LEPISOSTEUS GARPIKES 31 



of the genus Lepisosteus and of a related genus (Clastes) have been 

 found in the Eocene of Europe and America. 



The gars are voracious fishes, feeding to a considerable extent 

 on the young of other species. They have no appreciable commer- 

 cial value, and are treated as a nuisance and a pest by all interested 

 in the fisheries. 



Genus LEPISOSTEUS Lacepede 

 (garpikes) 

 Characters of the genus included in description preceding. 



Key to the Species of LEPISOSTEUS found in Illinois. 



a. Large teeth in upper jaw in a single row on each side; size moderate, length 



seldom exceeding four feet. 



b. Beak long and slender, its least width about 20 in its length, its length 2.6 



to 3.4 in distance from eye to caudal; length caudal peduncle IJ to 1^ 

 (or even twice) greatest depth of body osseus. 



bb. Beak shorter and broader, its least width about 5 J in its length,, its length 

 3.6 to 6 in distance from eye to caudal; length caudal peduncle normally 

 not greater than greatest depth of body platostomus. 



aa. Large teeth in upper jaw in two rows on each side; size very large, length 

 6 to 10 feet; beak short and broad, variable, its least width 3 to 5 in its 

 length tristoechus. 



LEPISOSTEUS OSSEUS (Linn^us) 

 (long-nosed gar; billfish) 



Linnaeus, r758, Syst. Nat., Ed. 10, 313 (Esox). 



G.,VIII, 330 (Lepidosteus) ; J. & G., 91 (Lepidosteus) ; M. V., 35; J. & E., I, 109; 



N., 51 (Lepidosteus); J., 68 (Lepidosteus); F., 85 (Lepidosteus); F. F., II. 7, 



464; L., 8. 



Size large, length over 4 feet; depth 10 to 13 in length including beak, 

 9 to 10 in distance from eye to base of caudal; length of caudal peduncle 

 as a rule 1^ to 1^ times, sometimes as much as twice, greatest depth of 

 bod}'.* Color pale olive, silvery below; vertical fins and posterior part 

 of body with round black spots, more distinct in the young; very young 

 with a blackish lateral band, typically narrow and not extending on 

 belly as in L. platostomus. Head (including beak) 2.7 to 3.1 in length; 

 beak long and narrow, its greatest width about 6, its least width about 

 20 in its length; length of beak 2.65 to 3.40 in distance from eye to 

 caudal; eye large, circular, 1.6 to 2.3 in interorbital space. Dorsal rays 



*We have found this the most reliable single character for separation of the 

 very young of this species and the next. 



