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Family Elopidae, TARPONS
Megalops atlanticus
Description: last ray of
dorsal fin extended into long filament; one dorsal fin; back dark blue
to green or greenish black, shading into bright silver on the sides;
may be brownish gold in estuarien waters; huge scales; mouth large and
points upward.
Similar Fish: (as juveniles) ladyfish,
Elops saurus.
Where found: primarily INSHORE fish, although adult fish spawn OFFSHORE where the ribbon-like larval stage of the fish can be found.
Size: most angler catchs 40 to 50 pounds.
*Florida Record: 243 lbs.
Remarks: slow grower;
matures at 7 to 13 years of age; spawning occurs between May and
September; female may lay more than 12 million eggs; can tolerate wide
range of salinity; juveniles commonly found in fresh water; can breathe
air at surface; feeds mainly on fish and large crustaceans.
* The Florida records
quoted are from the Department of Environmental Protection's printed
publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current
ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.
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