Ocean sunfish
The ocean sunfish (Mola mola), also called the mola or sun fish, is a large ocean fish found in warm and temperate oceans. It is the heaviest known bony fish in the world.
| Ocean sunfish | |
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| Ocean Sunfish, Nordsøen Oceanarium, Hirtshals, Denmark | |
| Conservation status | |
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
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| Species: | M. mola
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| Binomial name | |
| Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758)
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It has an almost circular, flattened body. This unusual fish swims by flapping its long pectoral and dorsal fins; the caudal fin is used as a rudder (for steering).
Some sunfish have been seen floating on their sides at the top of the sea; they may be using the sun to heat themselves up. They eat crustaceans, starfish, jellyfish, sponges, mollusks, algae, plankton, squid, and small fish. The species is native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. It resembles a fish head with a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally.
Description
Appearance
The ocean sunfish has an unusual appearance. It does not have a caudal fin and has a pseudotail; the clavus. The body is round and oval-shaped. The dorsal fin and anal fin are extended, making the fish appear big. The dorsal and anal fin are used as the rudder. The fish lacks a swim bladder.
Skin
A sunfish's skin can vary from silver to white. The fish also gains the ability to vary skin color from dark to light, especially when attacked.
Range and behavior
Range
Ocean sunfish are found in temperate and tropical waters of all oceans.
Behavior
Sunfish can sometimes be found in a group, but usually alone. They sometimes bask sideways.
Related pages
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References
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2016). "Mola mola" in FishBase.
- "The Ocean Sunfish, a Giant from the Depths".
Other websites
- Ocean sunfish on Wikidata
Ocean Sunfish Media
The ocean sunfish is one of the largest bony fish. It has a flattened body and is as tall as it is long.
A sunfish fry, which still possesses spines that will later disappear
A skeleton, showing the structure of the fins
Mola mola (en: Ocean Sunfish; pt: Peixe lua)
A sunfish caught in 1910, with an estimated weight of 1,600 kg (3,500 lb)
A tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium provides a size comparison between an ocean sunfish and humans.
Video of an ocean sunfish at the Lisbon Oceanarium
Picture of the only ocean sunfish at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan as of February 2024
