MOLA FISH: AN UNFORETABLE ANIMAL

This large fish lives offshore, near the surface, in warm oceans. It is not a common fish. They typically lie on their side and move slowly by slapping their dorsal and anal fins in alternation.

Their length is usually 4 to 8 feet, with 11 feet the maximum. They

can weight up to 600 pounds. Their large, dorsal and anal fins characterize this fish. When viewed from above, they have the shape of a "coin"--wide but very narrow. But viewed sideways, they have a large surface area, and they look like a fish "chopped in half." They typically lie on their side, near the surface (as if they are sunning themselves).

They eat mainly squid and jellyfish. The Mola fish is no threat to humans. 

   Classification

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Actinopterygii

Order Tetraodontiformes

Family Molidae

Genus Mola

Type species: M. mola (Linnaeus, 1758).

References

Reader's Digest, 1982. North American Wildlife. Pleasantiville, New York. 615 pp. 

Wikipedia. 2026. Mola mola.

all the following images are public domain images

Mola mola in motion.

Mola mola (showing the detail of its skin).

A "captured" Mola mola.