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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

GARS can be indicators of river-floodplain restoration from Minnesota down to Mississippi and Louisiana! Thanks @alexlubben.bsky.social for joining us in the field with photojournalist Sophie Germer for this story @nolanews.bsky.social! bit.ly/4brAgY0 @garlab.bsky.social

bit.ly

Are Mississippi River restoration efforts working? Scientists say this fish could hold the answer.

They went 1,000 miles for one baby fish. Finding it means a Mississippi floodplain restoration is working.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Believe it or not we have addressed this! Here you go: single gar = gar multiple gars, same species = garrison multiple gars, different species = garmada

Graphic showing the different terminology for a single gar, a group of gar of the same species, and group of gar of multiple species. They are called the following, respectively: gar, garrison, garmada.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

TOMORROW: the @garlab.bsky.social team returns to the Alligator Gar Rodeo… yes, it’s a real thing, and we get lots of valuable data from it, also great SciComm/outreach opportunity (it will be our 4th rodeo *not our first rodeo 😅*) Stay tuned!

Gar scientist holds open the jaws of an Alligator Gar (fish).

Photo credit: Madison Sinopoli

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Alligator Gars serving as indicators of Mississippi River floodplain health and restoration! Floodplains are vital to aquatic ecosystem function, and also mitigate floods in places we don’t want them (like residential areas). www.nfwf.org/media-center...

nfwf.org

Giving alligator gar a lifeline in the Lower Mississippi River

At dawn, the woods are hushed and damp. River water meanders between towering trees, and a long shadow glides just beneath the surface. A flash of silver breaches the surface before sliding back into ...

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

“Intergarlactic” Check out some Shortnose Gars from the Minnesota River during @garlab.bsky.social native fish research! @lollardfish.bsky.social & @noorwrites.bsky.social joined us that day too!

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

All species of gars have long snouts relative to most fish. Even the “shortnose” gar has a long snout, but the Longnose Gar has a significantly longer and narrower snout compared to other gar species. Here’s a comparison with a Shortnose Gar (photo 1) and also a gar scientist (photo 2) 😅

Dorsal view comparison the heads of a Longnose Gar and Shortnose Gar.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

From the GARgantuan to the handheld! Over the past 8 months we’ve encountered our largest gar (Alligator Gar in October) to one of the smallest (Shortnose Gar, today). My hand for “scale.”

Fish scientist’s hand on the head of a giant Alligator Gar (safely released after measurements).

A very small, 36 mm Shortnose Gar in the palm of a fish scientist.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

What a difference 6 weeks can make! Impressive growth from our baby Alligator Gar @garlab.bsky.social!

Baby Alligator Gar on measuring board, approximately 15 mm long at 5 days old.

Baby Alligator Gar in the palm of a hand, approximately 42 days old.

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Andrew Rypel @andrewrypel.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Stoked to share my newest long-form essay 👇🚜🏞️ tnature.substack.com/p/an-apollo-... What if food, biodiversity, rural communities & health were treated as a national mission, instead of separate bifurcated problems? We can still do big things. I hope you enjoy & would love to hear your thoughts!!

tnature.substack.com

An Apollo Program For Agriculture

A Proposed Mission for Food, Nature, and Rural America

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Prosanta Chakrabarty @prosanta.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

A closeup of the ‘split’ eyes on Anableps dowei, the ‘four-eyed’ fish that can see above and below water simultaneously and equally well (LSUMZ 15116 collected in El Salvador). #LSU_Fish the topic of tonight’s #lsusciencecafe @lsu.bsky.social @lsuscience.bsky.social @lsuresearch.bsky.social

Close up of the head of the four-eyed fish showing a split eye 👁️

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Matthew L. Miller @matthewlmiller.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Bullhead fishing with a handline.

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Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Listen in on scientists finding (and falling for) a new species of octopus now called Microeledone galapagensis. Read more here www.scientificamerican.com/article/tiny...

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Please enjoy baby Alligator Gars feeding on brine shrimp (Artemia), set to a Bluey instrumental 🙂 🐟🧪gars are planktivorous at this stage (20 mm, 12 days post-hatch), but will soon switch to eating insects and fish! They’re also already breathing air!

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Enthusiasm from @governorwalz.mn.gov to hold the gar was real! Also appreciate him getting pics with the NEXT generation of native fish conservationists! Thanks again to Minnesotans and folks everywhere for their support of native fish! #NativeFishDay

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

GARgantuan thank you to @governorwalz.mn.gov for recognizing the value of our native fishes! FINtastic meeting him AND getting getting a photoGARph! #NativeFishDay

Several native fish conservationists, anglers, scientists, and agency managers stand with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen…with a big plush gar!

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

TODAY is officially Native Fish Day in Minnesota!!! Governor Walz has signed the proclamation recognizing the value of native fishes, particularly those under-appreciated, so-called rough fish. I think Sir David Attenborough (turning 100 years old today) would approve!

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Newest [g]arrivals to @garlab.bsky.social!

