garfish

Any of several large North or Central American fishes of the genus Lepisosteus. They are related to the bowfin and date back to the Eocene Epoch. Gars are confined chiefly to fresh water, though some species enter brackish or salt water. They frequently bask at the surface in sluggish waters and commonly breathe atmospheric air. Their jaws and face form a sharp-toothed beak, and their body is encased in an armour of diamond-shaped, thick scales. Their eggs are toxic to predators. They are highly voracious predators, with long rows of needlelike teeth. The alligator gar of the southern U.S. reaches a length of about 10 ft (3 m) and is one of the largest freshwater fishes.

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The garfish (Belone belone) is a pelagic, oceanodromous needlefish found in brackish and marine waters of the Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, etc. The fish lives close to the surface and has a migratory pattern similar to that of the mackerel. They feed on small fish and leap out of the water when hooked. The garfish are oviparous and the eggs are often found attached to objects in the water by tendrils on the egg's surface. Garfish have green bones unlike most other fish.

Its pelvic fins are located in a posterior position as are its dorsal and anal fins. They are positioned for posterior flexing of the body.

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