has resulted in a rapidly increasing incidence of recreational fishermen sight-fishing for the floating tripletails, resulting in severe bag and length restrictions in Florida and Georgia to ensure future populations. Biology Distinctive features The Atlantic tripletail has scales that extend onto its dorsal, anal, and caudal fins and a head profile that concaves as the fish ages. It has a compressed but deep body with a triangle-shaped head. The eyes are small, but the mouth is large. The bases of the dorsal and anal fins are scaled and the pectoral fins are shorter than the pelvic fins. The name "tripletail" is given because of the fish's three rounded fins: dorsal, caudal, and anal. Coloration Juvenile Atlantic tripletails are colored a mottled yellow, brown, and black. Adults are jet black. When it lies on its side at the surface, the tripletail is sometimes confused for a floating mangrove leaf. The juveniles have white pectoral fins and a white margin on their caudal fins. Adult tripletails have varied mottled color patterns which range from dark brown to reddish brown, often with a tint of gray. Size, age, and growth The Atlantic tripletail grows to 35 in (89 cm) in length and weighs up to 41 lb. Diet Atlantic tripletails are opportunistic eaters; they feed on a variety of foods, mostly small finfish such as gulf menhaden, Atlantic bumpers, and anchovies. They also feed on invertebrates such as blue crabs and brown shrimp, as well as other benthic crustaceans. Reproduction Spawning primarily occurs in the summer along both the Atlantic and the U. Gulf of Mexico coasts, with peaks during July and August. Large congregations of tripletails during the summer months in the inshore and nearshore waters of coastal Georgia suggest this area is a critical estuarian spawning habitat for the species. Larval Atlantic tripletails go through four levels of development; preflexion, flexion, postflexion, and transformation. By the time the larvae reach 0.16 in (4 mm), they have large eyes and concave heads. The larval forms of Atlantic tripletails resemble those of boarfishes, some jacks, spadefishes, and bass. Predators Atlantic tripletails do not have many predators, but the main ones are sharks and larger teleosts. Parasites Parasites of the tripletail include the copepods Anuretes heckelii which affects the branchial cavities, Lernanthropus pupa which affects the gill filaments, and Scianophilus tenius. Importance to humans A few tons of Atlantic tripletails are fished commercially on