Bonefish

Bonefish is the common name for several species in the genus Albula, family Albulidae. These slender, silvery fish are highly regarded by recreational anglers for their speed and endurance. The best-known species are Albula vulpes, the Atlantic bonefish, and Albula glossodonta, the slender bonefish found in the Indo-Pacific.

Bonefish inhabit warm, tropical and subtropical oceans around the world. They favor shallow coastal environments such as sandy flats, seagrass beds, and mangrove-lined shores. They may undertake extensive migrations along coastlines and between feeding grounds and offshore spawning sites, depending on species and season.

They have elongated bodies, a deeply forked caudal fin, and small cycloid scales. Their color is silvery with a bronze-green back and a faint stripe along the flank. Adults are fast swimmers capable of bursts of speed when hooked; they often tail to forage on flats.

Bonefish feed on crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and small fishes, foraging along sandy or muddy bottoms. They commonly feed along shallow flats, often at dawn and dusk, and can change their foraging strategies in turbid water.

Reproduction occurs offshore in warm-water months; eggs and larvae are pelagic (leptocephalus larvae). Juveniles inhabit estuaries and mangroves before joining adults on the open coast.

In human economies, bonefish are pursued mainly for sport fishing, especially on flats with light tackle or fly rods. Many fisheries emphasize catch-and-release to protect populations; habitat preservation of seagrass and mangroves supports healthy stocks.