Emerald Isle, North Carolina.

When we visited Emerald Isle in January, one of the highlights of our stay was a visit to the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Located on the northern end of the island, it is one of four aquariums around the state that bear the name “North Carolina Aquarium.” Our visit there introduced us to both freshwater fish and ocean fish that are found in and around North Carolina. One such fascinating species is the longnose gar.

The longnose gar is a fish with a prehistoric past and unique features. Reaching 3 feet (1 m) or more in length, these slender creatures boast olive-brown or green backs and silvery-white bellies. Found in many North American lakes and rivers, the gar’s narrow snout, twice the length of its head, is fitted with needle-sharp teeth. Unwary fish swimming by are vulnerable to this predator. With a swift lunge and a side-to-side thrash, the gar impales its prey, then maneuvers it headfirst into its gullet.

But the gar’s adaptability extends beyond its appetite. They thrive in warm, oxygen-depleted waters, where most fish would suffocate. They have a unique ability to breathe air, gulping oxygen directly from the atmosphere through their swim bladders. This allows them to survive even when completely out of the water and can live out of water for a full day!

The gar’s skin is armored with tough, overlapping diamond-shaped scales, offering protection against most predators. These living fossils, with their prehistoric prowess and surprising ecological benefit, are a true marvel of freshwater lakes and rivers. North Dakota fishermen won’t find the longnose gar in my state’s lakes, but they will find a similar species, the shortnose gar.

About the photo: The aquarium is very friendly to cell phone images. On our visit, I captured images with both my Sony camera and my Samsung S23U cell phone. This image is one from the S23U. After importing it to my Lightroom Classic catalog, I sent it off to Luminar Neo for adjustment. I used Enhance AI, the Noiseless add-in (though there was very little noise in the image), and the Supersharp add-in to remove motion blur from the exposure. The original exposure was captured at 1/15 sec. and 1000 ISO prompting me to use the two add-ins to remove any negative artifacts. To view the photo in 2K HD on my Flickr site, click on the image.

I encourage fellow bloggers to create their own Cellpic Sunday posts. I never have a specific topic for this feature, and the only rules are that the photo must be captured with a cell phone, iPad, or another mobile device… If you have an image from a drone or even a dashcam, that’s acceptable as well. The second rule is to link your challenge response to this post or leave a comment here with a link to your post in the comment. Oh, and, you don’t have to post it on a Sunday.

John Steiner