Tell your teachers about EnchantedLearning.com!
The sunfish (Mola mola, also called the mola or sun fish) is a large ocean fish found in warm and temperate oceans. It has an almost circular, flattened body. This unusual fish swims by flapping its long pectoral and dorsal fins; the caudal fin is used as a rudder (for steering). Some sunfish have been seen floating on their sides at the top of the sea; they may be using the sun to heat themselves up.
Anatomy: The sunfish grows to be about 10 ft (3 m) long, but some up to 13 ft (4 m) have been seen. It weighs up to 2 tons. The gills are covered by a flap called an operculum. The head is almost a third of the total body length. The small mouth has large fused teeth in the front.
Diet: The sunfish is a carnivore (meat-eater) that eats jellyfish, comb-jellies, and some crustaceans.
Classification: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Osteichthyes (bony fish), Order Plectognathi (=Tetraodontiformes), Family Molidae, Genus Mola, Species M. mola.
Copyright ©2000-2008 EnchantedLearning.com
| What's New | Site map | Animal Printouts | Zoom Astronomy | Zoom Birds | Zoom Butterfly | Zoom Dinosaurs | Zoom Rainforests | Zoom Sharks | Zoom Whales | Enchanted Learning Home |
| Crafts | K-3 Themes | Little Explorers Picture dictionary | Rebus Rhymes | Geography | Oceans | Biomes | Zoom School | Zoom Inventors | Zoom Explorers | Busy Little Brains CD-ROM |
| Zoom Store Great birthday presents for kids who love animals |
| First search engine with spelling correction and pictures! |
