantic Spanish mackerel have prominent yellow spots on the flanks at all sizes. In addition to such spots, cero have one or more yellow stripes along the centerline. Young king mackerel have similar, but slightly smaller spots, these fade away on individuals weighing over 10 pounds (5 kg), but may still be seen as slightly darker green spots toward the back from some angles of view.
World wide, many fish of these three species are quite similar to one or another. Off Mexico, Atlantic Spanish mackerel may be confused with Serra Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus brasiliensis.


Sunday 10 June 2012

MonsterQuest Season 4: Episode 1 - Monster Sharks

(Demon Eel)Moray eel


(Demon Eel)Moray eel

Moray eel
Temporal range: Late Miocene–Recent
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
N
[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Superorder:Elopomorpha
Order:Anguilliformes
Family:Muraenidae
Genera
See text.
Moray eels are cosmopolitan eels of the family Muraenidae. The approximately 200 species in 15 genera are almost exclusively marine, but several species are regularly seen in brackish water and a few, for example the freshwater moray (Gymnothorax polyuranodon) can sometimes be found in freshwater.[2]
With a maximum length of 11.5 centimetres (4.5 in), the smallest moray is likely the Snyder's moray (Anarchias leucurus),[3] while the longest species, the slender giant moray (Strophidon sathete) reaches up to 4 m (13 ft).[4] The largest in terms of total mass is the giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus), which reaches 3 m (9.8 ft) in length and 30 kg (66 lb) in weight.[5]

 

Anatomy

Photo of undulating moray on top of a coral colony
Muraena helena showing typical moray eel morphology: robust anguilliform shape, lack of pectoral fins and circular gill openings
The dorsal fin extends from just behind the head along the back and joins seamlessly with the caudal and anal fins. Most species lack pectoral and pelvic fins, adding to their serpentine appearance. Their eyes are rather small; morays rely on their highly developed sense of smell, lying in wait to ambush prey.
The body is generally patterned. In some species, the inside of the mouth is also patterned. Their jaws are wide, framing a protruding snout. Most possess large teeth that are designed to tear flesh or grasp slippery prey items. A relatively small number of species, for example the snowflake moray (Echidna nebulosa) and zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra), primarily feed on crustaceans and other hard-shelled animals, and they have blunt, molar-like teeth suitable for crushing.[6]
Two diagrams of head and spine, one showing the pharyngeal jaw at rest; the other showing the jaws extended into the mouth
Moray eel jaw anatomy
Moray eels' heads are too narrow to create the negative pressure that most fish use to swallow prey. Quite possibly because of this, they have a second set of jaws in their throat called pharyngeal jaws, which also possess teeth. When feeding, morays launch these jaws into the mouth, where they grasp prey and transport it into the throat and digestive system. Moray eels are the only animal that uses pharyngeal jaws to actively capture and restrain prey.[7][8][9] Larger morays are capable of seriously wounding humans.
Morays secrete a protective mucus over their smooth, scaleless skin which in some species contains a toxin. Morays have much thicker skin and high densities of goblet cells in the epidermis that allows mucus to be produced at a higher rate than in other eel species. This allows sand granules to adhere to the sides of their burrows in sand-dwelling morays,[10] thus making the walls of the burrow more permanent due to the glycosylation of mucins in mucus. Their small circular gills, located on the flanks far posterior to the mouth, require the moray to maintain a gap in order to facilitate respiration.
Morays are carnivorous and feed primarily on other fish, cephalopods, molluscs, and crustaceans. Groupers, barracudas and sea snakes are among their few predators. There is a commercial fishery for several species, but some cause ciguatera fish poisoning.

