Common name:
Sunfish
Scientific name:
Mola spp.
Spanish name:
Pez luna
Conservation status:
Vulnerable
Maximum size:
4.2 metres tall (Mola mola) / 3.3 metres tall (Mola ramsayi)
Average weight:
1 tonne (Mola mola)
Overview
There are two Mola species that are thought to be found in Galapagos: Mola mola, the ocean sunfish and Mola ramsayi, the southern sunfish. They look very similar and the southern sunfish was only confirmed as a visitor to the Islands through genetic analysis in 2011. They are found throughout the globe, in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate waters as they prefer temperatures of at least 10° C – anything colder may cause disorientation. This is probably why they are usually observed basking in the sun, close to the surface, which is where they gained their English name. Their Latin name, Mola, means ‘millstone’, taken from their rounded body and grey colour.
Sunfish in Galapagos
How you can help
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