tarpon
(also called ‘silver king’)
a kind of fish – soft-ray finned, bony & scaly – salt water fish — egg-laying – large with greenish-blue on top and silver on sides, large scales, medium-sized head with large clear eyes, wide mouth with the lower jaw turned upwards, small teeth, soft fins, wedge-shaped tail; size: 6-8 feet in length, 100-160 Kg. in weight (female larger than male); feeds on (eats) mainly fish, shellfish – shrimp, crabs; lives for – male – 30 years, and female – 50 years; two species – Atlantic tarpon and Indo-Pacific tarpon, found in temperate regions on either side of the Atlantic Ocean
peculiar mouth part
The ‘fighting tarpon’ is the state fish (salt water) of Alabama, USA.
Tarpons are a popular game fish (hunted for fun), but not a popular food fish; people in some parts, mostly the African side of the Atlantic, find it delicious, though!
Tarpons have a modified swim bladder with which they can breathe directly from atmospheric air when in brackish waters or in less oxygenated water!
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