Food Selection of Alligator Gar and Longnose Gar in a Texas Reservoir

Food selection of 209 alligator gar (Lepisosteus spatula) and 165 longnose gar (L. osseus) in Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Texas, was examined. Gar were collected with gill nets and jug lines during September and October 1986. Alligator gar were selective, primarily for bottom dwelling fishes, but not to as great an extent as longnose gar. Longnose gar selected small prey, primarily threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense). Both species will apparently shift to different prey depending on the species available.