 Behavior

 Cooperative hunting

Photo of eel with shrimp in its mouth
A Pacific cleaner shrimp cleans the mouth of a moray eel.
Reef-associated roving coralgroupers (Plectropomus pessuliferus) have been observed to recruit morays to join them in hunting for food. The invitation to hunt is initiated by head-shaking. The rationale for this joining of forces is the ability of morays to enter narrow crevices and flush prey from niches not accessible to groupers. This is the only known instance of interspecies cooperative hunting among fish. Cooperation on other levels, such as at cleaning stations is well-known.[11][12]

Reputation

The morays are frequently thought of as particularly vicious or ill-tempered animals. In truth, morays hide from humans in crevices and would rather flee than fight. Morays are shy and secretive, and attack humans only in self-defence or mistaken identity. Most attacks stem from disruption of a moray's burrow (to which they do react strongly), but an increasing number also occur during hand-feeding of morays by divers, an activity often used by dive companies to attract tourists. Morays have poor vision and rely mostly on their acute sense of smell, making distinguishing between fingers and held food difficult; numerous divers have lost fingers while attempting hand feedings. For this reason the hand feeding of moray eels has been banned in some locations, including the Great Barrier Reef. The moray's rear-hooked teeth and primitive but strong bite mechanism also makes bites on humans more severe, as the eel cannot release its grip even in death and must be manually pried off. While the majority are not believed to be venomous, circumstantial evidence suggests that a few species may be.[6]
Eels that have eaten certain types of toxic algae, or more frequently that have eaten fishes that have eaten some of these algae, can cause ciguatera fish poisoning if eaten. Morays rest in crevices during the day and hunt nocturnally, although they may ensnare small fish and crustaceans that pass near them during the day.[12]

 Habitat

Moray eels are cosmopolitan, found in both tropical and temperate seas, although the largest species richness is at reefs in warm oceans. Very few species occur outside the tropics or subtropics, and the ones that do only extend marginally beyond these regions. They live at depths of up to several hundred metres, where they spend most of their time concealed inside crevices and alcoves. While several species regularly are found in brackish water, very few species can be found in freshwater, for example the freshwater moray (Gymnothorax polyuranodon) and the pink-lipped moray eel (Echidna rhodochilus).

 Taxonomy

 Genera


Whitemouth moray, Gymnothorax meleagris



Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/

More Stories:  
http://blackboxfishtalk.blogspot.com/

Study finds pregnant women eating seafood helps child

Study finds pregnant women eating seafood helps child

From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!
Friday, February 16, 2007

According to a recent survey and study reported in the British journal Lancet, mothers eating fish during certain parts of their pregnancy could possibly help a child's development.
Seafood is the predominant source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for optimal neural development.
The survey of more than 11,000 women in the United Kingdom, noted their weekly seafood intake and found that low seafood intake was correlated with a higher risk of suboptimal developmental outcome.
During 2004, the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency released a report recommending pregnant women and nursing mothers should eat less than 12 ounces (340 grams) of seafood every week to prevent development problems due to the toxins in the seafood. The advisory noted that shark, swordfish, king mackerel should not be eaten more than once weekly.
An FDA spokesperson said that neither the FDA or the EPA had any comment on the study and would need to review it before commenting.

Sources

Joseph R Hibbeln, John M Davis, Colin Steer, Pauline Emmett, Cathy Williams and Jean Golding. Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): an observational cohort study. The Lancet, 2007; 369: 578-585.



