Mississippi monster, alligator fish, prehistoric monster, as well as the same age as dinosaurs, exotic fishing trophy and aquarium fish - all these epithets belong to a creature with many names, the most common of which is "alligator pike". The photos of these monsters are impressive.
Lepistostedae
This is what the alligator pike is called in Latin. In scientific circles, the aquatic animal is known as the Mississippian shell, or ganoid. And all because of the bone scales in the form of rhombuses that do not overlap each other, but cover the entire body of the fish like a shell. It is so durable that even a large spear or harpoon bounces off it.
There is one more name, which also means alligator pike, - garfish (due to external resemblance to pikes of the Sarganov family). But, in fact, the Mississippian shell has no phylogenetic relationship to pikes. The ancestors of the armored representative of the aquatic fauna appeared on the planet about 200 million years ago, long before the appearance of bone fish. Since then, they have hardlychanged and give us the opportunity to get in touch with the peers of the dinosaur era.
Appearance and etiology
Outwardly, the fish really look like a pike from our rivers - their dorsal and anal fins are also shifted back and the fusiform body shape is similar. However, it is not in vain that this is an alligator pike: its head is equipped with powerful flat jaws with many small needle-like teeth, which makes it look like a crocodile's head.
The length of the jaws can be 30-40 centimeters. In the homeland of the fish, in the Mississippi River, it is often confused with alligators, seeing the outlines of the animal under water. But, despite such a “design” and impressive size (the fish grows up to 3 meters and weighs up to 150 kilograms), in the ways of hunting prey, it, like pike, makes swift and powerful ambush throws. By the way, usually the alligator pike leads a sedentary lifestyle, eating fish and crustaceans in the muddy waters of the Big River. Larger individuals can feast on birds and small mammals.
Fish are voracious and can eat all the time. Their stomach can stretch and hold up to 20 kg of food.
The coloration of fish - from spotted and silver-green on the back to milky on the belly - serves as an excellent disguise in troubled waters and allows individuals to use another rather original way of obtaining food. The pike rises along the river, and then floats down without moving. At the same time, the fish take it for a log, as a result of a powerful and short throw, becoming the prey of a predator.
Features of biology
Similarities with the alligator adds to the fish and its behavior during the heat. The alligator pike rises to the surface and grabs the air with a characteristic sound. The peculiarity of the breathing of these fish is associated with the structure of the swim bladder, dotted with blood vessels and connected to the esophagus. This additional way of enriching the blood with oxygen allowed these ancient monsters to survive in warm, muddy waters where other fish die.
Armored pike surprised biologists with the structure of visual analyzers. Their eyes are large and their eyesight is sharp. But it is interesting that two types of proteins are involved in ensuring the perception of light, one of them is found exclusively in fish, and the other is found only in mammals.
Alligator pike (or Mississippi shell) surprised geneticists as well. After deciphering its genome, it turned out that the set of its genes is more diverse than that of evolutionarily young bony fish and mammals. This gave a new impetus to the study of the evolutionary branches of the development of the animal world on the planet.
Habitat
The border of the distribution of the armored pike extends from Quebec, the Great Lakes and Mississippi, to Costa Rica and Southwestern Cuba. These are primordially freshwater fish, but they are able to endure staying in sea water. But the alligator pike breeds only in fresh water.
Fishing
Alligator pike meat has no nutritional value. When cooked, it becomes dry andvery tough, while the meat has many small bones. It is rarely eaten except by the indigenous peoples of the Mississippi forests.
The insides, as well as caviar, are poisonous and even with inept cleaning can cause poisoning of the body. But the scales of the armored pike are still used today for making jewelry and souvenirs. And the exhibits, made by skilled taxidermists, decorate the offices and homes of sports anglers.
Exotic trophy
Currently, this giant is caught exclusively for the purpose of exotic fishing. This is a coveted trophy for desperate anglers, because breaking through the shell and pulling a fish weighing more than 100 kg from the water is not an easy task.
Garfish hunting is an activity for true extreme sportsmen! They catch it on top with a small release of the float on a live bait. You can hunt year-round, but fishing without an experienced guide is likely to end in failure.
Possibility of invasion
Humanity faced the problem of invasion of alien species into the primordial ecosystem quite a long time ago. Institutes are being created around the world to study and prevent risk factors. Cases of detection of this species in water bodies far from its habitats have already been recorded. Thus, an alligator pike was caught in the Berezina River in Belarus. A similar case was recorded off the coast of Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea.
The fact that pet stores sometimesyou can find those same armored pikes, Russian ichthyologists are alarmed. Indeed, in the lower reaches of the Volga and the Caspian lakes, these fish can find conditions suitable for reproduction (if, of course, they can acclimatize in our area).
If you want an unforgettable fishing experience, head to the Mississippi. And let the alligator fish catch decorate the collection of extreme fisherman's achievements!
