Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus
Sighting evidence at Caroni Mangrove Dive, Trinidad
Photo: Rachel Andres-Beck · CC BY-NC
Tarpon gather in the Caroni mangroves in large schools, using the sheltered estuary as a feeding ground and transitional zone between open sea and freshwater tributaries. As apex predators in the estuary they regulate the dense baitfish populations that thrive on the plankton-rich Orinoco outflow. Encounters with rolling 1.5-meter tarpon in shallow mangrove channels are among the most memorable in Caribbean diving.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Tarpon is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.