Food Habits Of Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus Osseusj And Florida Gar (Lepisosteus Platyrhincusj Collected From Five Central Florida Lakes

Stomachs from 285 longnose (Lepisosteus osseus) and 603 Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus) were collected from five lakes in central Florida. Ofall stomachs examined, 432 or 49 per cent contained food items. Stomach data grouped from the two species and five lakes indicated that gar in central Florida lakes feed principally on nongame forage fish and do not extensively utilize game fish species. Nongame forage fish comprised 57 per cent of the total number of food items consum~d, while only II per cent were game fish.