Cuban gar
(Atractosteus tristoechus)
General data
The Cuban gar (Atractosteus tristoechus), also known as the manjuarÃ, is a fish in the family Lepisosteidae. It is a tropical, freshwater species, although it also inhabits brackish water.
It is found in the rivers and lakes of western Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud.
It is the second-largest species of gar, after the alligator gar.
The flesh of the fish is edible, but the eggs are poisonous for humans.
Cuban gar spawns seasonally in the floodplains of large rivers.
Cuban gar typically hunts alone and avoids other members of their species. The exception to this is during spawning season when larger parties of around 20 gar form to hunt. Sometimes, the groups break up into smaller groups, and two to eight males accompany a female. Gar species generally have sex ratios skewed towards males (in the cases of tropical gar or alligator gar), although research has yet to show this trend in the Cuban gar.
Adult Cuban gars are typically around 1 m (3.3 ft) in length, but can grow as large as 2 m (6.6 ft). There is no known variance in length relative to sex.
The Cuban gar, along with other species of gar, is also notable for its high tolerance of high ammonia and nitrate levels in water, its ability to breathe some atmospheric air in absence of sufficiently oxygenated water, and its disease resistance.
