{"id":110842,"date":"2024-10-05T23:20:51","date_gmt":"2024-10-05T16:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=110842"},"modified":"2024-10-05T23:20:51","modified_gmt":"2024-10-05T16:20:51","slug":"alligator-gar-the-living-fossil-that-has-barely-evolved-for-100-million-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=110842","title":{"rendered":"Alligator gar: The &#8216;living fossil&#8217; that has barely evolved for 100 million years"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"articleBody\" id=\"article-body\">\n<p><strong>Name:<\/strong> Alligator gar (<em>Atractosteus spatula<\/em>)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where it lives:<\/strong> Rivers, reservoirs and coastal bays in southwestern U.S. states, down to Veracruz, Mexico<\/p>\n<aside class=\"hawk-nest\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\"\/>\n<p><strong>What it eats: <\/strong>Crabs, fish, birds, mammals, turtles, and carrion<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why it<\/strong>&#8216;<strong>s awesome:<\/strong> With their long snout, thick armored scales, and two rows of piercing teeth, these huge fish could easily be mistaken for a ferocious gator \u2014 hence their common name: alligator gar.<\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-video youtube-facade\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<div class=\"video-aspect-box\">\n<div class=\"watch-on-iframe-7iuwRZ8ubIA\" data-yt-video-token=\"7iuwRZ8ubIA\" title=\"Reeling in A HUGE Alligator Gar | ALLIGATOR GAR | River Monsters - YouTube\">\n<span class=\"youtube-video-title\">Reeling in A HUGE Alligator Gar | ALLIGATOR GAR | River Monsters &#8211; YouTube<\/span><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/7iuwRZ8ubIA\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Reeling in A HUGE Alligator Gar | ALLIGATOR GAR | River Monsters - YouTube\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"play-button\" viewbox=\"0 0 234.67 165.33\"><path fill=\"red\" d=\"M229.763 25.817c-2.699-10.162-10.65-18.165-20.748-20.881C190.716 0 117.333 0 117.333 0S43.951 0 25.651 4.936C15.553 7.652 7.6 15.655 4.903 25.817 0 44.236 0 82.667 0 82.667s0 38.429 4.903 56.85C7.6 149.68 15.553 157.681 25.65 160.4c18.3 4.934 91.682 4.934 91.682 4.934s73.383 0 91.682-4.934c10.098-2.718 18.049-10.72 20.748-20.882 4.904-18.421 4.904-56.85 4.904-56.85s0-38.431-4.904-56.85\"\/><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"m93.333 117.559 61.333-34.89-61.333-34.894z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<a class=\"watch-on-youtube-7iuwRZ8ubIA\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/7iuwRZ8ubIA\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/7iuwRZ8ubIA\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\">Watch On <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"youtube-logo\" viewbox=\"0 0 507.9 113.39\"><g fill=\"#fff\"><path d=\"M64.792 80.99V32.396l42.082 24.297zm93.803-63.285a20.285 20.285 0 0 0-14.32-14.32C131.642 0 80.99 0 80.99 0S30.337 0 17.705 3.385a20.286 20.286 0 0 0-14.32 14.32C0 30.338 0 56.693 0 56.693S0 83.049 3.385 95.68A20.285 20.285 0 0 0 17.705 110c12.632 3.386 63.285 3.386 63.285 3.386s50.652 0 63.285-3.386a20.284 20.284 0 0 0 14.32-14.32c3.385-12.632 3.385-38.988 3.385-38.988s0-26.355-3.385-38.988m94.473 74.326c.887-2.314 1.332-6.098 1.332-11.35V58.556c0-5.097-.445-8.822-1.332-11.178-.888-2.355-2.452-3.533-4.69-3.533-2.163 0-3.69 1.178-4.577 3.533-.888 2.356-1.332 6.081-1.332 11.178V80.68c0 5.25.424 9.035 1.275 11.35.848 2.318 2.392 3.475 4.633 3.475 2.239 0 3.803-1.157 4.691-3.475zm-17.953 11.122c-3.207-2.16-5.486-5.52-6.835-10.079-1.352-4.554-2.027-10.617-2.027-18.185v-10.31c0-7.644.771-13.784 2.316-18.417 1.544-4.633 3.956-8.011 7.24-10.135 3.282-2.123 7.587-3.186 12.916-3.186 5.251 0 9.459 1.082 12.626 3.243 3.165 2.162 5.482 5.542 6.95 10.136 1.466 4.595 2.2 10.715 2.2 18.36v10.31c0 7.567-.714 13.65-2.142 18.243-1.43 