Jelajah Joran 2012 - S02E06

Kampung Sungai Galah

Lokasi Pancing

Kampung Sungai Galah

Kampung Sungai Galah terletak di daerah kecil Kampung Gajah, Perak. Tempat yang berhampiran ialah Changkat Tin, Chenderong, Tanjung Tualang , Kampung Gajah, Changkat Rambai, Pengkalan Nibong dan lain-lain.
Sungai Galah merupakan sungai kecil yang bersambung dengan Sungai Kinta di sebelah timur. Sungai Kinta pula bersambung dengan sungai Perak.
Kampung ini asalnya kawasan penempatan dan perlombongan yang dimajukan sejak zaman penjajahan British lagi.Teknologi perlombongan dibawa dari England terutama kapal-kapal korek. Rumah-rumah pengurus dan pekerja lombong dibina di kawasan berdekatan. Apabila harga bijih timah jatuh menjunam , lombong-lombong di kawasan ini telah ditutup. Baru-baru ini kawasan ini hendak dimajukan oleh MMC Sdn Bhd.
Kawasan ini dahulunya merupakan penempatan majmuk yang diduduki oleh pelbagai kaum seperti Orang Asli,Melayu,Cina dan India. Ada klinik kesihatan, panggung wayang dan pelbagai kemudahan lain. Tanah di kawasan ini telah diwartakan kepada Penduduk Asal Kg. Sg. Galah iaitu Orang Asli. Kini Orang Asli tersebut menjadikan tanah mereka sebagai Projek Tanaman Risda Fasa I iaitu tanaman kelapa sawit. Kebanyakan daripada mereka telah berpindah dan menduduki kampung baru iaitu Kg. Tangkai Cermin.
Yang tinggal di situ hanyalah kedai runcit dan tapak panggung wayang. Rumah-rumah pengurus dan pekerja lombong telah diubahsuai menjadi Pusat Latihan UiTM. Terdapat pasar pagi pada setiap hari Jumaat.
Kg. Sg. Galah kini diduduki oleh masyarakat melayu dan banyak rumah dibina di situ. Penduduk asal yang telah berpindah ke Kg. Tangkai Cermin juga telah menikmati kemajuan dan pembangunan sejajar dengan 50 tahun negara kita merdeka. Kg. Tangkai Cermin banyak melahirkan golongan cerdik pandai seperti Bekas Senator Mendiang Itam Wali bin Nawan, Peguambela Kemala, Uda Nago, Dr. Bahari Belaton, Anak-anak mendiang Itam Wali- Elwan Awang,Elwa Lisa,Elwan Ponso dan Elwa Nita dan lain-lain lagi.
Kebanyakan penduduknya bekerja dalam sektor pertanian dan sektor perikanan. Jika dibandingkan dengan masa lalu, anak-anak di Kg. Sg. Galah kini lebih bijak pandai. Ramai anak-anak penduduk Kg. Sg. Galah yang telah melanjutkan pengajian di peringkat Diploma dan Ijazah samaada di IPTA mahupun IPTS.
Sg galah terbahagi kepada beberapa kampong iaitu kampung makmur,perumahan awam dan kampung tersusun a-a-tin.aktiviti penduduk kampung adalah mencari ikan sungai dan di sini terkenal dengan aktiviti memancing terutamanya kepada kaki pancing dari kuala lumpur dan johor.


Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/

More Stories:   http://blackboxfishtalk.blogspot.com/

Kayak fishing


Kayak fishing


Kayak Fishing at Okmulgee Lake, Oklahoma
Kayak fishing is fishing from a kayak. The kayak has long been a means of transportation and a means of accessing fishing grounds. Kayak fishing has gained popularity in recent times.

 

History

See also Kayak origins
Kayaks (Inuktitut: qajaq, Inuktitut syllabics: ᖃᔭᖅ) were originally developed by indigenous people living in the Arctic regions, who used the boats to hunt on inland lakes, rivers and the coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean, North Atlantic, Bering Sea and North Pacific oceans. These first kayaks were constructed from stitched animal skins such as seal stretched over a wooden frame made from collected driftwood, as many of the areas of their construction were treeless. Archaeologists have found evidence indicating that kayaks are at least 4000 years old.[1] The oldest still existing kayaks are exhibited in the North America department of the State Museum of Ethnology in Munich.[citation needed]

