Mola molaOcean Sunfish
By:Sharafat Ali
Table of ContentTaxonomyDistributionReproductionFeeding and DietPhysical DescriptionSize/ Weight/ AgeMeristics Of Mola molaMorphometrics Of Mola molaColorationReferences
TaxonomyKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: VertebrataClass: Osteichthyses Order: Tetraodoniformes(trigger fish, boxfish,
porcupine fish, puffers, sunfish)Family: MolidaeGenus, Species: Mola mola
DISTRIBUTION
All three species of sunfish are found in all tropical and temperate oceans
How we identify ocean sunfish (Mola mola)They are scale-less, and have a thick, rubbery skin and
irregular patches of tubercles over their bodyadult ocean sunfish do not have a caudal fin or caudal
peduncle.The dorsal and anal fins of ocean sunfish are tall, and
their small pectoral fins point toward the dorsal fin.They also have a small mouth with fused teeth that form a
beak-like structure
Feeding and Diet
Ocean Sunfish feed on jellyfish, salps, ctenophores and occasionally small crustaceans and fishes.
Recent research states that they feed on hydrozonans ("which are small groups of predatory animals related to jellyfish").
Size / Weight / Age
Ocean sunfish have a large body that is ovular.They are the largest bony fish, measuring up to
3.1 m in length, 4.26 m in height, and weighing up to 2235 kg
The heaviest mola on record came from Japan, was 2.7 meters (8.9 feet) long and weighed 2.3 metric tons (5,071 pounds)
Member of the same family, sharptail mola are estimated to have a lifespan of 82 to 105 years
ReproductionLittle is known about the mating systems of ocean fish,
although they are thought to have paired courtship Little is known about the breeding behaviors of ocean
sunfish. Off the coast of Japan, spawning is thought to occur between August and October
Female ocean sunfish can produce over 300 million eggs each breeding season
Their eggs are very small, with an average diameter of 0.13 cm
Range number of offspring 300,000,000 (high)
Meristics of Mola molaDorsal spines 0
Dorsal soft rays 15-18
Anal spines 0
Anal soft rays
Pectoral
14-17
12-13
Morphometrics of Mola molaTotal length (TL) 3.1 m
Standard length 84.0 % TL (2.604m)
Fork length 100.0 % TL (3.1m)
Pre-anal length 60.1 % TL (1.8631m)
Pre-dorsal length 57.5 % TL (1.78m)
Pre-pelvic length 0.0 % TL (00m)
Pre-pectoral length 32.0 % TL (0.992m)
Body depth 69.0 % TL (2.139m)
Conti…Height 4.26 m
Body depth 69.0 % TL (2.13m)
Head length (HL) 25.5 % TL (0.201m)
Eye diameter 20.5 % HL (0.161m)
Pre-orbital length 44.9 % HL (0.35m)
RemarksCaudal fin absent; no caudal peduncle.
Conti…
ColorationOcean sunfish vary in coloration, though the
head, back, tips of the anal and dorsal fins, are generally a mixture of dark grey-brown and dark silvery grey
They have a white belly and sometimes have white splotches on their fins and dorsal side
Adult ocean fish do not possess a lateral line, and only one gill opening is visible on each side, which is located near the base of the pectoral fins
COLORATION
Conti…Mola are capable of color changes particularly when
stressed or under attack from a sea lion or other predator and can turn from light to dark within a matter of moments
Economic ImportanceOcean sunfish are considered a delicacy in
some Asian countriesThey are also used in traditional Chinese
medicinesOcean sunfish are considered to have
strategic top-down control of jellyfish populations.
Ocean sunfish are often preyed upon by large sharks and sea lions
Ocean sunfish preyed upon by sea lion
IUCN Red listVulnerable (VU)
Referenceshttp://www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/1
90422/0http://oceansunfish.org/lifehistory.phphttps://www.montereybayaquarium.org/anima
l-guide/fishes/ocean-sunfishhttp://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mola_mol
a/http://www.fishbase.org/physiology/MorphMe
tSummaryV2.php?picname=Momol_u0.gif&genusname=Mola&speciesname=mola&id=1732
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