Atlantic tarpon

Atlantic tarpon Temporal range: Miocene-recent, PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N [1]
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Elopiformes
Family:	Megalopidae
Genus:	Megalops
Species:	M. atlanticus
Binomial name
Megalops atlanticus Valenciennes, 1847
Synonyms[3][4]
Tarpon atlanticus (Valenciennes 1847) Clupea gigantea Shaw 1804 Megalops giganteus (Shaw 1804) Megalops elongatus Girard 1859 Amia subargentea Browne 1789

The Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) is a ray-finned fish that inhabits coastal waters, estuaries, lagoons, and rivers. It is also known as the silver king. It is found in the Atlantic Ocean, typically in tropical and subtropical regions, though it has been reported as far north as Nova Scotia and the Atlantic coast of southern France, and as far south as Argentina. As with all elopiformes, it spawns at sea. Its diet includes small fish and crustaceans.^[5]

The tarpon has a reputation for great aerobatics, attaining astonishing size, and having impressive armored scales. It is generally considered to be of poor food quality, but it is highly valued as a game fish by recreational fishermen.