Image Gallery: Sunfishes

Worldwide there are four species of sunfishes, in three genera, Mola, Masturus and Ranzania.  Australia is home to all four.  Adult sunfishes are distinctive fishes that lack a true tail and have tall dorsal and anal fins positioned at the rear of the body.  The larvae look surprisingly different to adults.

Larval Ocean Sunfish Larval Ocean Sunfish
2.7 mm larval Ocean Sunfish 2.7 mm larval Ocean Sunfish
Ocean Sunfish specimen Ocean Sunfish specimen
Ocean Sunfish on the Steamer Fiona Ocean Sunfish on the Steamer Fiona
Ocean Sunfish viewed from above Ocean Sunfish viewed from above
An Ocean Sunfish at Taronga Zoo An Ocean Sunfish at Taronga Zoo
Mark and Shaun measuring the Ocean Sunfish Mark and Shaun measuring the Ocean Sunfish
Parasites of an Ocean Sunfish Parasites of an Ocean Sunfish
The fused parrot-like teeth of the Ocean Sunfish The fused parrot-like teeth of the Ocean Sunfish
Clavus of an Ocean Sunfish, Mola mola Clavus of an Ocean Sunfish, Mola mola
Mouth of an Ocean Sunfish Mouth of an Ocean Sunfish
Clavus of an Ocean Sunfish Clavus of an Ocean Sunfish
Gill arch teeth of an Ocean Sunfish Gill arch teeth of an Ocean Sunfish
A Sharptail Sunfish from Honjo, Japan A Sharptail Sunfish from Honjo, Japan
Dr Keiichi Matsuura with a dissected Sunfish Dr Keiichi Matsuura with a dissected Sunfish
Sharptail Sunfish washed ashore Sharptail Sunfish washed ashore
Larval Sharptail Sunfish, Masturus lanceolatus Larval Sharptail Sunfish, Masturus lanceolatus
A Juvenile Sharptail Sunfish from the Coral Sea A Juvenile Sharptail Sunfish from the Coral Sea
X-ray image of a Slender Sunfish X-ray image of a Slender Sunfish
A school of juvenile Slender Sunfish A school of juvenile Slender Sunfish