A Few Thoughts on the Mola Mola Fish
The Mola Mola fish is an ocean dwelling sunfish. It is found in tropical and temperate oceans around the world. In the eastern Pacific, Mola mola is normally found from British Columbia to South America, although in El Nino events it has been recorded as far north as Alaska. The nearest relative to Mola mola is Ranzania laevis, the slender mola.
While not the tastiest fish around, the Mola Mola’s main claim to fame is that it is the largest bony fish in the world and can weigh up to 5,000 pounds (over 2 tons). It is an odd looking creature, too, and most divers will find it one of the most interesting species that they will ever encounter in the deep. It has bulbous eyes, a flat body and tiny fins, and from Bali to California, the Mola Mola is an unusual sight in the blue waters of the open ocean.
Mola Mola are often seen near the surface, swimming either upright, dorsal fin flailing from side to side as it seems to waddle underwater, or flipped over swimming on its side, like a solar panel soaking up the rays of the sun. While considered shy, they do get used to divers over time.
Perhaps due to the large sizes they reach, Mola Mola are in fact weak swimmers and some are carried by the Gulf Stream to places as far north as Scotland and the coast of Antrim in the north of Ireland. And if the fish did not have its dorsal fins, it would be effectively immobile. That is why hungry sea lions usually go for the the dorsal fin first when hunting the Mola Mola. Young and smaller Mola mola often fall prey to sharks. too.
Beyond size, another claim to fame for the Mola Mola is its fecundity of all vertebrates, a 137 cm female contains an estimated 300 million eggs. The mola mola fish is not normally aggressive, but they will bite when they are intimidated or harassed. But generally, they are not considered a threat to humans.
Scuba divers off the coast of Santa Maria Island in Azores, Portugal encounter a Mola Mola (aka Ocean Sunfish or Moonfish). It is the largest known bony fish in the world and can grow up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms). Video by Portuguese diver Miguel Pereira.
TwistedSifter
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