Although hybridization occurs widely in fishes, it has never been recorded in gars. Here, we describe the first known hybrids of the longnose gar Lepisosteus osseus and alligator gar Atractosteus spatula from four specimens spawned in an aquarium containing multiple gar species. Genetic analyses of cytochrome b and tyrosinase sequences and a microsatellite locus indicated that the four specimens were hybrid offspring of a female longnose gar and a male alligator gar. The combination of physical appearance, meristic counts, and mensural measurement ratios further discriminated the hybrids from each parent and supported the conclusion of hybrid origin. The four hybrids had body coloration and transverse scale rows similar to those of longnose gar, a snout length and shape intermediate between those of longnose and alligator gars, and two rows of teeth on the upper jaw as are seen in alligator gar. This conclusive evidence of intergeneric hybridization in the gars may provide insights into phylogenetic relationships in Lepisosteidae and hybridization theory and may explain unsubstantiated reports of gar hybridization in nature and the pet trade.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Ongoing and projected changes in climate are expected to alter discharge and water temperature in riverine systems, thus resulting in degraded habitat. Climate adaptation management strategies are proposed to serve as buffers to changes in air temperature and precipitation, with these strategies potentially providing relatively stable protection for flow and thermal regimes. Using a hydrologic and water temperature modeling approach in the Meramec River basin in eastern Missouri, U.S.A., we examined the ability of forested riparian buffers to serve as a useful climate adaptation strategy against ongoing and projected changes in climate. We developed a multi-scale approach using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic and water temperature models as well as a Stream Network Temperature Model (SNTEMP) with different amounts of simulated riparian vegetation to estimate streamflow and water temperature variation within the Meramec River basin under both contemporary and projected future climate conditions. Our results suggest that riparian buffers offer benefits to mitigating increases in water temperature due to shading effects; however, patterns in discharge did not vary substantially based on simulations. From an ecological perspective, the addition of riparian buffers is also projected to reduce the impacts of climate change on Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) by decreasing the number of days water temperatures exceed the thermal tolerance of this species.