Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about
Fun Facts About the Ocean Sunfish
In honor of a certain "sea monstah" video that went viral recently, this week's creature is the ocean sunfish. The ocean sunfish or common mola (Mola mola) is a huge fish with a bizarre appearance. They look like giant swimming heads. They can be as tall as they are long when their dorsal and ventral fins are extended.Ocean sunfish are native to tropical and temperate waters around the globe. Mola is Latin for "millstone," a reference to the fish's gray color, rough texture, and circular shape. Read on to learn more about these strange ocean giants.
1. Ocean Sunfish are huge. They're the heaviest bony fish in the world, weighing on average over 2,000 pounds. They can grow over 10 feet long and more than 8 feet from fin to fin.
2. They have unusual skeletons. The ocean sunfish's spinal column contains fewer vertebrae and is shorter in relation to its body than that of other fish. It has a reduced skeleton that is mostly cartilaginous, and also lacks ribs.
3. They don't have tails. In most fish the tail is the main means of propulsion, but the ocean sunfish lacks a tail. They also don't have caudal fins. Instead, they have a structure called a clavus, formed by extensions of the dorsal and anal fin rays and used like a rudder. They "paddle" with their dorsal and anal fins, waggling them in the same direction at the same time to move forward.
4. Ocean sunfish have beaks. Their teeth are fused into a beak-like structure, and they have pharyngeal teeth located in their throats.
5. They have thick skins. Ocean sunfish don't have scales. Instead, they have a thick, rubbery skin that is covered in mucus. Their skin can be up to 3 inches thick in some areas.
And as always have a chilled day from the Viking
Comments
Post a Comment