Alligator Gar

Alligator Gar are found in the lower Mississippi River Valley as well as the Gulf Coast States including Georgia and Alabama. Unlike other gars, the mature alligator gar possesses a dual row of large teeth in the upper jaw. It's name derives from the alligator-like appearance of these teeth along with the fish's elongated snout. The dorsal surface of the gator gar is a brown or olive color, while the ventral surface tends to be lighter. Their scales are diamond-shaped, interlocking and are sometimes used by Native Americans for jewelry and arrow heads.

The alligator gar is a relatively passive, solitary fish that lives in fresh and brackish water bodies in the Southern United States. It is carnivorous and feeds by lurking among reeds and other vegetation, ambushing prey. Alligator gar have often been suspected in attacks on humans, but none of these attacks has been officially confirmed to be the work of this species.