Bass, sharks, sturgeons, and the vast majority of other fish use these things to propel themselves forward. Most fish possess caudal (tail) fins at the end of their spinal columns. In Latin, the word " mola" means "millstone." Being flattened, roundish and often gray in color, these animals do bear a passing resemblance to their namesake rocks.Īll known sunfish have an unusual pseudo-tail that contributes to their vaguely oval-shaped appearance. With their unorthodox swimming style, enormous egg clutches and a thousand other quirks, molas are unlike anything else in the ocean. "Just about everything about the sunfishes is unique," Thys says. The book will have plenty of material to work with. ![]() ![]() When she isn't conducting research or giving TED talks about these animals, she maintains a website dedicated to them - and she's currently co-editing "the first big academic book on the ocean sunfishes for CRC Press." " may look like the ultimate underdogs (underfish?), but they are truly a well-adapted, immensely successful group of fish with a cosmopolitan distribution and the ability to capitalize on resources that not many other groups consume," Tierney Thys explains in an email.Ī marine biologist and science popularizer, Thys specializes in sunfish research. Something about them just feels off.ĭon't be deceived by appearances, however. ![]() from side to side) and lacking a traditional tail, adult Mola mola seem kind of awkward at first glance. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the ocean sunfish, a creature that's better known by its full scientific name: Mola mola.
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