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

FINtastic #GARtwork by Tim Tomkinson for story by Lindsey Liles on our Alligator Gar conservation and floodplain restoration work with @nfwfnews.bsky.social @nature.org and USFWS! In print in the latest issue of GARden & Gun magazine, online article here: gardenandgun.com/feature/in-p...

Image of magazine article about fish conservation and floodplain restoration featuring an Alligator Gar illustration.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

CHAMPIONSHIP GARch Madness match-up! Blue chip Alligator Gar vs underdog Florida Gar! Who wins the 2026 tourney?

March Madness championship final match up between two gar species, Alligator Gar and Florida Gar, presented in a graphic like an NCAA basketball tournament bracket.

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American Fisheries Society @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Just a reminder to nominate your fisheries colleagues for 2026 AFS Awards! The award submission site is open through April 1. Find out more on the AFS website: fisheries.org/about/awards...

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Who you got winning GARch Madness??? 🐟🏀😎 Credits (photos, illustrations, design): @garlab.bsky.social team & @zankurus.bsky.social

An elite eight basketball bracket image but with 8 gars instead of basketball teams. Really.
Alligator Gar, Longnose Gar, Hybrid Gar, Cuban Gar, Tropical Gar, Florida Gar, Shortnose Gar, Spotted Gar.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

NEW: Global Assessment of Migratory Freshwater Fishes @worldwildlife.org www.worldwildlife.org/publications... “Vital freshwater fish migrations are collapsing; hundreds of species need urgent, coordinated cross-border action” Please share!

Cover photo of the World Wildlife Fund’s Migratory Fishes report.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Excited to contribute to the Alligator Gar chapter in “Grizzled: Love Letters to 50 of North America’s Least Understood Animals,” by National Geographic Explorer @bittelmethis.bsky.social! FINtastic stories on Wolverines, Axolotls, Grizzly Bears, and more: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/804002...

New animal book “Grizzled” in the jaws of an Alligator Gar (fish) skull; one of the species featured in Jason Bittel’s new book!

Gar scientist Solomon David can be seen peering from behind the pages of the Alligator Gar chapter of Jason Bittel’s new book, “Grizzled.”

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Remember, you COULD watch the #Oscars or you could watch the OsGARS😎👍

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

You keep doing you, Marine Alligator Gar 😎👍 Indeed, Alligator Gars (and several other gar species) can live in full saltwater! This lives full-time in a marine exhibit with tarpon, sharks, and a sea turtle!

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Matthew L. Miller @matthewlmiller.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Move over salmon. Here are some lesser-known but no less spectacular fish migrations, including redhorse, sharptooth catfish & Nopili rock-climbing goby. Plus gar with @solomonrdavid.bsky.social.

blog.nature.org

7 of the World’s Little-Known Fish Migrations

Most readers will know of the epic salmon migrations. But have you head of these other fascinating freshwater fish migrations?

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John P. Friel, Ph.D. @friel.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Say hello to my newest Alligator #Gar friend that I met this past weekend at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.

Photo of a taxidermied Alligator Gar on display at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson, Mississippi.

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AFS Science Communication Section @afs-scicomm.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Nominate a person/team/yourself for the AFS Excellence in Public Outreach Award, administered by the AFS Science Communication Section. Deadline for nomination submission is April 1. Additional information can be found at fisheries.org/about/awards...

Submit your nomination for the excellence in public outreach award. submission deadline is April 1, 2026.

What is the award for excellence in public outreach? The award for excellence in public outreach was established in 1998 and is presented to a current AFS member who goes the extra mile and connecting the value of fishery science to the general public through various communication channels. This award is administered by the AFS science communication section executive committee.

Who is the ideal candidate for the excellence in public outreach award? Recognizing that many positions in the fisheries field can have aspects of science communication and outreach is part of their job. We are seeking exceptional candidates who have demonstrated a strong commitment to effectively sharing fisheries science, in ways that have advanced the public understanding of our aquatic natural resources. The nomination can be either yourself an individual or a collaborative team.

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American Fisheries Society @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

AFS members - it's time to vote in the 2026 AFS officer election! All active members are encouraged to vote now through March 31! www.xcdsystem.com/afs/forms/in...

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American Fisheries Society @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Ready, set, register! Join us for our 156th Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio. Take advantage of our early bird rates by registering before June 24th. bit.ly/4kNZIdv

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

Do NOT eat gar eggs!!! 🤢🤮

Gar eggs (both unfertilized eggs and developing embryos).

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Good morning from this Alligator Gar 🐠

Closeup of an Alligator Gar (fish) in an aquarium.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler! Happy Mardi Gras from the…

Two large Alligator Gar skulls draped in Mardi Gras beads, with the text “Mardi Gars” across the bottom. Play on words with gars, because that’s what the post author does.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Here’s the @jeopardyofficial.bsky.social GAR question based on our team’s living fossil study (led by @chasedbrownstein.bsky.social @dmacguig.bsky.social)!