[edit] Modern fishing kayaks


Sit-on-top kayak rigged for fishing
See also Fishing kayaks
While native people of the Arctic regions did not rely on kayaks for fishing, in recent years sport fishing from kayaks has become popular in both fresh and salt water, especially in warmer regions due to the ease of entry. Kayaks can be purchased inexpensively and have little maintenance cost. Kayaks can be stored in small spaces and launched quickly. Many kayak anglers have started customizing their kayaks for fishing.[2]
These manufacturers offer special models for fishing that are designed and accessorized for this sport, including specially-designed hatches, built-in rod holders, catch bags and equipment mounts. Specially designed fishing kayaks usually have designs similar to those of recreational sit-in and sit-on-top kayaks characterized by very wide beams (up to 36 inches) that increase lateral stability. These kayaks provide a considerable space for storage inside their hulls which allow the angler to stow rods, fishing gear, batteries for fish finders, extra paddles, anchors, and wheels to tow the kayak from vehicle to the water. The cutouts molded into the top of the kayaks are well-suited to hold milk crates with additional supplies. Some fishing kayaks are equipped with outriggers[citation needed] to further increase stability.
The most popular kayaks for fishing are rotationally molded from polyethylene due to their durability and lower cost. Generally, kayak fishermen look for stable and comfortable designs. The new generation of twinhull (catamaran) kayaks that was recently introduced into the market is stable enough to enable both paddling and fishing in the standing position. This technological development also solves some ergonomic problems that are associated with sitting for long hours without being able to change positions, and frees kayakers from the need to sacrifice speed to stability, which is another problem that characterizes monohull kayaks.
There are also kayaks propelled by flippers or propellers and a foot mechanism. These kayaks offer hands free fishing and all the benefits associated.
Kayak Fishing has taken off dramatically in South Africa. Game fish are caught along the coastline North and South of Durban. Large fish such as Marlin and Sailfish can be caught.

[edit] Fishing techniques


Inuit seal hunter in a kayak, armed with a harpoon.
Many of the techniques used in kayak fishing are essentially the same as those used on other fishing boats. The difference is in the set-up, how each piece of equipment is fitted to the kayak, and how each activity is carried out on such a small craft.
Contemporary kayaks can be equipped with after-market fishing accessories such as anchor trolleys, rod holders, electronic fish-finders and live-bait containers. Kayak anglers target highly-prized gamefish like snook, red drum, seatrout, tarpon, halibut and cod and also pelagics like amberjacks, tuna, sailfish, wahoo, king mackerel, and even marlin.
While bottom fishing or jigging can be done from small boats, it was long thought that effective trolling required speeds of five to ten knots, a speed well out of the range of someone paddling. However, the discovery that fish could be taken at much lesser speeds has increased the popularity of kayak fishing.[3]
Some anglers launch kayaks from larger boats well offshore so they can play game fish from the kayak. They find much excitement fighting a game fish as it pulls the kayak through the water.[citation needed]
Recently kayak fishing has started to move inland to freshwater lakes and rivers, where anglers target gamefish like largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, trout, muskellunge, and salmon.
Some of the biggest benefits of kayak fishing are in the ease of use and transportation, the affordability of the equipment compared to boats, they're an eco-friendly watercraft, and they provide both form, function, and fun.



Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/

More Stories:   http://blackboxfishtalk.blogspot.com/

Three Mexican fishermen spend 9 months at sea


Three Mexican fishermen spend 9 months at sea

From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!
Jump to: navigation, search
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Three Mexican fishermen from the Mexican State of Nayarit have been found by a Taiwanese tuna trawler near the Marshall Islands after spending 9 months and 9 days at sea on a small open top fishing boat eating what ever fish and birds they could catch and drinking only rain water.
Experiencing problems with their two small outboard engines soon after departure from home port of San Blas on the Mexican Pacific coast on October 9 last year, they drifted more than 5,000 miles (8000 km) west trying to call the attention of passing ships before being picked up by the Taiwanese trawler where they are currently being held.
In an interview with Mexican television station Televisa one of the men commented: "We ate raw sea gulls, ducks and fish. We ate everything raw [...] any fish that came near the boat we grabbed it and gulped it down" one time going more than 15 days without food, but constant rain had kept them from thirsting. To keep up their spirit the three fishermen took turns reading the Bible.
The three men, Salvador Ordonez, Jesus Vidana and Lucio Rendon, had been presumed dead when their families were notified of their miraculous rescue.

