Species learning profile
Tarpon de l'Atlantique
Megalops atlanticus
Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) is a brackish fish associated with coastal habitat in Atlantic. It gulps air at the surface using a lung-like swim bladder.
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At a glance
- Eau
- Eau saumâtre
- Habitat
- Côte
- Longueur maximale
- 250 cm
- Répartition
- Atlantique
- Famille
- Megalopidae
- Ordre
- Elopiformes
Observe
How to identify Tarpon de l'Atlantique
- Bright silver with a dark blue-green back.
- Large-scaled and streamlined with an upturned mouth and a trailing dorsal ray.
- Reported maximum length: 250 cm — a genuinely giant fish. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with coastal habitat across Atlantic. Local depth, cover, temperature, oxygen, and food availability determine where it can thrive.
Behavior
Uses coastal habitat for feeding, shelter, migration, or reproduction.
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
A species-specific mix of plant material, plankton, invertebrates, or other fish.
Ecological role
It occupies a distinct place in its food web as consumer, prey, or both..
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Tarpon de l'Atlantique peut atteindre environ 250 cm et vit souvent près de Côte.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Population health depends on intact habitat, clean water, and responsible harvest where fishing occurs.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Atlantic tarpon in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections