Please select your home edition
Edition
Craftinsure 2023 LEADERBOARD

10 fascinating Sunfish facts

by Island Cruising NZ 11 Mar 2018 12:26 GMT
Sunfish © Island Cruising NZ

1.Sunfish don't have a tail! Some people call them a 'gigantic swimming head' (which seems a bit rude). Instead of a tail their dorsal and anal fins are fused together into a rudder-like structure called a clavus. The sunfish swims by flapping its dorsal and anal fins synchronously, like oars.

2. There are four species of sunfish: common sunfish (Mola mola), slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis), sharp-tailed sunfish (Masterus lanceolutus) and southern ocean sunfish (Mola ramsayi).

3. Sunfish are the heaviest bony fish species alive today. Common sunfish weigh around a metric tonne on average. The biggest common sunfish ever caught weighed over two metric tonnes!

4. Sunfish eat jelly (but no ice cream). We think they eat jelly-like small gelatinous animals (including jellyfish) but are known to also snack on algae, crustaceans, and small fishes if the opportunity presents itself.

5. Scaly? I don't think so! Sunfish have a tough, elastic skin which is covered in mucus. Delightful.

6. Sunfish have record-breaking fertility One female was found to produce 300 million eggs at a time, the largest number of eggs ever recorded from a vertebrate.

7. No one knows where or when sunfish babies are made. Scientists don't know where sunfish spawn, although several possible areas in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans have been identified.

8. Is it a bird? No, but it does have a beak. Sunfish mouths are fused together to form a beak, helping it to keep hold of and bite chunks out of slippery jelly-fish.

9. Playing dead: sometimes sunfish appear to be dead, floating on their side at the ocean surface. Don't worry! The sunfish (generally) aren't dead, but scientists don't know why they do this. It could help the sunfish to warm up from their deep-water dives in search of prey. Or it could be an opportunity for the sunfish to engage the services of a cleaner fish to remove the huge numbers of parasites they harbour.

10. Big? Yes. Dangerous? No. Despite their size, sunfish don't pose a threat to humans, although given the jaw muscles and teeth fused into something like an industrial bolt cutter, you don't want to go putting your fingers anywhere near the mouth. We pose more of a threat to the sunfish, mainly through the fishing industry. Although sunfish aren't good to eat, they comprise a large proportion of bycatch in fisheries in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

This article has been provided by the courtesy of Island Cruising NZ.

Related Articles

ILCA UK Women's Regatta Weekend at Rutland
A stunning weekend for training, racing, yoga, a rules talk and friendship A stunning weekend of warm, sunny weather awaited 24 women and girls and their boats looking for training, racing, yoga, a rules talk and friendship. Posted today at 7:45 am
2025 Transat Café L'OR is packed with surprises
73 boats sailed by 146 co-skippers will set sail on October 26th 73 boats sailed by 146 co-skippers will set sail on October 26th on the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandy. Posted today at 7:20 am
The Trimaran SVR-Lazartigue is back at sea
Peter Burling joining the team for the Rolex Fastnet Race After a refit that began in March, the Trimaran SVR-Lazartigue was relaunched this Thursday, July 3. Lined up for the months ahead is an exciting race programme, culminating this year with the Transat Café L'Or in October. Posted today at 5:14 am
Transpac's Middle fleet sets off for Diamond Head
Seventeen boats begin the 2,225-mile Pacific Crossing in light air conditions Seventeen boats begin the 2,225-mile Pacific Crossing in light air conditions in Transpac's second start. Posted today at 2:39 am
GKSS Match Cup Sweden & Nordea Women's Trophy D4
High stakes for semi-finalists as the final four teams in each division are locked in The third day of racing at GKSS Match Cup Sweden saw the completion of the quarter-final match-ups in both the Open and Women's class, locking in the final four teams in each division for Friday's semi-finals. Posted on 3 Jul
Northern ILCA circuit at Rudyard Lake
Gritted teeth, hard hiking and several capsizes Rudyard Lake Sailing Club held the latest round of the Northern ILCA circuit with eleven ILCA sailors on Saturday 28th June. Posted on 3 Jul
Celebrating 50 years of AZAB
Royal Cornwall YC host gathering of Azores and Back competitors Yachtsmen and women from around the world gathered at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club to celebrate 50 years since the Club's "Azores and Back" (AZAB) yacht race first set off from Falmouth Harbour. Posted on 3 Jul
2025 29er Europeans at Lake Garda Day 1
Five teams tied at the top Ikke Huber / Liam Berger (Switzerland) lead the charge after sweeping all 3 races in the Green fleet — an impressive perfect score of 2 points. Lucas & Moritz Hamm, the dynamic twin duo from Germany, matched their Swiss rivals with consistency and pace. Posted on 3 Jul
Dylan Fletcher joins #TeamMusto
The Olympian and 2022 Moth World Champion will become an ambassador for performance clothing brand The Olympian and 2022 Moth World Champion will become an ambassador for the performance clothing brand, with a specific focus on his Moth campaign. Posted on 3 Jul
Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy Preview
Promising another colourful and memorable chapter in the history of this exceptional race The date is set for Thursday, October 2nd in Saint-Tropez for the 14th edition of the Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy. This one-of-a-kind regatta is exclusively reserved for classic yachts that are at least 100 years old. Posted on 3 Jul