4.595-3.747 7.955-6.951 10.077-3.205 2.124-7.548 3.186-13.03 3.186-5.64 0-10.06-1.082-13.263-3.243m248.053-57.981c-.81 1.005-1.352 2.646-1.621 4.923-.272 2.278-.404 5.734-.404 10.367v5.097h11.697V60.46c0-4.555-.155-8.011-.463-10.367-.309-2.355-.868-4.014-1.678-4.98-.812-.966-2.067-1.449-3.766-1.449-1.7 0-2.954.503-3.765 1.506zm-2.025 29.886v3.591c0 4.557.132 7.974.404 10.251.269 2.279.828 3.94 1.68 4.982.849 1.041 2.16 1.564 3.938 1.564 2.392 0 4.035-.927 4.923-2.781.887-1.853 1.37-4.942 1.447-9.268l13.785.812c.077.62.116 1.469.116 2.548 0 6.565-1.795 11.47-5.387 14.712-3.589 3.242-8.669 4.865-15.232 4.865-7.876 0-13.398-2.47-16.564-7.414-3.168-4.94-4.75-12.586-4.75-22.935V63.589c0-10.657 1.641-18.436 4.924-23.342 3.281-4.903 8.9-7.355 16.854-7.355 5.482 0 9.691 1.004 12.626 3.012 2.933 2.01 5 5.137 6.197 9.383 1.197 4.247 1.796 10.117 1.796 17.607v12.163h-26.757m-284.953-1.33-18.187-65.68h15.869l6.37 29.77c1.623 7.339 2.82 13.594 3.591 18.766h.464c.54-3.706 1.738-9.922 3.591-18.65l6.603-29.886h15.869l-18.417 65.68v31.51h-15.754v-31.51M322.115 34.23v71.007h-12.511l-1.39-8.688h-.347c-3.399 6.564-8.496 9.845-15.291 9.845-4.71 0-8.185-1.543-10.425-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.359-7.915-3.359-14.48V34.23h15.985v52.126c0 3.168.348 5.426 1.043 6.776.695 1.353 1.853 2.027 3.475 2.027 1.39 0 2.722-.423 3.996-1.275 1.274-.849 2.22-1.928 2.838-3.241V34.229h15.986m81.995.001v71.007h-12.511l-1.391-8.688h-.345c-3.402 6.564-8.498 9.845-15.292 9.845-4.711 0-8.186-1.543-10.426-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.358-7.915-3.358-14.48V34.23h15.985v52.126c0 3.168.347 5.426 1.041 6.776.696 1.353 1.855 2.027 3.476 2.027 1.391 0 2.723-.423 3.996-1.275 1.275-.849 2.22-1.928 2.839-3.241V34.229h15.985\"\/><path d=\"M365.552 20.908h-15.87v84.329h-15.637v-84.33h-15.869V8.05h47.376v12.858m76.811 53.636c0 5.174-.215 9.229-.639 12.162-.424 2.937-1.139 5.021-2.143 6.255-1.004 1.236-2.357 1.854-4.053 1.854a7.404 7.404 0 0 1-3.65-.927c-1.12-.618-2.026-1.544-2.722-2.78V50.796c.54-1.93 1.467-3.513 2.78-4.749 1.313-1.234 2.74-1.853 4.285-1.853 1.623 0 2.876.637 3.766 1.91.886 1.275 1.505 3.418 1.853 6.43.348 3.011.523 7.297.523 12.857zm14.652-28.964c-.967-4.478-2.531-7.721-4.692-9.73-2.163-2.007-5.136-3.011-8.919-3.011-2.935 0-5.676.83-8.224 2.49a16.926 16.926 0 0 0-5.908 6.545h-.117l.001-37.416h-15.405v100.777h13.204l1.622-6.717h.347c1.235 2.393 3.088 4.285 5.56 5.675 2.47 1.39 5.213 2.085 8.225 2.085 5.404 0 9.382-2.491 11.931-7.471 2.548-4.982 3.823-12.76 3.823-23.341V64.23c0-7.953-.484-14.17-1.448-18.65\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p>They are the largest known species of gar and can grow to around 8 feet (2.4 meters).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <\/strong><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/animals\/fish\/true-rarity-gigantic-alligator-gar-caught-and-released-in-texas-reservoir-could-break-2-world-records\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/animals\/fish\/true-rarity-gigantic-alligator-gar-caught-and-released-in-texas-reservoir-could-break-2-world-records\"><u><strong>&#8216;True rarity&#8217;: Gigantic alligator gar caught and released in Texas reservoir could break 2 world records<\/strong><\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This enormous fish is &#8220;a truly prehistoric monster,&#8221; said biologist Jeremy Wade on &#8220;<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com\/?id=92X1590019&amp;xcust=livescience_us_4747616833139971667&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.itv.com%2Fwatch%2Friver-monsters%2F1a7358%2F1a7358a0002&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.livescience.com%2Fanimals%2Ffish%2Falligator-gar-the-living-fossil-that-has-barely-evolved-for-100-million-years\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.itv.com\/watch\/river-monsters\/1a7358\/1a7358a0002\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored noopener\" data-hl-processed=\"skimlinks\" data-placeholder-url=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com\/?id=92X1590019&amp;xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.itv.com%2Fwatch%2Friver-monsters%2F1a7358%2F1a7358a0002&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.livescience.com%2Fanimals%2Ffish%2Falligator-gar-the-living-fossil-that-has-barely-evolved-for-100-million-years\" data-google-interstitial=\"false\" data-merchant-name=\"SkimLinks - itv.com\" data-merchant-id=\"undefined\" data-merchant-url=\"undefined\" data-merchant-network=\"undefined\"><u>River Monsters<\/u><\/a>.&#8221; Fossils have shown that these ancient animals existed 100 million years ago during the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/29231-cretaceous-period.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/29231-cretaceous-period.html\"><u>Cretaceous period<\/u><\/a> (145 million to 66 million years ago), when dinosaurs roamed Earth.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Ck64xiiuFcakGupjTpFJd6\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-Ck64xiiuFcakGupjTpFJd6 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Get the world\u2019s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;Their survival is in part because of their unique defense system \u2014 scales made of a super hard enamel called ganoine,&#8221; said Wade. &#8220;This armor plating has seen them survive predatory dinosaurs.&#8221; These <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23274521\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23274521\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>hard, interlocking flexible scales<\/u><\/a> protect them from threats. Once gars are more than a meter long, their<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu\/discover-fish\/species-profiles\/atractosteus-spatula\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu\/discover-fish\/species-profiles\/atractosteus-spatula\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"> <u>only predator<\/u><\/a> is the alligator.<\/p>\n<p>And alligator gars grow fast. They start as <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/fishboat\/fish\/management\/alligator-gar\/edible.phtml\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/fishboat\/fish\/management\/alligator-gar\/edible.phtml\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>tiny toxic eggs<\/u><\/a> but reach up to 2 feet (0.6 m) long in their first year. They keep growing their entire lives, and <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/animals\/fish\/true-rarity-gigantic-alligator-gar-caught-and-released-in-texas-reservoir-could-break-2-world-records\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/animals\/fish\/true-rarity-gigantic-alligator-gar-caught-and-released-in-texas-reservoir-could-break-2-world-records\"><u>can live to 100 years old<\/u><\/a>, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/solomonrdavid\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/solomonrdavid\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Solomon David<\/u><\/a>, an aquatic ecologist at the University of Minnesota, previously told Live Science.<\/p>\n<p>Alligator gars are also among the ultimate &#8220;<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/animals\/living-fossils-creatures-that-look-the-same-now-as-they-did-millions-of-years-ago\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/animals\/living-fossils-creatures-that-look-the-same-now-as-they-did-millions-of-years-ago\"><u>living fossils<\/u><\/a>&#8221; \u2014 species that have barely changed for millions of years. <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/evolut\/advance-article\/doi\/10.1093\/evolut\/qpae028\/7615529?login=false\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/evolut\/advance-article\/doi\/10.1093\/evolut\/qpae028\/7615529?login=false\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>A 2024 study<\/u><\/a> found gars have the slowest rates of evolution of all jawed vertebrates. They have evolved so slowly that alligator gars and longnose gars (<em>Lepisosteus osseus<\/em>) \u2014 two species separated by 100 million years of evolution \u2014 can still produce fertile hybrid offspring. Evolution across such a long period of time typically produces wildly divergent species that could never reproduce.