Photo of the moon fish - an underwater luminary. Sunfish - an amazing sea creature from the Guinness book The largest fish moon

Luna fish is a species of the genus of moon fish of the same family. These are the heaviest of modern bony fishes. They reach a length of three meters. The Guinness Book of Records provides data on an individual caught on September 18, 1908 near Sydney, whose length was 4.26 m and weight 2235 kg.

Common moonfish live in tropical and temperate waters of all oceans. They are found in the pelagic zone at depths of up to 844 m. They have a laterally compressed disc-shaped body. The dorsal and anal fins are moved back and form a tail plate. The skin is devoid of scales. The teeth are fused into a “beak”. Pelvic fins are absent. Coloration bluish or grayish Brown. They feed mainly on jellyfish and other pelagic invertebrates.

It is the most prolific species among vertebrates, females ordinary moons fish produce up to 300,000,000 eggs at a time. The fry of this species resemble miniature pufferfish, they have large pectoral fins, a caudal fin and spines, which disappear in adulthood. Adult moon fish are quite vulnerable. They are hunted sea ​​lions, killer whales and sharks. In some countries, such as Japan, Korea and Taiwan, their meat is considered a delicacy. In EU countries there is a ban on the sale of sunfish products.

In fact, the sunfish is completely harmless, because it feeds on jellyfish, ctenophores, small fish, crustaceans and other zooplankton, which, unfortunately, happen to be next to it. This fish does not know how to maneuver and swim quickly in pursuit of prey, but only sucks into its mouth-beak everything edible that happens to be nearby.

Because of its rounded outline, in many languages ​​of the world it is unusual creature called the moon fish, or the sun fish, due to its habit of basking in the sun while swimming on the surface. The translation of the German name means “floating head”, the Polish one means “lonely head”, and the Chinese call this fish “an overturned car”. In Latin, the most numerous genus of these fish is called mola, which means “millstone”. The fish earned this name not only by its body shape, but also by its grey, rough skin.

Moonfish belong to the order Pufferfish, which includes pufferfish and urchinfish, with which they have much in common. First of all, these are four fused front teeth, which form a characteristic non-closing beak, which gave Latin name order - Tetraodontiformes (four-toothed). The moonfish family (Molidae) is united unusual appearance these millstone-like animals. It seems that at the dawn of evolution, someone bit off the back of the fish’s body just behind the dorsal and anal fins, and they survived and gave birth to equally strange offspring. Indeed, representatives of this family have fewer vertebrae than others bony fish, for example, in the species mola mola there are only 16 of them, the pelvic girdle is completely reduced, the caudal fin is absent, and instead there is a tuberous pseudotail.

Sunfish feed on zooplankton. This is confirmed by studies of fish stomachs, in which crustaceans, small squids, leptocephali, ctenophores and even jellyfish were found. Scientists suggest that the sunfish can reach quite great depths.

When moving, all moonfish use very long and narrow anal and dorsal fins, flapping them like a bird's wings, while small pectoral fins serve as stabilizers. To steer, fish spit a strong stream of water from their mouths or gills. Despite their love to bask in the sun, moon fish live at a respectable depth of several hundred and sometimes thousands of meters.

It is reported that sunfish can produce sounds by rubbing their pharyngeal teeth, which are long and claw-like.

It is believed that the lifespan of the sunfish can be about a hundred years, but much is still unknown about these amazing creatures because they do not get along well in aquariums.

Moonfish are found in tropical and temperate waters of all oceans. In the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, these fish are distributed from Canada (British Columbia) to the south of Peru and Chile, in the Indo-Pacific region - throughout Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea, and further from Russia and Japan to Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. In the eastern Atlantic they are found from Scandinavia to South Africa, occasionally entering the Baltic, Northern and Mediterranean Sea. In the eastern part Atlantic Ocean Sunfish can be found from the coast of Newfoundland to southern Argentina, including Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Genetic differences between individuals living in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, are minimal.

During the spring and summer, the population of common moonfish in the northwest Atlantic is estimated at 18,000 individuals. In coastal waters, large concentrations of small fish up to 1 m in length are observed. In the Irish and Celtic Seas in 2003-2005, 68 individuals of this species were recorded, the estimated population density was 0.98 individuals per 100 km².

