


The Fighting Tarpon
Tarpon
The tarpons are large coastal fish prized by anglers. They grow up to 8 feet (2.4 m) in length and sometimes weigh 200 pounds (91 kg). When swimming in oxygen-poor water, tarpons can breathe air from the surface. There are two species in a single genus Megalops in the family Megalopidae,[2] one native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific oceans. The genus name derives from the Greek adjective megalo meaning 'large', and the noun opsi, meaning 'face'. Tarpon are superb sport, with a long-lasting, powerful fight generally including several leaps. While edible, they are seldom eaten, as their flesh is considered too oily to be palatable