Sources

River Monsters Season 2 Episode 4

Alligator gar


Alligator gar

Alligator Gar
captive Alligator Gar
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Lepisosteiformes
Family:Lepisosteidae
Genus:Atractosteus
Species:A. spatula
Binomial name
Atractosteus spatula
(Lacépède, 1803)
Synonyms
Lepisosteus spatula Lacépède, 1803
Atractosteus adamantinus Rafinesque, 1818
The Alligator Gar ("Gator Gar"), Atractosteus spatula, is a primitive ray-finned fish. Unlike other Gars, the mature Alligator Gar possesses a dual row of large teeth in the upper jaw. Its name derives from the alligator-like appearance of these teeth along with the fish's elongated snout. The dorsal surface of the Alligator Gar is a brown or olive-color, while the ventral surface tends to be lighter. Their scales are diamond-shaped and interlocking (ganoid) and are sometimes used by Native Americans for jewelry and arrow heads.
Along with its status as the largest species of Gar, the Alligator Gar is the largest exclusively freshwater fish found in North America, measuring 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3.0 m) and weighing at least 200 lb (91 kg) at maturity. Kenny Williams, from Vicksburg, Mississippi, has broken the record for largest Alligator Gar ever caught using a net. [1] He caught the fish on February 14, 2011; it measured 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m) long, 327 lb (148 kg) in weight, and nearly 48 in (120 cm) around. The fish is believed to have been between 50 and 70 years old, wildlife officials said. Williams has donated the fish to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson where it will be on permanent display in the future.
The current world record for the largest Alligator Gar caught on rod and reel is 279 lb (127 kg).[2] The largest taken by bowfishing is 365 lb (166 kg).[3] The fish is also known for its ability to survive outside the water, being able to last for up to two hours above the surface.

 

 Distribution

 Natural

Alligator Gar are found in the Lower Mississippi River Valley and Gulf Coast states of the Southern United States and Mexico as far south as Veracruz, encompassing the following US states: Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, North Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Florida, and Georgia.[4] They have also been known historically to come as far north as central Kansas, Nebraska, Kentucky, Ohio, Iowa, and west-central Illinois, where the most northerly verified catch was at Meredosia, Illinois in 1922 and an 8.5 ft (2.6 m) specimen, now preserved, was caught at nearby Beardstown.[5] Specimens at locations further south in Illinois have been verified as recently as 1976, with the Illinois Academy of Sciences verifying a total of 122 captures to that date.[5] They inhabit sluggish pools and backwaters or large rivers, bayous, and lakes. They are found in fresh, brackish and saltwater, and are more adaptable to the latter than are other gars. In Louisiana it is common to see these large gar striking the surface in brackish marshes.

