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Photo by Steve Mirick and used with his permission.

Ocean Sunfish or Mola mola Your first awareness of this strange creature often seen on pelagic trips is a dark fin wobbling back and forth on the surface.

Unlike a shark or other fish it doesn't seem to move forward but rather rocks back and forth with the waves. You are looking at an Ocean Sunfish or Mola mola.

Closer scrutiny reveals a large flat fish with a dorsal fin and a larger ventral or anal fin projecting downward like a centerboard of a sail boat. There is almost no tail. It is a harmless creature that feeds primarily on jellyfish and other small plankton. Participants on a Southern California pelagic trip reported an Ocean Sunfish breaching.

In this photo the sunfish was lying flat on the top of the water. Photo by Emmalee Tarry Notice the lack of tail and the long ventral fin. This fish swims by moving dorsal and ventral fins. For some great underwater pictures of the Ocean Sunfish try this link http://earthwindow.com/mola.html

Ocean Sunfish photographed by Len Medlock on 2009 September NH pelagic. Note the open mouth.