Atlantic tarpon

Atlantic tarpon ( Megalops atlanticus )

The Atlantic tarpon ( Megalops atlanticus ) is a large, up to 2.5 meters long expectant fish bone, which occurs in the eastern Atlantic from Senegal to Angola and in the western Atlantic from North Carolina to Bahia in Brazil, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. They are also occasionally north of their normal distribution area, found on the coasts of Portugal, the Southern, Atlantic France, in the Azores and on the North American coast as far north as Nova Scotia. A population against Panama in the eastern central Pacific have to go back to specimens that have migrated through the Panama Canal.

Features

The Atlantic tarpon is covered with large, silvery scales. His back is blue-gray. He has a constant upper jaw and an oblique mouth column. The dorsal fin is short and sits on the midsection. Her last dorsal spine is extended. The anal fin begins at the end of the dorsal fin, it is longer than this. The caudal fin is deeply forked. The pectoral fins approach runs very deep.

The swim bladder is connected to the esophagus, can be filled with atmospheric air and allows the fish to live in oxygen-poor water.

Fins formula: Dorsal 13-16, 22-25 anal

Way of life

The fish live in coastal bays and mangrove- lined lagoons, they go in brackish water in estuaries and fresh water. They feed on schooling fish such as sardines, mullet, snook and even crabs. The Atlantic tarpon is very fertile, with a 2.03 -meter-long female 12 million eggs were found. The larvae go through a band-shaped Leptocephalusstadium and migrate into estuaries and swamps to get there to convert to a fish shape.

Use

The Atlantic tarpon is highly sought after because of its " spectacular fights " for ocean anglers. Its meat is fresh or salted marketed. In Colombia, the fish are kept in aquaculture. The large scales are made into art objects or used in the manufacture of artificial pearls.