 Outside natural range

There have been a few notable sightings of Alligator Gar outside North America.
In February 2007, a 1.5 m (4.9 ft) Alligator Gar was found swimming in Jakarta, Indonesia, when that city was hit by a major flood (see External Links below). In January 2008, a 3 kg (6.6 lb) alligator gar was found by fishermen in Bera, Pahang, Malaysia, when it was entangled in a fishing net.[citation needed]
In November 2008, a 0.5 to 0.6 m (1.6 to 2.0 ft) long Alligator gar was caught in the north of Esenguly, Turkmenistan by two officials of Turkmenistan Fishery Protection. Dr. R. Mayden, Saint Louis University and Dr. Eric Hilton, Virginia Institute of Marine Science confirmed that it was probably Atractosteus spatula.[6]
On September 4, 2009 a 1 m (3.3 ft) long Alligator Gar was found in Tak Wah Park in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong. In the next two days, at least 16 other Alligator Gars, with the largest one measuring 1.5 m (4.9 ft) long, were found in ponds in public parks in Hong Kong.[7] As reported by nearby residents, the fish were released in the ponds by aquarium hobbyists and had lived there for some years. However, after a complaint made by a citizen who falsely identified the fish as crocodiles, terms like "Horrible Man-eating Fish" were found in the headlines of some major local newspapers.[8] Government officials decided to remove all the fish from the ponds as they claimed the species had no conservation value and would affect the local ecology if left in the ponds. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department said it would offer non-dangerous fish to animal welfare groups and charities. The fish that was caught first died later that day, and claims have been made that the local government does not treat the gars in an animal-friendly way - they were seen catching the fish with improvised nets and garbage cans.[9] On September 6 the government euthanized all of the fish as it said that there were no organizations willing to take them.[10] On September 8 however, the Hong Kong Ocean Park announced that it was willing to take the fish for exhibition and education to the public. Five surviving gars, caught on September 7, were sent to the Ocean Park.[citation needed]
On January 21, 2011, 1.5 m (4.9 ft) Alligator Gar was caught at a canal in Pasir Ris, Singapore by two recreational fishermen. The fish was taken to a nearby pond where the owner confirmed it as an Alligator Gar, not an Arapaima as the men initially thought.[11]
Alligator Gars have also recently become "trophy" fish for private aquariums, particularly in Japan. In June 2011, a group of men from Florida and Louisiana were indicted on charges of illegally removing wild gar from the Trinity River in Texas and attempting to ship the fish to Japan at the behest of private collectors. It is alleged that the largest of the fish could have fetched $40,000 in the Japanese black market. [12]

 Behavior


10 feet (3.0 m) alligator gar caught at Moon Lake, Mississippi in 1910[citation needed]

 Feeding

The Alligator Gar is a relatively passive, solitary fish that lives in fresh and brackish water bodies in the southern U.S. It is carnivorous and feeds by lurking amongst reeds and other vegetation, ambushing prey.[13] Alligator gar have often been suspected in attacks on humans[14][unreliable source?], but none of these attacks have been officially confirmed to be the work of this species.

 Breeding

Though the Alligator Gar prefers slow-moving waters of rivers, bayous, and oxbows throughout most of the year, it appears to need spring time inundated floodplain fields or wetland vegetation in order to spawn.[13]

 Taxonomic history

Until relatively recently all gars have generally been classified in the genus Lepisosteus Lacépède, 1803. The Alligator Gar had been given the name Atractosteus adamantinus by the eccentric Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz in 1818, and for a long time Atractosteus was simply viewed as a junior synonym of Lepisosteus. E. O. Wiley resurrected this genus in 1976, in his work The phylogeny and biogeography of fossil and Recent Gars.
Based on Wiley's work, after 1976 the Gars were officially split into Lepisosteus and Atractosteus, and ever since then zoos, aquarium books, anglers, and so on have been gradually catching up with the proper terminology.

 Human usage

 Sport fish


This six-foot 129 pound Alligator Gar was caught in the Brazos River in Texas
Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana allow regulated sport fishing of the Alligator Gar.
The fish is popular amongst bowfishers because of its size and tendency to brawl. An interesting anatomical feature of this fish is that its buoyancy bladder is directly connected to its throat, giving it the ability to draw in air from above the water. For this reason, Alligator Gar are often found near the surface of a body of water.

 Food source

In several Southern U.S. states, Alligator Gar are served in restaurants and considered a delicacy or novelty food akin to the American Alligator or crocodile.

 Aquaria

Despite their large adult size, Alligator Gar are kept as aquarium fish, although many fish labelled as "Alligator Gar" in the aquarium trade are actually smaller species. This fish requires a very large aquarium or pond and ample resources to keep. They are also popular fish for public aquariums. True Gars are illegal as pets in multiple areas but will occasionally show up in fish stores.


Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/

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