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

Tarpon Megalops atlanticus

Valenciennes, 1846

MEGALOPIDAE FAMILY
Also called silver king, cuffum

Occurs in warm temperate tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This coastal fish can be found both inshore and offshore. Because of its ability to gulp air directly into the air bladder by “rolling” at the surface, the tarpon is able to enter brackish and fresh waters that are stagnant and virtually depleted of oxygen. Such areas are relatively free of predators, thus offering a convenient refuge for the young.

The body is compressed and covered with very large scales. The lower jaw juts out and up. The teeth are small and fine, and the throat is covered by a bony plate. The dorsal fin consists of 12 16 soft rays (no spines) the last of which is greatly elongated. The back is greenish or bluish varying in darkness from silvery to almost black. The sides and belly are brilliant silver. Inland, brackish water tarpons frequently have a golden or brownish color because of tannic acid.

They may shed up to 12 million eggs. The eggs hatch at sea and the eel like larvae drift in shore where they undergo a metamorphosis, shrinking to half the size previously attained and taking on the more recognizable features of the tarpon as they begin to grow again. Tarpon, bonefish, ladyfish and eels all undergo a similar leptocephalus stage, but the first three fish all have forked tails even at the larval state, whereas the eel does not. Tarpon grow rather slowly and usually don't reach maturity until they are six or seven years old and about 4 ft (1.2 m) long.

Fishing methods are still fishing with live mullet, pinfish, crabs, shrimp, etc., or casting or trolling with spoons, plugs, or other artificial lures. The best fishing is at night when the tarpon is feeding. They are hard to hook because of their hard, bony mouths. Once hooked they put up a stubborn and spectacular fight, often leaping up to 10 feet out of the water. It was one of the first saltwater species to be declared a game fish