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Megalops cyprinoides (Broussonet, 1782)

Indo-Pacific tarpon
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Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
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Megalops cyprinoides   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Megalops cyprinoides (Indo-Pacific tarpon)
Megalops cyprinoides
Picture by Randall, J.E.


India country information

Common names: Alanku, Bonefish, Chirai
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: fairly common (chances are about 50%) | Ref: Talwar, P.K. and A.G. Jhingran, 1991
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Fairly common in freshwaters and estuaries all along the coast of India (Ref. 4832). Known from Western Ghats Rivers, Karnataka (Ref. 43636); Khal River, Maharashtra (Ref. 44323); Andhra and Kerala coasts (Ref. 45255). Also Ref. 1602, 45204. Status of threat: Data deficient in Western Ghats (Ref. 50614).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Kapoor, D., R. Dayal and A.G. Ponniah, 2002
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Nombres comunes | Sinónimos | Catalog of Fishes(Género, Especie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

> Elopiformes (Tarpons and tenpounders) > Megalopidae (Tarpons)
Etymology: Megalops: Greek, megas, megalos = great + Greek, ops = appearance (Ref. 45335).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecología

marino; agua dulce; salobre bentopelágico; anfidromo; rango de profundidad 1 - 50 m (Ref. 86942).   Tropical; 34°N - 37°S, 16°E - 130°W

Distribución Países | Áreas FAO | Ecosistemas | Ocurrencias, apariciones | Point map | Introducciones | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: Persian Gulf (Ref. 68964), Red Sea and Natal, South Africa (Ref. 3969) to the Society Islands, north to southern Korea, south to the Arafura Sea (Ref. 9819) and New South Wales. Restricted to high islands (Palau, Caroline and Mariana islands) in Micronesia. Reported as far inland as the lower Shire in Malawi and the Save-Runde junction in Zimbabwe (Ref. 7248, 52193). Widespread in the Lower Zambezi River channels up to Marromeu and in the Micelo River up to Malingapanzi (Ref. 39494). South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and East China Sea(Ref.33302).

Length at first maturity / Tamaño / Peso / Age

Maturity: Lm ?, range 25 - ? cm
Max length : 150 cm TL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 1479); common length : 30.0 cm SL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 7017); common length :45.5 cm SL (female); peso máximo publicado: 18.0 kg (Ref. 13337); edad máxima reportada: 44 años (Ref. 72487)

Short description Claves de identificación | Morfología | Morfometría

Espinas dorsales (total) : 0; Radios blandos dorsales (total) : 16 - 21; Espinas anales: 0; Radios blandos anales: 23 - 31.

Biología     Glosario (por ej. epibenthic)

Obligate air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Adults are generally found at sea, but young inhabit river mouths, inner bays, and mangrove forests. In freshwater, they occur in rivers, lagoons, lakes, and swampy backwaters (Ref. 2847, 44894). Tolerate a wide pH range (5.2-9.1) (Ref. 44894) and salinities from 0 to 100. Mainly diurnal (Ref. 7017). Predaceous, feeding mainly on fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 5213). Breed offshore, possibly throughout the year. Larvae are transparent and resemble larval eels (Ref. 13337), but with a forked tail (Ref. 167). Juveniles commonly enter freshwater (Ref. 44894, 48635) in clear or turbid water (Ref. 44894). Known to breath air, rising regularly to the surface to do so. Cultured in ponds, the fry being sourced from the coasts (Ref. 7050). Popular angling fish (Ref. 3969). Edible but not esteemed (Ref. 3969). Caught by gill nets, seines, and trawls, and by hook-and-line; marketed fresh and dried salted (Ref. 10982).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproducción | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larva

Main reference Upload your references | Referencias | Coordinador | Colaboradores

Whitehead, P.J.P., 1984. Megalopidae. In W. Fischer and G. Bianchi (eds.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Indian Ocean fishing area 51. Vol. 3. [pag. var.]. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 3463)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Data deficient (DD) ; Date assessed: 29 June 2016

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Pesquerías: escaso valor comercial; Acuicultura: comercial; pesca deportiva: si
FAO(pesquerías: producción; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

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Trophic ecology
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Despredadores
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Length-weight rel.
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Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 19.8 - 27.6, mean 24.4 (based on 501 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 1.0020   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00741 (0.00532 - 0.01033), b=3.07 (2.97 - 3.17), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).
Nivel trófico (Ref. 69278):  3.5   ±0.1 se; based on diet studies.
Resiliencia (Ref. 120179):  Medio, población duplicada en un tiempo mínimo de 1.4-4.4 años (Assuming tm<=4).
Prior r = 0.57, 95% CL = 0.37 - 0.85, Based on 2 data-limited stock assessments.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649):  High to very high vulnerability (75 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Low.