Yesterday was the second annual play slash biological survey day in Whites Creek Gorge.
I lifted these images from Conservation Fisheries biologist Pat Rakes' camera. We had good water clarity but the big gar wouldn't hold still for their portrait. They constantly cruised around us like a swarm of attack subs with big teeth. This one is about three feet long but there were some that were much larger. I'll post more as I get time but for now, see how many of these you can identify..
That's the first gar I've ever seen! So much for this salt water human and (sorry) fish eater who lived along the Mediterranean for a couple of decades before it got really opaque with industrial crud. And who could write a short, exciting essay on jellyfish and their stings.
ReplyDeleteThe guy at the bottom looks like a sun perch (tiny) in my cattle tank here in TX and which, if it were hanging out in the Mediterranean, would be bream.
There. Having hazarded a guess but worried about looking like a damfool, I googled Smoky Mountains + sunperch and finally came up with even the Latin name. Cute ears!