Tarpon

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Tarpon are large, long‑lived fish in the Megalops genus. There are two living species: the Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) and the Indo-Pacific tarpon (Megalops cyprinoides). They live in both saltwater and freshwater and often swim up rivers into brackish or fresh marshes. They can handle a wide range of salinities and pH, and they tolerate low‑oxygen water because their swim bladder can absorb oxygen from the air. They can even surface to gulp air.

Appearance and size: Tarpon grow to about 4–8 feet long (1.2–2.4 m) and weigh about 60–280 pounds (27–127 kg). They have shiny silvery bodies with bluish‑green backs, big eyes, and a wide mouth with a lower jaw that sticks out.

Habitat and range: Tarpon live in warm coastal waters and use mangroves and marshes as nurseries. Atlantic tarpon occur in the Western Atlantic (Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Florida) and along the eastern Atlantic from Senegal to Congo. They can be found as far north as Bermuda, Nova Scotia, and even Argentina. They are known to migrate through the Panama Canal between the Atlantic and Pacific for many decades, but they do not breed in the Pacific. In 2024 a tarpon was recorded in northern Peru.

Life cycle and feeding: Spawning happens offshore in warm waters; females can lay up to about 12 million eggs. Tarpon mature at about 75–125 cm (30–50 inches). They have three larval stages. Early leptocephalus larvae live in surface waters for about 20–30 days, then become juveniles that move into coastal ponds, creeks, and rivers. Juveniles feed on zooplankton, insects, and small fish; as they grow, they eat more insects, fish, crabs, and shrimp. Adults are nocturnal predators that feed on midwater prey and swallow their prey whole. Tarpon are obligate air‑breathers, so they must surface to breathe.

Humans and behavior: Tarpon are famous as a saltwater game fish for their size and dramatic leaps; many are released after being caught. They can tolerate urban coastlines, but their populations decline with river pollution and changes in freshwater flow.

Temperature: They prefer water around 22–28 C; they slow down in water below 16 C and can die below 4 C.