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 1J to 1J 

 (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 (Linnaeus) 

 (long-nosed gar; billfish) 



Linnasms, 17S8, 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); P., 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-J to 1^ times, sometimes as much as twice, greatest depth of 



I body.* Color p_ale oli ve, silvery below ; ve rtical fins and post erior part 



[ of body with round black spots, more di stinct in the young; very young 



with a blackish? Tateral'Tand, typicalTy~"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. 



