Common names
Silver king
Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
- Saltwater
- Vulnerable
Max length98.5 in
Common length51.25 in
Length typeFork Length
Max weight354 lb 15 oz
Depth range0 - 132 ft
Max age55 years
Water typeSaltwater
Water temperature50 - 104 °F
Fish info
IUCN Vulnerability status
Short description
Tarpon are thick-bodied fish, generally dark blue-green or greenish-black on the back, becoming bright silver on the sides. They have one dorsal fin, and the last ray of the dorsal fin extends into a long filament, reaching nearly to the tail. Their dorsal fin is located at mid-body and their falcate anal fin is at their posterior (rear) end. Their long pectoral fins are low on their body and their tail is forked. The large mouth is turned upwards and the lower jaw contains an elongated, bony plate. They have very small, densely packed teeth placed all over the mouth including the jaws, tongue and skull base. Their body is covered with large flat cycloid scales along their lateral line. They are capable of filling their swim bladder with air, like a primitive lung. This gives it a predatory advantage when oxygen levels in the water are low. Tarpon vary greatly in size and females are generally larger than males.
Habitat
Primarily inshore fish, adults spawn offshore. Juveniles may be found in brackish water around marsh channels. Adults sometimes may also move up larger rivers.
Distribution
Western Atlantic Ocean: from Nova Scotia, Bermuda and southward to Brazil, also found throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean; Eastern Atlantic Ocean: from Mauritania to Angola; with exceptional records in Portugal, Azores and the Atlantic coast of southern France. Crossed the Panama canal and was caught at Coiba Island in the Pacific Ocean.
Behaviour
Breed in spawning aggregations in the open ocean between May and September. Juveniles eat zooplankton and other small prey, while adults (opportunistic feeders) primarily consume fish, crabs, and shrimp. They tolerate a wide range of salinity. Juveniles are commonly found in freshwater. They can fill up their swim bladder therefore they gulp air at the surface. Atlantic tarpon share a unique larval stage known as a leptocephalus with bonefish, ladyfish, and eels. They are a highly migratory species and tolerate a wide range of salinity, therefore migrations are limited only by water temperatures.
Edibility
Poor, tarpon are edible but people rarely eat them because their meat contains a lot of small bones and it's reported that they don't taste good (strong fishy taste).
Lure suggestion
Tarpon can be caught on flies, streamers, jigs, mullet imitations, gold/silver spoons, swimbait, floating and diving lures. While tarpon are not a toothy predator, a long, heavy monofilament leader is very important to protect your line from being cut by the gill plate or tail. Good bait: shrimp, live pinfish & mullet, chunks of ladyfish, or crabs.