Only known to science for a few years, a 2.2-meter-long specimen of a sunfish has been found on the coast of Oregon. Researchers are puzzled about how the fish got there.
A massive and rare sunfish washed up on a beach in the state of Oregon in the northwestern United States. The approximately 2.2-meter-long specimen of this deep-sea fish appears to be a Mola tecta, according to the Seaside Aquarium.
This species was only discovered in 2017 and described by a researcher who has now confirmed that the specimen found is indeed a Mola tecta. Interestingly, this fish species typically lives thousands of kilometers away, on the other side of the equator. How the animal managed to get here remains a mystery.
Sunfish can weigh tons
Sunfish belong to a family that includes several species. Mola tecta is thought to be mainly distributed in the temperate and tropical seas of the Southern Hemisphere. The head and body of these fish form a laterally flattened disc, with two large, muscular fins opposite each other. The skeletons of these fish, which can weigh tons, are highly cartilaginous.
