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Habitat and Range Ocean sunfish live in tropical and temperate waters, and they can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans as well as inlets such as the Mediterranean and North seas. They generally stay within 60–125 miles of the coastline, and they apparently migrate within their ranges.
- Where does the sunfish come from?
- How many sunfish are there in the world?
- Do sunfish live in the sunlight zone?
- Why are they called sunfish?
- Is a sunfish a freshwater or saltwater fish?
- Are bluegills and sunfish the same?
- Are perch the same as sunfish?
- What does sunfish taste like?
- Is a sunfish rare?
- How many eggs does an ocean sunfish lay?
- What is a sunfish freshwater?
- How deep do sunfish live?
- What do sunfish eat in lakes?
Where does the sunfish come from?
Ocean sunfish have a wide range and are found across tropical and temperate waters; they have been noted across the length of the Atlantic from Iceland to Chile.
How many sunfish are there in the world?
Presently, five species are recognized within the family Molidae. Species include: the common mola, Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758); giant ocean sunfish, Mola alexandrini (Ranzani 1839); the hoodwinker sunfish, Mola tecta (Nyegaard et al.
Do sunfish live in the sunlight zone?
Scientifically known as Mola mola (which is where its common name "mola" comes from), the ocean sunfish tends to make its home in the deep waters of temperate and tropical oceans. Their large, silvery bodies can occasionally be seen near the surface, where they go to soak up the Sun's rays.
Why are they called sunfish?
The ocean sunfish is a very large, oddly shaped fish that gets its name from his habit of floating on its side, at the sea surface, warming itself in the sun.
Is a sunfish a freshwater or saltwater fish?
sunfish, any of numerous species of North American freshwater fishes placed with the crappies and black basses in the family Centrarchidae (order Perciformes).
Are bluegills and sunfish the same?
Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) is a freshwater fish species that is a member of the sunfish family. They are the most common and widely distributed of all the sunfish species. Bluegill are often referred to as 'sunfish' by anglers. Other nicknames include 'bream', 'coppernose' or 'sunny's'.
Are perch the same as sunfish?
One of the most common misnomers of sunfish is perch. If you want to see a fish biologist cringe, call a sunfish a perch. Sunfishes should not be confused with perch, which are actually members of an altogether different family: Percidae (purse-i-day). Perch species include Yellow Perch, Walleye, and darters.
What does sunfish taste like?
Sunfish have a unique flavor that some people compare to bass and others compare to lobster. They are a scaly fish with a heavy taste. In Asian countries, they are sometimes used to flavor soups or sauces. They can have an odor that turns some people off.
Is a sunfish rare?
Massive sunfish found on California beach is one of the world's rarest, scientists say. ... A 7-foot hoodwinker sunfish, scientifically known as the Mola tecta, was found on Sands Beach at UC Santa Barbara's Coal Oil Point Reserve on Feb.
How many eggs does an ocean sunfish lay?
Sunfish can lay up to 300,000,000 eggs at once, more than any vertebrate. They generally hang out at depths of 160 to 650 feet, but can go much deeper on occasion. During the 1600s and 1700s, Mola mola was used as payment for taxes by Japanese shoguns.
What is a sunfish freshwater?
Centrarchidae (better known as sunfish) are a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes (formerly belonging to the deprecated Centrarchiformes). The type genus is Centrarchus (consisting solely of the flier, C. macropterus).
How deep do sunfish live?
Sunfish generally hang out at depths of 160 to 650 feet, but they can dive much deeper on occasion. In one study, scientists recorded a sunfish diving more than 2600 feet below the surface.
What do sunfish eat in lakes?
All sunfish are carnivorous. Small species and young individuals of larger species eat small invertebrates (such as insects, crustaceans, and mollusks) and small fish. Larger individuals feed more frequently on fish and crayfish.
