Madeira Canary Islands Azores – Fishes Dr. Peter Wirtz

As the name implies, this fish has no fins whatsoever and looks more like a worm than a fish. During the day
it is hidden in the sand. At night, the head is looking out of the sandy bottom. Photo insert Peter Wirtz.
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Tarpons (Megalopidae)
Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus)
Up to 2.5 m long. Madeira, Canary Islands, Azores. 2 – 20 m depth.
This tropical species lives on both sides of the Atlantic. It looks like a gigantic herring but is more closely
related to the eels, as shown by a similar larval stage. Near Madeira, the Canary Islands and the Azores it can
be seen only very rarely. The tarpon hunts for fish and cephalopods at night. Photo (from Curacao Island)
Peter Wirtz.
Herring (Clupeidae)
Round sardinella (Sardinella aurita) photo bottom Peter Wirtz
Madeira sardinella (Sardinella maderensis) insert Peter Wirtz
Up to 25 cm long. Madeira, Canary Islands, Azores. 1 – 50 m depth.
The three pilchard species in the area are very difficult to tell apart under water. The Madeira sardinella has a
black dot behind the opercle and black tips of the tail fin. The Round sardinella has a black dot behind the
opercle. The third species, the true Pilchard (Sardina pilchardus), does not have a black dot behind the opercle
and is more elongate than the other two species.
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