Jun 3, 2008

Jellyfish - It's What's for Dinner

I've often wondered why jellyfish don't feature more prominently in the big pelagics of the world's oceans. The easy answer is that jellyfish don't offer much in the way of the nutrition (unless spread on wheat bread with some peanut butter).

That being said, the sunfish (Mola mola) has a lot to show for its efforts, as they dine on jellyfish almost exclusively. It is the world's heaviest known bony fish, weighing in at 2,200 lbs. They are as long as they are wide, with some specimens reaching over 10 feet in length. They look like a half of a fish when viewed from the side, and like a mini-sub when viewed from above.

Thanks for the ocean sunfish, Elizabeth.

Photos via whatsthecrack.net

5 comments:

ChicChickory said...

Wow...that thing is HUGE!

Anonymous said...

I love sunfish! The sunfish is my favorite animal at the Monterey Bay Aquarium,

Anonymous said...

These fish are both creepy and cool. I can't believe how large they are when I see them, but all the ones I've seen at the aquarium have this creepy expression.

Anonymous said...

I actually think sunfish are kind of beautiful. A bit like how a four year old would draw a fish! Fabulous pictures :)

Anonymous said...

wow, I thought these fish only existed in Japanese cartoons! I had no idea they were real!