Dr. Solomon David
@solomonrdavid.bsky.social
Fish Scientist & Prof, aka “The Gar Guy” | 🌎Freshwater Conservation | SciComm • GarLab | Views mine | he/him | #GarWeek
Wherever you go, there you gar
https://linktr.ee/solomonrdavid • @garlab.bsky.social
Wherever you go, there you gar
https://linktr.ee/solomonrdavid • @garlab.bsky.social
Pinned
GAR WEEK 2025 is HERE!!!
Join @garlab.bsky.social as we celebrate these awesome living fossil fishes and freshwater biodiversity for #GarWeek!
We look forward to hearing from YOU with any gar pics, puns, stories, GARtwork and questions this week!
Join @garlab.bsky.social as we celebrate these awesome living fossil fishes and freshwater biodiversity for #GarWeek!
We look forward to hearing from YOU with any gar pics, puns, stories, GARtwork and questions this week!
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Even though #Garweek has ended, we wanted to keep the ancient fish love going this week! Join us on Friday where we'll learn about lake sturgeon repatriation with Dr. Jeff Wyatt!
November 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Even though #Garweek has ended, we wanted to keep the ancient fish love going this week! Join us on Friday where we'll learn about lake sturgeon repatriation with Dr. Jeff Wyatt!
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Combining the life cycle theme for #sundayfishsketch h with #GarWeek for a quick ink sketch of the Alligator Gar life cycle. Eggs -> larval -> juvenile -> adult -> back to eggs!
Don't eat those eggs!
Don't eat those eggs!
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Combining the life cycle theme for #sundayfishsketch h with #GarWeek for a quick ink sketch of the Alligator Gar life cycle. Eggs -> larval -> juvenile -> adult -> back to eggs!
Don't eat those eggs!
Don't eat those eggs!
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
A quick doodle for the final day of #GarWeek, a large melanistic Alligator Gar cruises underneath an oblivious Ocelot somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. A scene that may have happened several times in the past, and may continue to occur if both species are valued and protected. #wildlife #sciart
November 10, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
“Behold The GARLIATH!”: Enormous “Living Fossil” Hauled From Mississippi Floodplains Stuns Scientists
www.iflscience.com/behold-the-g...
By @rachaelhfunnell.bsky.social @iflscience.com on that big Alligator Gar tagged & released @garlab.bsky.social #GarWeek
www.iflscience.com/behold-the-g...
By @rachaelhfunnell.bsky.social @iflscience.com on that big Alligator Gar tagged & released @garlab.bsky.social #GarWeek
“Behold The GARLIATH!”: Scientists Catch (And Release) An Enormous River Monster On Mississippi Floodplains
Alligator gars: putting the “gar” in gargantuan for 100 million years.
www.iflscience.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:54 PM
“Behold The GARLIATH!”: Enormous “Living Fossil” Hauled From Mississippi Floodplains Stuns Scientists
www.iflscience.com/behold-the-g...
By @rachaelhfunnell.bsky.social @iflscience.com on that big Alligator Gar tagged & released @garlab.bsky.social #GarWeek
www.iflscience.com/behold-the-g...
By @rachaelhfunnell.bsky.social @iflscience.com on that big Alligator Gar tagged & released @garlab.bsky.social #GarWeek
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Sad but salient among Cretaceous fossil clams
November 8, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Sad but salient among Cretaceous fossil clams
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
The climate is changing, but where do you fit in? Join us for Spotlight Science: Climate Action and YOU! on November 15 to find tips on how you can make large and small changes to build your climate action footprint.
https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/event/spotlight-science-climate-action-and-you/
https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/event/spotlight-science-climate-action-and-you/
Spotlight Science: Climate Action and YOU! - Bell Museum
Join us November 15 to learn resources and tips on how you can make large and small changes to build your climate action footprint.
www.bellmuseum.umn.edu
November 8, 2025 at 9:55 PM
The climate is changing, but where do you fit in? Join us for Spotlight Science: Climate Action and YOU! on November 15 to find tips on how you can make large and small changes to build your climate action footprint.
