Bonefish (Albula vulpes)

Scientific name: Albula vulpes Linnaeus, 1758

Bonefish (Albula vulpes)

The Bonefish (Albula vulpes) is a brackish-water fish of the family Albulidae.

Biology

Inhabits shallow coastal waters, estuaries and bays, over sand and mud bottoms. Often in schools, except large individuals which are solitary. Dorsal fin may show above surface. More or less pelagic but feeds on benthic worms, crustaceans, and mollusks. Tolerates oxygen poor water by inhaling air into a lung-like airbladder. Flesh is bony and not esteemed. One of the most important game fishes worldwide

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Albula vulpes
Family
Albulidae (Bonefishes)
Order
Albuliformes (Bonefishes)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
104
Common length
35.0
Depth range
0–84 m (0–276 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; reef-associated; amphidromous; depth range 0 - 84 m, usually 1 - 15 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Worldwide in warm seas. Hawaiian species have been verified by electrophoretic analysis, hence, Albula vulpes might be further split. The next available name for the West African form is Albula goreensis, Valenciennes, 1846. Eastern Pacific: California, USA to Peru. Western Atlantic: North Carolina, USA to Florida, Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico, Antilles and Caribbean to Brazil. Northwest Atlantic: Canada
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: usually
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.3; tm=2)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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