Philippines country information

Common names: Abulong, Buan buan, Buan-buan
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: minor commercial | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: gamefish: yes;
Comments: Specimens were collected in 1993 from Kiga and Calbiga-a creeks, Leyte (Ref. 7223). Found in Iwahig River, and creek near Pancol, Malampaya Sound, Palawan; Bais, Negros; Tarlac; Bulan, Sorsogon; Vigan, Ilocos Norte; Orani, Bataan; Rizal; Bulacan; Pampanga; Mindoro; Ragay Gulf (Ref. 280). Reported from Lake Bombon (=Taal), Batangas and Lake Naujan, Mindoro (Ref. 13446); Santiago River, Pagapas Bay, and Dumaca River, Luzon; Malaya River, Hinunangan Bay, Leyte; Talisay area in Lake Taal as part of gill net catch composition (Ref. 81207, 13446); Laguna de Bay in a 2005 assessment (Ref. 80824). Migrated into Lake Mainit via Tubay River, Mindanao (Ref. 4867, 13446). Found in milkfish pens/cages/ponds in Laguna de Bay (Ref. 13460). Not considered a good food fish (Ref. 2858). Collected from CLSU fish pond, Nueva Ecija as specimen for living fish museum (Ref. 81820). Also recorded as introduced to Paitan Lake, Tabuating River and Talavera River (Nueva Ecija) (Ref. 109918). Museum specimens collected in 1984 from various localities, LRS-84137 (Ref. 13460). Also Ref. 393, 9987, 12547, 12550.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Pauly, D., M. Small, R. Vore and M.L.D. Palomares, 1990
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Elopiformes (Tarpons and tenpounders) > Megalopidae (Tarpons)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Tarpon Indo-Pacifique, Tarpón del Indo-Pacífico, Broussonet tarpon, ... more

Main reference

Whitehead, P.J.P. 1984. (Ref. 3463)
References | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 150 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1479); common length : 30.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7017); common length :45.5 cm SL (female); max. published weight: 18.0 kg (Ref. 13337); max. reported age: 44 years (Ref. 72487)

Length at first maturity
L_m ?, range 25 - ? cm

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; amphidromous; depth range 50 - ? m (Ref. 2847)

Climate / Range

Tropical; 22°C - 24°C (Ref. 2060), preferred 28°C (Ref. 107945); 34°N - 28°S, 16°E - 130°W

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Persian Gulf (Ref. 68964), Red Sea and Natal, South Africa (Ref. 3969) to the Society Islands, north to southern Korea, south to the Arafura Sea (Ref. 9819) and New South Wales. Restricted to high islands (Palau, Caroline and Mariana islands) in Micronesia. Reported as far inland as the lower Shire in Malawi and the Save-Runde junction in Zimbabwe (Ref. 7248). Widespread in the Lower Zambezi River channels up to Marromeu and in the Micelo River up to Malingapanzi (Ref. 39494). South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and East China Sea(Ref.33302).
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-21; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 23 - 31. Lower jaw projects beyond snout; a bony gular plate present between the jaw bones. Last fin ray of dorsal long and filamentous; ventrally located pectoral fins; abdominal pelvic fins with 9 or more rays. Branchiostegals more than 23. Scales large. Color blue-green dorsally; silvery on sides. Can tolerate oxygen-poor water by `breathing' air into a lung-like air bladder. Also Ref. 3969.

Adults are generally found at sea, but young inhabit river mouths, inner bays, and mangrove forests. In freshwater, they occur in rivers, lagoons, lakes, and swampy backwaters (Ref. 2847, 44894). Tolerate a wide pH range (5.2-9.1) (Ref. 44894) and salinities from 0 to 100. Mainly diurnal (Ref. 7017). Predaceous, feeding mainly on fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 5213). Breed offshore, possibly throughout the year. Larvae are transparent and resemble larval eels (Ref. 13337), but with a forked tail (Ref. 167). Juveniles commonly enter freshwater (Ref. 44894, 48635) in clear or turbid water (Ref. 44894). Known to breath air, rising regularly to the surface to do so. Cultured in ponds, the fry being sourced from the coasts (Ref. 7050). Popular angling fish (Ref. 3969). Edible but not esteemed (Ref. 3969).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Data deficient (DD)

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
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Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
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Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
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Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 1.0020 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
3.5 ±0.1 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming tm<=4)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
High to very high vulnerability (67 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Low

Megalops cyprinoides (Broussonet, 1782)