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The bonefishes are a family (Albulidae) of ray-finned fish that are popular as game fish in Florida, select locations in the South Pacific, and the Bahamas (where two bonefish are featured on the 10 cent coin) and elsewhere. The family is small, with twelve species in two genera.^1]

Presently the bonefishes are in their own order: Albuliformes ( /??lbj?l?'f?rmi?z/). The spiny eels (Notacanthidae) and halosaurs (Halosauridae) were previously classified in this order^[2], but are now, according to FishBase given their own order, Notacanthiformes.^[3] The largest bonefish caught in the Western Hemisphere is a 16 pound, 3 ounce example caught off Islamorada, Florida, on March 19, 2007.^[4]

Description

Albula

The bonefishes' closest relatives are the tarpons and ladyfishes in the order Elopiformes. Bonefishes are unlike tarpons in that their mouth is under the snout rather than the end of it, and bonefishes lack the tarpons' protruding snout. Like tarpons and ladyfishes, bonefishes can breathe air via a modified swim-bladder and are found in brackish waters. Bonefish larvae are leptocephalic.

The slender body of the bonefish is silver, with a blue to green tinted back. On the upper half of the body there are dark streaks with cross bands connecting to the lateral line. Also, the body of a bonefish is rounded with a long downward aiming snout. The dorsal and caudal fins are black. Bonefish vary in adult length from 40?100 cm depending on species. The average size of a bonefish is from 3 to 5 pounds (1?2 kg) with the Florida record being 16 po unds 3 oz (7.34 kg).

The bonefishes are brackish or saltwater fish typically living in estuaries and travelling out to sea to spawn on a lunar cycle. They feed in the shallow sand and mud flats, on benthic organisms Benthos like worms, mollusks, shrimp, and crabs. They use their conical shaped snouts to root out their prey and can often be seen with their tail out of the water. Bonefishes possess crushing teeth in the palate.

Pterothrissus

This genus is like Albula except they are found in deeper waters.

The slender body of the bonefish is silver, with a blue to green tinted back. On the upper half of the body there are dark streaks with cross bands connecting to the lateral line. Also, the body of a bonefish is rounded with a long downward aiming snout. The dorsal and caudal fins are black. Bonefish vary in ad ult length from 40?100 cm depending on species. The average size of a bonefish is from 3 to 5 pounds (1?2 kg) with the Florida record being 16 pounds 3 oz (7.34 kg).

The bonefishes are brackish or saltwater fish typically living in estuaries and travelling out to sea to spawn on a lunar cycle. They feed in the shallow sand and mud flats, on benthic organisms Benthos like worms, mollusks, shrimp, and crabs. They use their conical shaped snouts to root out their prey and can often be seen with their tail out of the water. Bonefishes possess crushing teeth in the palate.

Pterothrissus

This genus is like Albula except they are found in deeper waters.

References

External links

• The inshore grand slam Article about bonefish, permit and tarpon.
• Bone fishing in Los Roques general Info.