MOLA ALEXANDRINI - (RANZANI, 1839)
Picture courtesy of: Lifou rand'o palmée (lien)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Tetraodontiformes (Order) > Tetraodontoidei (Suborder) > Molidae (Family) > Mola (Genus)
Poisson lune d'Alexandre, Short sunfish, Bump-head sunfish, Suidelike sonvis, Ushi-manbo, 拉氏翻車魨, ウシマンボウ,
Synonymes
Mola ramsayi (Giglioli, 1883)
Orthragoriscus alexandrini (Ranzani, 1839)
Orthragoriscus ramsayi (Giglioli, 1883)
Pseudomola lassarati (Cadenat, 1959)
-------------------------
Description
All fins are spineless and triangular. Pectoral fins are small and rounded, located midlaterally fitting into shallow grooves on sides of the bod, and dorsal fins are located on both sides of the anal fin. Head profile with bump (specimens > 162.5 cm TL); Chin with enlarged bump (> 135.0 cm TL); Rectangular body scales on the middle region of the body (shape developing with age, final shape not established on specimens < 70.0 cm TL, but established on those > 162.5 cm TL; The skin has rough denticles and a leathery texture. The body has a thick white subcutaneous gelatinous layer that is smooth to the touch, with a laterally compressed body covered in small rectangular scales. Relatively small mouth, and its teeth are fused into a parrot-like beak. Rounded clavus (usually not wavy and without indents), supported by 14-24 (usually: 17) clavus fn rays and 8-15 (usually: 12) ossicles. Max. length: 325.0 cm TL. Max. published weight: 2744.0 kg. Depth range: 0 - 5000 m, usually: 0 - 480 m.
Color
Grey to dark reddish-brown dorsally, becoming dusky white below, with grey to dark reddish-brown fins, and many small to larger pale spots and irregular blotches on the body.
Etymology
Mola: from Greek, mola = millstone. Referring to its somewhat circular shape.
alexandrini: in honor of Antonio Alessandrini (1786-1861), Italian physician and anatomist, author of a detailed anatomical study of Mola gills published later that year.
Original description: Orthragoriscus alexandrini Ranzani, 1839 - Type locality: Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea).
Distribution
Circumglobal (including Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Japan).
Biology
Although members of the genus Mola are found in many oceans throughout the world, this species thrives best in the open ocean of tropical and temperate seas, preferring warmer temperatures ranging from 16.8° C to 25.6° C (62.24° F to 78.08° F), averaging 19.9° C (67.82° F) . Many encounters with this species are linked to the influence of ocean currents. Based on their immediate environment, sunfish have different movement patterns. During the nighttime, these species stay in the same areas, but during the daytime, they stay below the thermocline. Vertical movement patterns correlated with thermocline depth, and they differed from December to May.
Sunfish spawn in the outer circulation of the temperate Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. The optimal time for sunfish to spawn in the wild is not known, but research has shown that spawning in fall or winter, especially during the month of September, results in bigger fish. Fertilization occurs when sperm and eggs are shed in the water. Being that sunfish are so large, a single adult female can produce 300 million eggs. Unfertilized eggs were measured at 0.42-0.45 mm in diameter.
They mainly consume jellyfish, which are of low nutritional content but abundant, and they will also eat brittle stars, small fish, plankton, algae, salps, and mollusks. Sunfish also feed on ctenophores, hydrozoans, and small crustaceans. It is also known that sunfish swim up to shallower waters to eat cleaner fish and seabirds at the surface. Juvenile sunfish feed in coastal areas in the coastal food web while larger sunfish dive deeper. These species are active predators hunting in dynamic frontal systems.
Just like many other fish, high mortality rates are common for eggs, larvae, pre-juveniles, and small juveniles due to predators. There have been few reports on predation of Mola species however, predation by fish are from families Scombridae, Carangidae, Coryphaenidae, Xiphiidae, and Alepisauridae. Although there is not much research on the lifespan of ocean sunfish, ocean sunfish reportedly take about 20 years to reach a length of 3 m (9.84 ft).
Predators include tiger sharks and orcas, though attacks are rare. Shark predation on all species of sunfish is sporadic, suggesting that ocean sunfish are of low quality or unpleasant for tiger sharks. With smart tactics, tiger sharks can stalk and ambush their prey and are able to bite through the thick gelatinous dermis.
