Bowfin

Bowfin (Amia Calva) are freshwater fish native to North America and related to Gars. Commonly found throughout much of the eastern United States and southern Canada, including the basins of the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. Bowfin prefer to inhabit lowland rivers, lakes, swamps and backwater areas. Bowfin can breathe both water and air, just like Gars. These fish have elongated cylindrical bodies with olive to brown sides and back with a dark camouflaged pattern and a light colored underside. The average weight of an adult Bowfin is usually around 2 to 6 kg (4 to 13 lb), but at times specimen weighing as much as 9 kg (20 lb) can be caught. Bowfin are ambush predators and usually come out to the shallows at night to prey on fish and invertebrates such as crawfish, mollusks, and aquatic insects.