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

WAIT. That @jeopardyofficial.bsky.social question/answer was based on our team’s study!!!

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

Please enjoy a break with like, 100 gar; if you need one👍 Although they are predatory fish, they’re also quite social, one might even say...greGARious 🥁

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Minnesota AFS @mnafs.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Submit your abstracts by January 16th 2026! More details: units.fisheries.org/mnafs/mn-afs...

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American Fisheries Society @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

The Hutton Program is looking for application reviewers! As a reviewer, you would evaluate and score 15-20 applications. If you are a fisheries professional, post grad, or graduate student interested in reviewing, please email aberniche@fisheries.org with a copy of your resume or CV.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

BIGGEST Longnose Gar for the @garlab.bsky.social team! At 60.5 inches (154 cm), this fish was a true giant for its species. Caught-tagged-released, it will help us learn more about river-floodplain connectivity👍 I’m aiming the fish toward our collaborators’ sonar, so we can track/measure it! 🧪🐟

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American Fisheries Society @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

"Methods for Fish Biology"? "Freshwater Fisheries in Canada"? More like "Methods for Fish Book Buying" and "Freshwater Fisheries in Your Cart"! Grab your copies from the AFS Bookstore Sale today, before this sale swims away! fisheries.org/2025/12/2025...

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

SCHOLARSHIP ALERT!!! Now accepting submissions for the Alligator Gar Technical Committee Scholarship! The cash scholarship is being provided by @alligatorgar-afs.bsky.social a student to help cover cost for attending the 2026 Southern Division @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social meeting in New Orleans🐟

A $500 cash scholarship is being provided by the Alligator Gar Technical Committee to one undergrad or graduate student. This award is intended to help cover cost for registration and travel to the 2026 SDAFS meeting in New Orleans, LA (March 5-8), annual AFS membership dues, registration and other travel-related expenses.

This $500 scholarship will be awarded directly to the student and not to the student’s educational institution. A winner will be selected based on the quality of a submission containing the following items:

• Cover letter highlighting research interests
• Letter of recommendation
• Professional biography (CV)

This award is not just for those working on Alligator Gar, but also for those who are interested in research on any gar species. The scholarship recipient is expected to attend the 2026 SDAFS Alligator Gar Technical Committee meeting in New Orleans, where they will have the opportunity to meet and present their gar-related work to the committee.

Think $500 isn’t enough? Stretch your dollars farther by volunteering at the SDAFS meeting to get your hotel room and registration fees waived.

Please contact the Alligator Gar Committee for more details.

Deadline: December 30, 2025

To apply or if you have questions, please contact:
Matt Wegener (Chair-Alligator Gar Technical Committee)
Email: matt.wegener@myfwc.com

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Saving the C-Gar! “Cuban scientists race against time to save fish as old as the dinosaurs” LINK: www.reuters.com/business/env...

A worker at a hydrobiological station hatchery uses a fish net to catch a manjuari, a critically endangered fish according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Just when you think gars can’t get any bigger, we’re taking them to IMAX 😮 @garlab.bsky.social

A cinematographer shoots video of a gar in an aquarium.

A cinematographer shoots video of gars in an aquarium.

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

NEW episode of MeatEater Podcast chatting gars & native fish conservation! Grateful for the opportunity to chat stewardship of freshwater natural resources with Steve Rinella and the hunting & fishing crew! youtu.be/xLDSV5qbyzw?...

youtu.be

The Mysteries of Gar Fish | The MeatEater Podcast Ep. 793

YouTube video by MeatEater Podcast Network

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Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

Students perspectives on Alligator Gar fieldwork down south @garlab.bsky.social! University of Minnesota students reel in a fin-tastic catch during Mississippi River fieldwork cfans.umn.edu/news/alligat...

Three photos forming a photo banner, featuring fish ecology students working with gar fish.

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American Fisheries Society @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

“It was the first time that I saw myself capable of doing science...” — MeiLin Precourt, recounting her participation in the Hutton Program. Her story is a powerful reminder of what’s possible with the right opportunities. Watch more here: contentwithpurpose.co.uk/afs/tomorrow...

contentwithpurpose.co.uk

MeiLin Precourt - Tomorrow's Catch

MeiLin Precourt found her passion through the AFS Hutton Program. Learn how youth, diversity, and accessible science are shaping the future of fisheries and conservation.

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American Fisheries Society @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Enjoying #GarWeek? Join us for a webinar on Weds, Nov 12, at 2 pm EST, highlighting positive social and conservation developments for important native fishes, including gars. Featuring @solomonrdavid.bsky.social, Alec Lackmann, & @dirtydog.bsky.social. Register now: fisheries.org/2025/10/webi....

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GarLab @garlab.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Are you feeling particularly artistic this week? Enter our GARtwork contest for a chance to win a crochet gar 🧶! To enter, DM your submission to @OKWildlifeDept on Twitter or Instagram. The winner will be announced on Friday 🎨🖌️ #GarWeek

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