The Seaside Aquarium had another unexpected visitor when a mola mola, commonly known as an ocean sunfish, recently beached itself on Sunset Beach just south of Seaside, Oregon. This occurrence, reported by KOIN, notes the specimen measured over five feet, though some of its kind can grow up to twice that size and weigh up to 5,000 pounds.
Juxtaposing this event with one from earlier in the summer, when a different species, the mola tecta, was found near Gearhart, scientists are puzzled by these marine giants appearing so far from their known habitats. According to KGW, the hoodwinker sunfish, which was once thought to inhabit primarily the Southern Hemisphere’s temperate waters has made surprising appearances on the Pacific Coast, from California to Alaska.
Mola molas hold the title of the world's heaviest bony fish, a fact echoed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and cited by numerous sources such as The News Tribune. These leviathans of the deep have a global distribution, save for the polar regions, and their unexpected detour to the Oregon coastline is stirring local interest and concern for the species' well-being. While the exact cause of the beaching remains a mystery, professionals and amateurs alike are intrigued by these enigmatic visitors from the deep.
Despite their colossal size and propensity for deeper waters, the distinction between mola species lies in their physical form and dimensions. The mola tecta, reputed to be smaller with a max length of 7.9 feet and a weight of around 4,000 pounds, is less commonly observed than the more familiar Mola mola.
