Ear: Mola

“A relatively small mola mola washed ashore 1/2 mile south of the Sunset Beach approach,” the Seaside Aquarium posted on Facebook. “While this fish is only a little over 5 feet, mola molas (or ocean sunfish), can get up to 10 feet and weigh as much as 5,000 pounds.

“ … There are three different species of sunfish in the genus mola: mola mola, mola tecta and mola alexandrini. All three … are widely distributed throughout the world’s oceans, except for the polar regions. The newest species to join the genus mola was the mola tecta, which was just recently discovered in 2017. Only a few specimens have been examined, and even fewer sampled.

“ … Visually the difference includes a T-shaped pattern on the clavus, the thick rudder-like structure at the rear of the fish, also known as its steering fin, on the mola tecta. Mola tectas also do not get quite as big as the mola mola, reaching only 7.9 feet and weighing 4,000 pounds.” (Photo: Seaside Aquarium)