Atractosteus

Large gars
Temporal range:
~SantonianPresent,
Alligator gar
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Clade: Ginglymodi
Order: Lepisosteiformes
Family: Lepisosteidae
Genus: Atractosteus
(Rafinesque, 1820)
Type species
Esox spatula
Species

See text

Synonyms
  • Lepisosteus (Atractosteus) Rafinesque 1820
  • Litholepis Rafinesque 1818

Atractosteus (from Greek atraktos (ἀτρακτὀς), 'spindle' and osteon (ὀστέον), 'bone') is a genus of gars in the family Lepisosteidae, with three extant species. It is one of two surviving gar genera alongside Lepisosteus.

The three surviving species are all widely separated from one another, with A. spatula being found in the south-central United States, A. tropicus in southern Mexico and Central America, and A. tristoechus in Cuba. Although generally inhabiting fresh water, they are tolerant of marine conditions.