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 five extant species in the family Molidae. [6] [7] It was once misidentified as the heaviest bony fish, which was actually a different and closely related species of sunfish, Mola ...

A sunfish, also called a mola, is any fish in the genus Mola (family Molidae). The fish develop their truncated, bullet-like shape because the back fin, which is present at birth, never grows. Instead, it folds into itself as the creature matures, creating a rounded rudder called a clavus.

Huge and flat, this silvery-gray fish has a tiny mouth and big eyes that vanish into an even bigger body with a truncated tail. Topping out around 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg), the mola is the world's heaviest bony fish.

Jun 6, 2012 · Part of the appeal of the ocean sunfish, or Mola mola, is its unusual shape. The heaviest bony fish in the world, it can grow more than 10 feet long and pack on a whopping 5,000 pounds, and yet...

Sep 9, 2023 · We identify fish by their size, color, spots vs stripes or bands and also by fin shapes. A few weeks back after snorkeling at ‘Anini Beach in Kaua‘i, one of the locals told me he saw a very strange colored boxfish out on the reef in about 3 foot deep of water.

Dec 24, 2021 · The enormous ocean sunfish known as the Mola mola can grow to be 5,000 pounds and 14 feet long, making it the world's largest bony fish. The Grey family was in the middle of a relaxing fishing trip off the southwest coast of Wales when a nightmarish animal leaped out of the water.

Aug 4, 2019 · These six-inch-long fish are very common in shallow water close to shore, so they are often seen by snorkelers. They eat algae that has grown on the rocks, and the males are quite territorial....

May 27, 2024 · The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is perhaps the biggest bony fish in the world. These massive giants travel the world’s oceans in search of food to eat. Despite their size, they are considered to be fairly docile and gentle around human divers.

The ocean sunfish, also known as Mola mola, is a fascinating species of bony fish that belongs to the family Molidae. It is the heaviest known bony fish in the world, with some individuals weighing over 2,000 kg. Despite its size, the ocean sunfish feeds mainly on plankton and jellyfish, which it consumes in large quantities.

The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is the world's largest known bony fish (sharks and rays are cartilaginous, not bony). At least one estimate over 3000 lb. has been recorded and individuals reaching 11 ft. (3 m.) from fin tip to fin tip have been seen.