Similar species
Masturus lanceolatus (Liénard, 1840) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Mola tecta (Nyegaard, Sawai, Gemmell, Gillum, Loneragan, Yamanoue & Stewart, 2017) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Ranzania laevis (Pennant 1776) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Last update: 1, June 2024
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Tetraodontiformes (Order) > Tetraodontoidei (Suborder) > Molidae (Family) > Mola (Genus)
Poisson lune d'Alexandre, Short sunfish, Bump-head sunfish, Suidelike sonvis, Ushi-manbo, 拉氏翻車魨, ウシマンボウ,
Synonymes
Mola ramsayi (Giglioli, 1883)
Orthragoriscus alexandrini (Ranzani, 1839)
Orthragoriscus ramsayi (Giglioli, 1883)
Pseudomola lassarati (Cadenat, 1959)
-------------------------
Description
All fins are spineless and triangular. Pectoral fins are small and rounded, located midlaterally fitting into shallow grooves on sides of the bod, and dorsal fins are located on both sides of the anal fin. Head profile with bump (specimens > 162.5 cm TL); Chin with enlarged bump (> 135.0 cm TL); Rectangular body scales on the middle region of the body (shape developing with age, final shape not established on specimens < 70.0 cm TL, but established on those > 162.5 cm TL; The skin has rough denticles and a leathery texture. The body has a thick white subcutaneous gelatinous layer that is smooth to the touch, with a laterally compressed body covered in small rectangular scales. Relatively small mouth, and its teeth are fused into a parrot-like beak. Rounded clavus (usually not wavy and without indents), supported by 14-24 (usually: 17) clavus fn rays and 8-15 (usually: 12) ossicles. Max. length: 325.0 cm TL. Max. published weight: 2744.0 kg. Depth range: 0 - 5000 m, usually: 0 - 480 m.
Color
Grey to dark reddish-brown dorsally, becoming dusky white below, with grey to dark reddish-brown fins, and many small to larger pale spots and irregular blotches on the body.
Etymology
Mola: from Greek, mola = millstone. Referring to its somewhat circular shape.
alexandrini: in honor of Antonio Alessandrini (1786-1861), Italian physician and anatomist, author of a detailed anatomical study of Mola gills published later that year.
Original description: Orthragoriscus alexandrini Ranzani, 1839 - Type locality: Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea).
Distribution
Circumglobal (including Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Japan).
Biology
Although members of the genus Mola are found in many oceans throughout the world, this species thrives best in the open ocean of tropical and temperate seas, preferring warmer temperatures ranging from 16.8° C to 25.6° C (62.24° F to 78.08° F), averaging 19.9° C (67.82° F) . Many encounters with this species are linked to the influence of ocean currents. Based on their immediate environment, sunfish have different movement patterns. During the nighttime, these species stay in the same areas, but during the daytime, they stay below the thermocline. Vertical movement patterns correlated with thermocline depth, and they differed from December to May.
Sunfish spawn in the outer circulation of the temperate Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. The optimal time for sunfish to spawn in the wild is not known, but research has shown that spawning in fall or winter, especially during the month of September, results in bigger fish. Fertilization occurs when sperm and eggs are shed in the water. Being that sunfish are so large, a single adult female can produce 300 million eggs. Unfertilized eggs were measured at 0.42-0.45 mm in diameter.
They mainly consume jellyfish, which are of low nutritional content but abundant, and they will also eat brittle stars, small fish, plankton, algae, salps, and mollusks. Sunfish also feed on ctenophores, hydrozoans, and small crustaceans. It is also known that sunfish swim up to shallower waters to eat cleaner fish and seabirds at the surface. Juvenile sunfish feed in coastal areas in the coastal food web while larger sunfish dive deeper. These species are active predators hunting in dynamic frontal systems.
Just like many other fish, high mortality rates are common for eggs, larvae, pre-juveniles, and small juveniles due to predators. There have been few reports on predation of Mola species however, predation by fish are from families Scombridae, Carangidae, Coryphaenidae, Xiphiidae, and Alepisauridae. Although there is not much research on the lifespan of ocean sunfish, ocean sunfish reportedly take about 20 years to reach a length of 3 m (9.84 ft).
Predators include tiger sharks and orcas, though attacks are rare. Shark predation on all species of sunfish is sporadic, suggesting that ocean sunfish are of low quality or unpleasant for tiger sharks. With smart tactics, tiger sharks can stalk and ambush their prey and are able to bite through the thick gelatinous dermis.
Similar species
Masturus lanceolatus (Liénard, 1840) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Mola tecta (Nyegaard, Sawai, Gemmell, Gillum, Loneragan, Yamanoue & Stewart, 2017) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Ranzania laevis (Pennant 1776) - Reported from New Caledonia.
Last update: 1, June 2024