80 BULLETIN OF THE BUKEAU OF FISHERIES 
31. Tarpon atlanticus (Cuvier and Valenciennes). Tarpon; Silverfish; Jewfish. 
Megalops atlanticus Cuvier and Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XIX, 1846, 398; Guadeloupe, San Domingo, Martinique, 
Porto Rico. 
Megalops thrissoides Lugger, 1878, p. 121. 
Tarpon atlanticus Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 409; 1900, PI. LXVII, fig. 177. 
Head 4.1 to 4.3; depth 3.4 to 3.85; D. 12 to 15; A. 20 to 23; scales 42 to 47. Body elongate, 
rather strongly compressed; the ventral outline much more strongly curved than the dorsal; dorsal 
profile slightly concave over head; head moderate, notably compressed; snout short, broad, 4.8 
to 5.1 in head; eye 3.9 to 4.65; mouth large, oblique, the jaws strongly curved; the lower jaw much 
in advance of the upper; maxillary reaching far beyond eye, 1.5 to 1.7 in head; teeth all small, in 
villiform bands; gill rakers slender, 32 to 36 on lower limb of first arch; lateral line decurved; scales 
very large, cycloid, wanting on head, present on base of anal but wanting on dorsal, the accessory 
scale in the axil of pectoral and ventrals less than half the length of fin; dorsal fin short, anteriorly 
notably elevated, the last ray filamentous, nearly equal to depth of body; caudal fin broadly forked, 
the lobes equal ; anal fin deeply falcate, similar to the dorsal but longer, the posterior rays somewhat 
produced but not filamentous; ventral fins moderate, inserted well in advance of origin of dorsal; 
pectorals inserted low, under posterior margin of opercle, 1.1 to 1.16 in head. Color uniform bluish- 
silvery above; sides and lower parts bright silvery; pectoral and ventral fins pale, the other fins more 
or less dusky. 
Fig. 41 .— Tarpon atlanticus 
The tarpon was not seen in Chesapeake Bay during the present investigation, but it was reliably 
reported by fishermen. The species is readily recognized by the large silvery scales, decurved 
lateral line, and the small dorsal fin, which is smaller than the anal and which has the last ray pro- 
duced into a long filament. 
The tarpon feeds largely on small fish and at times it ascends fresh-water streams, presumably 
in pursuit of its prey. It is a powerful and active swimmer and it has the habit of leaping entirely 
above water. The purpose of these leaps remains unexplained, but it is generally supposed that 
this is a form of play. The spawning habits of this species are little known. The eggs and young 
of the American tarpon have never been found and the spawning grounds are unknown. The 
young of the oriental tarpon pass through a stage of metamorphosis similar to Elops. The smallest 
specimens of tarpon of which a record has come to the notice of the present writers are reported by 
Evermann and Marsh (1902, p. SO). These specimens were collected at Fajardo, Porto Rico, and 
they ranged in length from 2 }/i to 3 ]/i inches. All the specimens reported from our coast were 
comparatively large individuals. The tarpon reaches a maximum length of about 8 feet. It is a 
game fish of considerable importance and is much sought by anglers. Its flesh, however, is coarse 
and of little value. The large, silvery scales are frequently sold as curiosities or as souvenirs, and 
at times they are used in ornamental work and in the manufacture of artificial flowers. 
The species is too rare in Chesapeake Bay to be of economic importance, as it is taken only 
occasionally. 
Habitat . — Massachusetts to Brazil; rarely as far north as Nova Scotia. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: “Vicinity of Norfolk, Va.” (Moseley, 1877, p. 9); 
Crisfield (Lugger, 1878, p. 121). ( b ) Specimens in the present collection: None. However, the 
species was reliably reported by fishermen operating in the southern parts of Chesapeake Bay. 
/O V~ 
