Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 7 1 



5a. Lateral-line scales, 59-65, usually 60—63 (47 specimens); predorsal scales 

 50—55, usually 52 or 53; anterior part of body and head without dark 

 spots. platostomus Rafinesque 1820. 



Larger rivers of the Mississippi River 

 drainage. 

 5b. Lateral-line scales, 53-59, usually 54-58 (249 specimens); predorsal 

 scales 45—54, usually 47—50, rarely more than 51 ; anterior part of body 

 and head with dark spots and blotches. 



6 a. Adults with bony plates on ventral surface of isthmus, under gill 

 membrane (177 specimens); snout and lower jaw longer and nar- 

 rower. oc«/i7/«j Winchell 1864, below. 

 6 b. Adults without bony plates on ventral surface of isthmus (76 speci- 

 mens) ; snout and lower jaw shorter and broader. 



platyrhincus DeKay 1842, p. 81. 



Lepisosteus oculatus Winchell 1864 



Spotted Gar 



Figures 12, 14 



Study Materials A total of 177 specimens, 32-819 mm TL, including the type 

 of L. oculatus Winchell 1864 (dry mount with fins broken; length 700 mm, estimated 

 caudal length 119 mm, total length 819 mm, UMMZ 55062), from Michigan, In- 

 diana, and Ohio south to the Gulf of Mexico, and from western Florida to central 

 Texas along the Gulf coast, in TU, UMMZ, ANSP, USNM, AMNH, and UT 

 collections. 



Distinctive Characters. L. oculatus is readily distinguished from L. osseus and L. 

 spatula by the profusion of dark spots on the body, head, and fins, and from L. platy- 

 rhincus by the plates on the ventral surface of the isthmus. The Spotted Gar has a head 

 of medium width, approximately intermediate between the narrow head of L. osseus 

 and the very broad head of L. spatula. 



Description. Proportional dimensions in per cent of length, based on 32 specimens: 

 from Lake Pontchartrain near New Orleans, Louisiana (5), Sabine R., Texas (3), 

 Mermentau R., Louisiana (4), Biloxi R., Mississippi (i), Pearl R., Louisiana and 

 Mississippi (19); specimens 180-512 mm length. 



Body: depth 9.2-12.8; width 8.6-12.6. length 27.1-36.2; depth 6.6-8.3; 



Caudal peduncle: length 10. 8-13. 4; least width 7.6-10.0. 



depth 5.0-7.3. Snout: length 15.9-23.3; least width 



Head: mid-dorsal length 24.5-33.9; 2.3-3.2 ; width 3.8-5.3. 



9. All of the types listed under Study Material were examined by me. 



