Megalops atlanticus 

 Adult 



20 cm 



(fromGoode 1884) 



Common Name: tarpon 



Scientific Name: Megalops atlanticus 



Other Common Names: Tarpum, caffum, silverfish, 



silver king, jewfish, big scale; grande ecaille, grand 



ecoy,palika (French); sabalo, sabaloreal, tarpon(Span- 



ish) (Gunter 1 945, Wade 1 962, Hildebrand 1 963, Hoese 



and Moore 1977, Fischer 1978, NOAA 1985). 



Classification (Robins et al. 1991) 



Phylum: Chordata 



Class: Osteichthyes 



Order: Elopiformes 



Family: Elopidae 



Value 



Commercial : There is no commercial fishery for tarpon 

 in the United States. Its flesh is generally considered 

 to be fatty and of second rate quality, but in Central 

 America and West Africa, it is marketed locally and 

 consumed fresh or salted (Breder 1944, Wade 1962, 

 Hildebrand 1 963). Historically, there was a substantial 

 fishery for tarpon in Ceara, Brazil in the 1960's (de 

 Menezes and Paiva 1966, Cyr pers. comm.). Their 

 large scales are sometimes used for ornamental pur- 

 poses (artificial pearls, wind chimes, etc.) (Manooch 

 1984). 



Recreational : The tarpon is considered a superb in- 

 shore game fish, and it is valuable to the economies of 

 areas where it is fished (Hoese and Moore 1 977, Killam 

 et al. 1 992). Its fighting ability and aerial acrobatics are 

 famous, and it is sought for sport throughout most of its 

 range. Fishing occurs primarily from March through 

 June and from October to November from bridges, 

 piers, and anchored boats (Manooch 1984, NOAA 

 1985). Tarpon fishing in the state of Florida is regu- 

 lated, with anglers required to purchase a permit before 



they can harvest a fish (Crabtree et al. 1 992). In Texas, 

 fishing is currently allowed on a catch and release 

 basis only (TPWD 1 993). Proposed regulations would 

 allow the harvest of a single tarpon over 80 inches 

 (203.2 cm) with the purchase of tag from Texas Parks 

 and Wildlife Department (TPWD) (Hegen pers. comm.). 



Indicator of Environmental Stress : Because of its high 

 trophic level, the tarpon was chosen as a test species 

 in a study of the effects of chlorinated hydrocarbon 

 insecticides (Wade 1969). The tarpon is also consid- 

 ered a natural monitor of toxic pollutants in inshore 

 areas because of its freedom from reliance on dis- 

 solved oxygen for survival. Oxygen depletion could 

 result in an immediate kill of other fish species, mask- 

 ing the ultimate cause of death that would occur when 

 toxicants are present (Harrington 1966). 



Ecological : The tarpon is a high trophic level carnivore, 

 preying mainly on fish (Wade 1969). 



Range 



Overall : The tarpon occurs in the eastern Atlantic 

 Ocean along the coast of west Africa, and in the 

 western Atlantic along the coasts of North, Central, and 

 South America (Wade 1969). Its range in the western 

 Atlantic is from Nova Scotia to central Brazil, and 

 throughout the West Indies. However, it is only rarely 

 found north of the Carolinas. It has also been reported 

 at the Pacific terminus of the Panama Canal (Wade 

 1962, Hildebrand 1963, Harrington 1966, Wade 1969, 

 Hoese and Moore 1977). Centers of abundance are 

 the Gulf of Mexico, coastal Florida, Central America, 

 and Brazil (Hildebrand 1963, de Menezes and Paiva 

 1 966, Wade 1 969, Fahay 1 973, Smith 1 980, Cyr pers. 

 comm.). Its range in the eastern Atlantic is from Ireland 



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