Mola (fish)
The Mola, commonly known as ocean sunfish, is a genus of large bony fish in the family Molidae. The genus contains two recognized species: Mola mola (the common mola) and Mola alexandrini (the southern sunfish). These are among the heaviest known bony fishes in the world.
Characteristics:
- Size and Appearance: Molas are characterized by their flattened, laterally compressed bodies. They lack a true caudal fin; instead, their body terminates in a scalloped structure called a clavus. They are typically greyish-silver in color and have rough, leathery skin. Mola mola can reach lengths of up to 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) and weigh up to 2,300 kilograms (5,100 pounds). Mola alexandrini can grow even larger.
- Habitat and Distribution: Molas are found in tropical and temperate oceans worldwide. They are often observed basking at the surface of the water, giving rise to the name "sunfish."
- Diet: Their diet primarily consists of jellyfish, but they also consume small fish, squid, crustaceans, and algae.
- Reproduction: Female molas are known to produce more eggs than any other vertebrate, releasing up to 300 million eggs at a time. The larvae are tiny and spiky, undergoing significant morphological changes as they mature.
- Conservation Status: The conservation status of Mola mola is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Threats to the species include bycatch in fisheries, plastic pollution, and predation by marine mammals and sharks. The conservation status of Mola alexandrini has not been evaluated but is likely facing similar threats.
Taxonomy:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Actinopterygii
- Order: Tetraodontiformes
- Family: Molidae
- Genus: Mola