Bonefish

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the superclass of bony fishes, see Osteichthyes. For the United States Navy submarines, see USS Bonefish. For the restaurant chain, see Bonefish Grill.

Bonefish

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Albuliformes
Family: Albulidae
Genus: Albula
Species:
A. vulpes
Binomial name
Albula vulpes
Synonyms[2][3]
Species
  • Esox vulpes Linnaeus 1758
  • Vulpis vulpes (Linnaeus 1758)
  •  ?Albula lacustris Walbaum 1792
  • Albula conoryncha Bloch & Schneider 1801
  • Clupea brasiliensis Bloch & Schneider 1801 non Steindachner 1879
  • Albula plumieri Bloch & Schneider 1801
  • Amia immaculata Bloch & Schneider 1801
  • Clupea macrocephala Lacépède 1803
  • Conorynchus macrocephalus (Lacépède 1803)
  •  ?Butyrinus bananus Lacepède 1803
  • Glossodus forskalii Spix & Agassiz 1829
  • Engraulis bahiensis Spix 1829
  • Engraulis serica Spix 1829
  • Albula parrae Valenciennes 1847
  • Albula goreensis Valenciennes 1847
  • Esunculus costai Kaup 1856
  • Vulpis bahamensis Catesby 1771
  • Albulas gronovii Walbaum 1792
  • Albula rostrata Gronow 1854
  •  ?Albula unbarana Marcgrave ex de Castelnau 1855

The bonefish (Albula vulpes) is the type species of the bonefish family (Albulidae), the only family in order Albuliformes.

Taxonomy

Bonefish were once believed to be a single species with a global distribution, however 9 different species have since been identified. There are three identified species in the Atlantic and six in the Pacific. Albula vulpes is the largest and most widespread of the Atlantic species.[4]

Distribution

This species inhabits warm subtropical and tropical waters of the western Atlantic, and is found off the coasts of southern Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the West Indies.[1]

Description

Scales of A. vulpes
Bonefish head
Illustration

The bonefish weighs up to 14 lb (6.4 kg) and measures up to 79 cm (31 in) long. The color of bonefish can range from very silver sides and slight darker backs to olive green backs that blend to the silver side.

pectoral fins are sometimes yellow.[citation needed
] Bonefish can live up to 20 years and reach sexual maturity at 2–3 years of age (when they're over 17 inches (43.18 cm) long). Larvae drift for an average of 53 days. Juveniles often live over open sandy bottoms.[4]

Behavior

An

amphidromous species, it lives in inshore tropical waters and moves onto shallow mudflats or sand flats to feed with the incoming tide. Adults and juveniles may shoal together, and mature adults may be found singly or in pairs.[4]

The bonefish feeds on

mollusks.[5] Ledges, drop-offs, and clean, healthy seagrass beds yield abundant small prey such as crabs and shrimp. It may follow stingrays to catch the small animals they root from the substrate.[citation needed
]

In the

Los Roques archipelago bonefish primarily hunt glass minnows, however this behavior is atypical.[6]

Fishing and cuisine

Bonefish are considered one of the premier fly and light tackle game fish.

pepper sauce and salt, then baked.[7]

Bonefish are notoriously wary and great skill must be taken both in approach and presentation when fishing for them. English speaking fishermen often refer to them as “grey ghosts."[4]

See also

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T194303A2310733.en
    . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Albulidae" (PDF). Deeplyfish- fishes of the world. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  3. ^ Froese, R.; Pauly, D. (2017). "Albulidae". FishBase version (02/2017). Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Suescun, Alex (24 December 2014). "All About Bonefish". saltwatersportsman.com. Salt Water Sportsman. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  5. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2007). "Albula vulpes" in FishBase. June 2007 version.
  6. ^ Hudson, Sam (7 May 2014). "Catch Bonefish with Lures". www.sportfishingmag.com. Sport Fishing Magazine. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  7. ISBN 1118287517
    , p. 27.

External links
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