https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/event/spotlight-science-climate-action-and-you/
https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/event/spotlight-science-climate-action-and-you/
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
And gar are suspected to have an unusually strong DNA repair apparatus, which, if proven by further studies, could aid in developing treatments against diseases like cancer. If all this isn't enough to convince you of their awesomeness, you need to follow @garlab.bsky.social to set you straight
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November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
And gar are suspected to have an unusually strong DNA repair apparatus, which, if proven by further studies, could aid in developing treatments against diseases like cancer. If all this isn't enough to convince you of their awesomeness, you need to follow @garlab.bsky.social to set you straight
8/8
8/8
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Gar have the slowest known rate of molecular evolution of all jawed vertebrates, reducing speciation rates. The 2 living genera evolved 105 million years ago. The oldest articulated vertebrate skeleton of the Cenozoic is a gar from shortly after the Chicxulub impact that killed the dinosaurs
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November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Gar have the slowest known rate of molecular evolution of all jawed vertebrates, reducing speciation rates. The 2 living genera evolved 105 million years ago. The oldest articulated vertebrate skeleton of the Cenozoic is a gar from shortly after the Chicxulub impact that killed the dinosaurs
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Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
The gar swim bladder functions as a lung and they must surface periodically to gulp air. Studies have shown that gar switch between breathing air and breathing water based on temperature. Warm water holds less oxygen, so they breathe air more in warm temps
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November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
The gar swim bladder functions as a lung and they must surface periodically to gulp air. Studies have shown that gar switch between breathing air and breathing water based on temperature. Warm water holds less oxygen, so they breathe air more in warm temps
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6/8
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Native Americans used gar scales as arrowheads, native Carribeans used gar skin as breastplates, and early colonizers wrapped gar skin around their plow blades. In other words, it's really hard to get through gar skin
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November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Native Americans used gar scales as arrowheads, native Carribeans used gar skin as breastplates, and early colonizers wrapped gar skin around their plow blades. In other words, it's really hard to get through gar skin
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Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Gar are one of the few groups of fish that have ganoid scales. They're composed of ganoine, a glassy, multilayered, mineralized tissue, and rod-like apatite crystals. They're usually diamond-shaped and fit together like a jigsaw rather than overlapping like more common scales
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November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Gar are one of the few groups of fish that have ganoid scales. They're composed of ganoine, a glassy, multilayered, mineralized tissue, and rod-like apatite crystals. They're usually diamond-shaped and fit together like a jigsaw rather than overlapping like more common scales
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Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
They are the only surviving members of the Ginglymodi, first appearing in the Triassic period over 240 million years ago, just before the first dinosaurs appeared. Their closest relatives are the equally cool bowfin. Some extinct species were marine and today's gar can handle some salt
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November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
They are the only surviving members of the Ginglymodi, first appearing in the Triassic period over 240 million years ago, just before the first dinosaurs appeared. Their closest relatives are the equally cool bowfin. Some extinct species were marine and today's gar can handle some salt
3/8
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Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
There are currently 7 species of gar, all of them in eastern North America, Central America, the Caribbean, or Cuba. But in the past, they were found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. The largest is the alligator gar, and the biggest ever recorded was over 8 feet long!
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November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
There are currently 7 species of gar, all of them in eastern North America, Central America, the Caribbean, or Cuba. But in the past, they were found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. The largest is the alligator gar, and the biggest ever recorded was over 8 feet long!
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Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
I didn't get to do #FishOfTheWeek last week because I was in Poland for field work, but it's gar week this week so of course I have to talk about one of my all-time favorite fishes. And there's a lot know, so get ready to learn something new
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November 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I didn't get to do #FishOfTheWeek last week because I was in Poland for field work, but it's gar week this week so of course I have to talk about one of my all-time favorite fishes. And there's a lot know, so get ready to learn something new
1/8
1/8
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Annual #garweek post! As @solomonrdavid.bsky.social ‘s favorite week comes to a close, we say cheers to these fantastic fishes! I loved having a reason to wear all my gar jewelry 🫶
November 8, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Annual #garweek post! As @solomonrdavid.bsky.social ‘s favorite week comes to a close, we say cheers to these fantastic fishes! I loved having a reason to wear all my gar jewelry 🫶
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
@solomonrdavid.bsky.social @garlab.bsky.social #garweek
Name: Gilgarmesh
Location: Gigaglades
Status: Active
Brief Summary
Gilgarmesh appeared soon after the Global Superstorm that had ravaged the entire planet. Florida went under. Up came a ecosystem of monsters, with this a Gar big as a Whale.
Name: Gilgarmesh
Location: Gigaglades
Status: Active
Brief Summary
Gilgarmesh appeared soon after the Global Superstorm that had ravaged the entire planet. Florida went under. Up came a ecosystem of monsters, with this a Gar big as a Whale.
November 8, 2025 at 12:55 AM
@solomonrdavid.bsky.social @garlab.bsky.social #garweek
Name: Gilgarmesh
Location: Gigaglades
Status: Active
Brief Summary
Gilgarmesh appeared soon after the Global Superstorm that had ravaged the entire planet. Florida went under. Up came a ecosystem of monsters, with this a Gar big as a Whale.
Name: Gilgarmesh
Location: Gigaglades
Status: Active
Brief Summary
Gilgarmesh appeared soon after the Global Superstorm that had ravaged the entire planet. Florida went under. Up came a ecosystem of monsters, with this a Gar big as a Whale.
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Low-quality video of a shortnose gar in honor of high-quality #garweek. This fish was spotted in the Grand River (MI) during the @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social meeting in 2023, which also happened to be the same week I met @solomonrdavid.bsky.social for the first time! #52FishyFridays 🐟🐠
November 8, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Low-quality video of a shortnose gar in honor of high-quality #garweek. This fish was spotted in the Grand River (MI) during the @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social meeting in 2023, which also happened to be the same week I met @solomonrdavid.bsky.social for the first time! #52FishyFridays 🐟🐠
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Write a lil Gar Rap for the haters 😆🐟
November 7, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Write a lil Gar Rap for the haters 😆🐟
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Do not sleep on this. @joshbarbershop.bsky.social dropped this on us with no notice, and it has made my whole #garweek. - Christine
November 7, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Do not sleep on this. @joshbarbershop.bsky.social dropped this on us with no notice, and it has made my whole #garweek. - Christine
Reposted by Dr. Solomon David
Happy #FossilFriday! It’s #GarWeek so check out these 50 million year old #gar fish from #Utah at the Science Museum of Minnesota! This genus, Lepisosteus, goes back to the Cretaceous and is still swimming today! Thanks to @bellmuseum.bsky.social & @garlab.bsky.social for hyping these cool #fish!
November 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Happy #FossilFriday! It’s #GarWeek so check out these 50 million year old #gar fish from #Utah at the Science Museum of Minnesota! This genus, Lepisosteus, goes back to the Cretaceous and is still swimming today! Thanks to @bellmuseum.bsky.social & @garlab.bsky.social for hyping these cool #fish!