Bonefish

The bonefish (Albula vulpes) or bananafish is the type species of the bonefish family (Albulidae), the only family in order Albuliformes.

Distribution

The bonefish inhabits warm subtropical and tropical waters of the western Atlantic, and is found off the coasts of southern Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, and around the West Indies.

Behaviour

An amphidromous species, the bonefish lives in inshore tropical waters and moves onto shallow mudflats or sand flats to feed with the incoming tide. Adults and juveniles may shoal together, and mature adults may be found singly or in pairs.

The bonefish feeds on benthic worms, fry, crustaceans, and mollusks and may be seen around edges, drop-offs, and clean, healthy seagrass beds, as these locations yield abundant small prey such as crabs and shrimp. It may follow stingrays to catch the small animals they scare out of the substrate.

In the Los Roques archipelago, bonefish primarily hunt glass minnows, however this behavior is atypical.