Atlantic tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
- Scientific name
- Megalops atlanticus
- Group
- Reef fish
- Rarity
- Rare
- Where to see it
- Caribbean & Tropical Atlantic
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Vulnerable
Did you know?
The tarpon can gulp air at the surface, an adaptation that lets it survive in low-oxygen waters. Its silvery scales and spectacular leaps make it a prized sport-fishing catch, almost always released alive.
What defines this group — Reef fish
The bony fish that live against coral and rock: the living backdrop of almost every dive.
- A bony skeleton, scales, and a rigid gill cover closing over the gills.
- A swim bladder acts as a float: they hold their depth without swimming.
- Many change colour, pattern — sometimes even sex — over the course of their life.
Other species in this group
- Ocellaris clownfish
- Blue tang
- Red lionfish
- Spot-fin porcupinefish
- Mediterranean moray
- Clark's anemonefish