Tarpon, oxeye Megalops cyprinoides

Broussonet, 1782

MEGALOPIDAE FAMILY
Also called indo-Pacific tarpon, ox-eye herring, bulan-bulan, buan-buan, hairen.

The oxyeye tarpon is broadly distributed in the Indo-Pacific. It is found in the Red Sea and Natal, South Africa to the Society Islands, north to southern Korea and south to the Arafura Sea, New South Wales. It is restricted to high islands in Micronesia. This species is reported as far inland as the lower Shire in Malawi and the Save-Runde junction in Zimbabwe and widespread in the Lower Zambezi River channels up to Marromeu and in the Micelo River up to Malingapanzi.

Like its only close relative, the large Atlantic tarpon, the oxeye's most distinguishing features are a long trailing filament at the back of its dorsal fin and silver coloration. The lower jaw projects beyond snout and a bony gular plate is present between the jawbones.

Adults are generally found at sea, but young inhabit river mouths, inner bays, and mangrove forests. In freshwater, it occurs in rivers, lagoons, lakes, and swampy backwaters. Oxeyes can tolerate oxygen-poor water by "breathing" air into a lung-like air bladder; they can also tolerate a wide range of salinities from 0 to 100 ppt.

Larvae of oxyeye tarpon are transparent and resemble larval eels like their close relatives, the large tarpon, ladyfish and bonefish. While they can be cultured in ponds, the fry are collected in the wild from coastal waters.

This small relative of the giant tarpon is exciting sport on light tackle or fly and requires a quick reaction to fast strikes. Like tarpon of any size, the oxeye is an extremely explosive fighter known for spectacular jumps and "long-distance releases." Because of the hard, raspy jaw, a shock leader is necessary when targeting the oxyeye tarpo

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