Ocean sunfish

Ocean sunfish
Temporal range:
Middle Holocene–present (5,941–0 YBP)[1]

Secure  (NatureServe)[4]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Molidae
Genus: Mola
Species:
M. mola
Binomial name
Mola mola
(Linnaeus, 1758)
IUCN distribution of the ocean sunfish
  Extant (resident)
Synonyms[5]
List
  • Tetraodon mola Linnaeus, 1758
  • Mola aculeata Kölreuter, 1766
  • Diodon mola Pallas, 1770
  • Diodon nummularis Walbaum, 1792
  • Mola rotunda Georges Cuvier, 1797
  • Orthragoriscus fasciatus Bloch & Schneider, 1801
  • Orthragoriscus hispidus Bloch & Schneider, 1801
  • Cephalus brevis Shaw, 1804
  • Cephalus pallasianus Shaw, 1804

The ocean sunfish (Mola mola), also known as the common mola, is one of the largest bony fish in the world. It is the type species of the genus Mola, and one of three extant species in the family Molidae.[6][7] It was once misidentified as the heaviest bony fish, which is actually a different and closely related species of sunfish, Mola alexandrini.[8] Adults typically weigh between 247 and 1,000 kg (545 and 2,205 lb). It is native to tropical and temperate waters around the world. It resembles a fish head without a tail, and its main body is flattened laterally. Sunfish can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.

Many areas of sunfish biology remain poorly understood, and various research efforts are underway, including aerial surveys of populations,[9] satellite surveillance using pop-off satellite tags,[10][9] genetic analysis of tissue samples,[10] and collection of amateur sighting data.[11]

Adult sunfish are vulnerable to few natural predators, but sea lions, killer whales, and sharks will consume them. Sunfish are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world, including Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. In the European Union, regulations ban the sale of fish and fishery products derived from the family Molidae.[12] Sunfish are frequently caught in gillnets.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Porcasi2001 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference IUCN2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference JPTimes2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference NatureServe was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference WoRMS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference McClain was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference FishBase family was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sawai2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b "Current Research". Large Pelagics Research Lab. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20.
  10. ^ a b Thys, Tierney. "Ongoing Research". OceanSunfish.org. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  11. ^ "Have you seen a Mola??". Large Pelagics Research Lab. Archived from the original on 2011-09-01.
  12. ^ "Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin". Eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved 2010-11-16.
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