Distribution:
Tropical and subtropical oceans.
Habitat:
Coastal waters, bays and estuaries; enters freshwater.
Remarks:
Tarpons are elopiform fishes, occuring in tropical and subtropical oceans. These popular sportfishes have large compressed silvery bodies, with a terminal or superior mouth. The lateral line tubes are branched, and radiate over the surface of the lateral line scales.
Tarpons are adapted to survive low oxygen conditions of coastal estuaries and mangroves by being able to inhale air into their swim bladders, much like a lung. They also possess a conus arteriosus, the cone-shaped part of the right ventricle that leads into the pulmonary artery. Tarpons are the only elopiform fishes in which the swim bladder lays against the skull.
This family comprises just two very similar species, Megalops cyprinoides of the Indo-West Pacific and Megalops atlanticus of the Atlantic. The maximum length in this family is 2.4 m, achieved by M. atlanticus.
References:
Nelson 2006