Atlantic Tarpon in Cozumel
Atlantic Tarpon (*Megalops atlanticus*) in Cozumel: how to identify it, where it is reliably seen, and what it is commonly confused with.
An enormous, chrome-plated fish with huge plate-like scales, an upturned lower jaw, and a single trailing filament off the back of the dorsal fin.
Quick ID
| Scientific name | Megalops atlanticus |
|---|---|
| Group | Predators & Big Fish |
| Typical size | 100–200 cm |
| Depth range | 3–25 m |
| When to see it | Year-round |
| Active | Mostly night and dusk |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable |
| Notes | Best seen on night dives |
Where You Will See It In Cozumel
Shallow reefs and structures at night — Money Bar, Paradise Reef and the shallow Chankanaab area, where they use divers' torch beams to hunt.
Reliable sites: Money Bar, Paradise Reef, Chankanaab Reef.
Behaviour
On night dives tarpon deliberately follow torch beams and use the light to ambush smaller fish. It looks like an attack and it is — just not on the diver.
Commonly Confused With
- Great barracuda — A barracuda is slim and toothy; a tarpon is deep-bodied and mirror-scaled with an upturned jaw.
- Bonefish — Bonefish are far smaller and stay over sand flats.
Diving Etiquette And Safety
On a night dive, keep the beam off other divers' faces — a hunting tarpon will follow it. Do not deliberately light up prey fish to trigger a strike.
Part of the Cozumel marine life guide · see Cozumel dive sites · plan your Cozumel dive trip
Photo: Daiju Azuma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
