Family Megalopidae - Tarpons
Order : Elopiformes Megalopidae
Class : Teleostei
No. in FishBase : Genera : 1 | Species : 2 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes
Environment : Fresh : Yes | Brackish : Yes | Marine : Yes
Division : Marine
Aquarium : none
First Fossil Record :      
Remark : Chiefly marine; entering fresh water. Distribution: tropical and subtropical waters. Fusiform, compressed body. Mouth terminal, oblique or superior, lower jaw prominent, gular plate ventral between two branches of lower jaw. Pseudo- branchiae absent. Branchiostegal rays: 23-27. Single dorsal fin without spines; dorsal fin rays: 13-21; filamentous last dorsal ray. Pectorals very low. Anal fin rays: 22-29. Pelvic fin rays: 10-11. Conus arteriosus present. Branched tubes radiating over lateral line scales. Swim bladder lying against skull. About 2.2 m maximum length. Larval stage leptocephalic translucid. Large silvery fishes. Can tolerate oxygen-poor water by inhaling air into lung-like swim bladder. Popular sportfishes.
Etymology :
Reproductive guild : nonguarders
Typical activity level : active
Main Ref. : Nelson, J.S. 1984
Coordinator :
Deep Fin Classification : Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Elopocephalai | | Elopomorpha | | | | | | | | | | Elopiformes | | | Megalopidae

Show species images | Show valid names | Nominal species list | CAS specimen photos | References

Ref.
[ e.g. 9948 ]
Glossary
[ e.g. oophagy ]


Species/Synonymy list for the family Megalopidae as currently in FishBase

Important recommendation:

The list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions, which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist.

Rather, it reflects the current content of FishBase, and the progress with respect to synchronization with the Catalog of Fishes. However, we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in FishBase, to start new work on the family, or to cross-check with other lists.

But we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value. In particular, for published scientific, we suggest then to cite it in the Material and Method section as a useful tool to conduct the research, but again, not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference.

Unless it is explicitly precised, the list is not complete, please search all original names published for the family in the Catalog of Fishes (genera, species), including those with uncertain or unknown status, that are not included in FishBase when they are not attached to a valid species.

This list uses some data from Catalog of Fishes (not shown but used to sort names).

The list ordered as follows:

Please send comments and corrections if you detect errors or missing names.

Show all | Show only accepted name | Show only accepted and original names
Scientifc name Status Senior/Junior synonym Combination
Megalops cyprinoides (Broussonet, 1782)
acceptedseniornew
Clupea cyprinoides Broussonet, 1782
synonymseniororiginal
Elops cyprinoides (Broussonet, 1782)
synonymseniornew
! Magalops cyprinoides (Broussonet, 1782)
synonymseniornew
! Megalops cyoprinoides (Broussonet, 1782)
synonymseniornew
Clupea thrissoides Bloch & Schneider, 1801
synonymjuniororiginal
Megalops filamentosus Lacepède, 1803
synonymjuniororiginal
Clupea gigantea Shaw, 1804
synonymjuniororiginal
Megalops giganteus (Shaw, 1804)
synonymjuniornew
Cyprinodon cundinga Hamilton, 1822
synonymjuniororiginal
Elops cundinga (Hamilton, 1822)
synonymjuniornew
Megalops cundinga (Hamilton, 1822)
synonymjuniornew
Megalops setipinnis Richardson, 1843
synonymjuniororiginal
Megalops curtifilis Richardson, 1846
synonymjuniororiginal
Megalops indicus Valenciennes, 1847
synonymjuniororiginal
synonymjuniororiginal
Megalops kundinga Bleeker, 1866
synonymjuniororiginal
Megalops macropterus Bleeker, 1866
synonymjuniororiginal
Megalops oligolepis Bleeker, 1866
synonymjuniororiginal
Brisbania staigeri Castelnau, 1878
synonymjuniororiginal
Megalops atlanticus Valenciennes, 1847
acceptedseniororiginal
Tarpon atlanticus (Valenciennes, 1847)
synonymseniornew
! Megalops atlantica Valenciennes, 1847
synonymseniororiginal
Megalops elongatus Girard, 1859
synonymjuniororiginal
Clupea cyprinoides (non Broussonet, 1782)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Megalops cyprinoides (non Broussonet, 1782)
misappliedmisappliednew
Clupea thrissoides (non Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
Megalops thrissoides (non Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
misappliedmisappliedmisapplied
Clupea gigantea (non Shaw, 1804)
misappliedmisappliedoriginal
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