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Atlantic Tarpon — printable fact sheet
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Atlantic Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
The tarpon is a large silver fish that breathes air. Its swim bladder connects to the oesophagus and is lined with spongy, alveolar-like tissue, so the fish gulps at the surface — anglers call it "rolling" — and can extract oxygen directly. This is not a curiosity: it is what le…
Did you know?
- Some Atlantic Tarpon have been recorded living for over 50 years in the wild, making them one of the longest-lived fish species.
- A tarpon named Scarface lived at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium for 63 years. Tarpon flesh is bony and poor eating, so the fishery around them is almost entirely catch-and-release sport — an industry worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Florida alone. Their scales are enormous, up to the size of a coaster, and were once used to make jewellery and ornaments.
What I learned
Draw the atlantic tarpon
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