<\/p>\n<p>By contrast, that&#8217;s about the same amount of evolutionary time that separates wombats and people, two wildly different species that could never reproduce, study author <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/pierson.yalecollege.yale.edu\/chase-brownstein\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/pierson.yalecollege.yale.edu\/chase-brownstein\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Chase Brownstein<\/u><\/a>, a first year graduate student at Yale, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/animals\/fish\/prehistoric-fish-with-giant-jaws-filled-with-razor-sharp-teeth-are-the-ultimate-living-fossils\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/animals\/fish\/prehistoric-fish-with-giant-jaws-filled-with-razor-sharp-teeth-are-the-ultimate-living-fossils\"><u>previously told Live Science<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Although their needle-sharp teeth are capable of causing a nasty bite, these ambush predators prefer eating crabs, fish, and birds. Yet, in the 1930s, the Texas Game Fish Commission created a &#8220;<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fieldandstream.com\/fishing\/how-to-fish-for-alligator-garfish\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.fieldandstream.com\/fishing\/how-to-fish-for-alligator-garfish\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>gar destroyer&#8221;<\/u><\/a> to try to electrocute the fish by shooting 200-volts into the water. Today, the fish is <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/myfwc.com\/research\/freshwater\/sport-fishes\/alligator-gar\/#:~:text=That's%20why%20the%20FWC%20strengthened,scientific%20research%20and%20management%20efforts.\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/myfwc.com\/research\/freshwater\/sport-fishes\/alligator-gar\/#:~:text=That's%20why%20the%20FWC%20strengthened,scientific%20research%20and%20management%20efforts.\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>protected<\/u><\/a> in Florida and fishing caps are in place in <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/fishboat\/fish\/management\/alligator-gar\/sustain.phtml#:~:text=Texas%20currently%20has%20a%20statewide,conditions%20are%20appropriate%20for%20spawning.\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/fishboat\/fish\/management\/alligator-gar\/sustain.phtml#:~:text=Texas%20currently%20has%20a%20statewide,conditions%20are%20appropriate%20for%20spawning.\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Texas<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/animals\/fish\/alligator-gar-the-living-fossil-that-has-barely-evolved-for-100-million-years\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Name: Alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) Where it lives: Rivers, reservoirs and coastal bays in southwestern U.S. states, down to Veracruz, Mexico What it eats: Crabs, fish, birds, mammals, turtles, and &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=110842\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8628],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-110842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=110842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110842\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=110842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=110842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=110842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}