What is the scientific name of the alligator gar?

The scientific name of the alligator gar is Atractosteus spatula. It is the largest living member of the gar family, Lepisosteidae, and one of North America’s largest freshwater fishes.

The species was first described by Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1803. It was originally placed in the genus Lepisosteus, but the name Atractosteus spatula became established after later taxonomic work separated the alligator gar from other gars. The genus name helps distinguish it from longnose, shortnose, spotted, and Florida gars.

Alligator gar are often called “living fossils” because their lineage reaches back more than 100 million years and they retain ancient-looking features. Their swim bladder can function as a lung, allowing them to gulp air, while their long snouts and interlocking teeth resemble an alligator’s jaws. Despite their fearsome appearance, they are not the same animal as an alligator and are not members of the reptile family.