Usually these fish are caught at temperatures above 10 °C. Long stay at temperatures of 12 °C and below can cause them to become disorientated and suddenly die. Common moonfish are often found in the surface layers open ocean; There was an opinion that this fish swims on its side, but there is a version that this method of movement is typical for sick individuals. It is also possible that in this way the fish warm up their bodies before immersing themselves in cold water layers.

Their large size and thick skin make adult moon fish invulnerable to small predators, however, juveniles can become prey for tuna and korifena. On large fish sharks also attack. In Monterey Bay, sea lions have been observed biting off the fins of moonfish and pushing them to the surface of the water. Probably, with the help of such actions, mammals manage to bite through the thick skin of fish. Sometimes, after throwing the moon fish several times, the sea lions abandoned their prey, and it helplessly sank to the bottom, where it was eaten by starfish.

The common moonfish (lat. Mola mola) is the owner of a unique figure and a real giant under water world. She is one of the most major representatives family of moon fish (Molidae) from the order Tetraodontiformes.

Relationships with people

The largest specimen, 426 cm long and weighing 2235 kg, was caught in 1908 near Australian city Sydney. The unusually shaped body allows one to quickly distinguish this species from others. sea ​​creatures. Fishermen have always considered the catch of such fish to be an exceptional event. Some of them considered the appearance of the moon fish a bad sign, foreshadowing a poor catch. Before the storm approaches, she is in large quantities swims into bays to escape bad weather.

In East Asian countries, this type of fish is caught in large numbers because its meat is considered medicinal. In fact, it is poisonous due to the content of tetrodotoxin, which can lead to death.

According to reviews from gourmets who have tasted moonfish meat, it has unpleasant smell, and if you cook it for a long time, it acquires a sticky consistency. Caviar, liver and milt are strictly prohibited from being eaten. Such a feast often ends in death.

Behavior

The sunfish is found in temperate and tropical waters seas and oceans. Traveling with warm currents, it swims into the coastal zone of Iceland or Norway. Even its appearance in the Mediterranean Sea will not surprise anyone.

Living in the open sea, the fish prefers to be close to the surface, but sometimes dives to a depth of up to 300 m. This giant is distinguished by its peaceful character and its leisurely way of life.

Until recently, the sunfish was classified as oceanic macroplankton, but targeted observations showed that this sloth can reach speeds of up to 3.3 km/h and cover a distance of about 26 km per day. Giant fish cannot overcome strong currents, so it often continues its journey captured by some warm current.

During movement, its body is motionless; movement is carried out only by its fins. Hovering on the surface, it exposes its dorsal fin above water surface. Sometimes she sinks to the bottom and hangs head down. Despite its laziness, in a moment of danger, the moon fish can quickly fly over the water.

Furrowing the expanses of the seas and oceans, the fish, along with warm currents, approach the coast to feast on jellyfish. Its diet is enriched with eel larvae, small crustaceans and all kinds of planktonic organisms, as well as various types seaweed

In clear weather, the moon fish approaches the surface of the water and basks in sun rays. Many ichthyologists argue that this behavior is characteristic of sick or aged specimens.

Reproduction of the moon fish

Spawning begins in July and ends in October. The fish heads to coastal waters and spawns about 300 million eggs there. Together with plankton, they move freely on the surface.

In their development, the larvae go through three stages of metamorphosis and outwardly resemble puffer fish. Their body length is 1 mm. They have big head and a clearly visible caudal peduncle.

During the second stage, the larva grows plates of bone on its small body. At the same time, the caudal peduncle becomes smaller. A small part of the anal and dorsal fins are fused into the caudal fin.

The larva in the third stage of development already resembles an adult. For some time she was ranked among separate species Pisces moons. The size of the grown larvae reaches 1.5 cm. Their peculiar short body is flattened on the sides. The tail, along with the caudal peduncle, disappears forever. Small plates with a small cone-shaped tooth grow on the skin.

Under the influence of evolutionary processes, the moon fish lost its caudal stalk and tail. In place of the caudal fin, parts of the anal and caudal fin appeared, which fused together. She was left without pelvic fins and the pelvic girdle in its skeleton. Cartilaginous tissue remains as part of her skeleton, and the spinal ridge consists of 16-20 vertebrae.

Possessing low mobility, the sunfish can become easy prey for larger ones. sea ​​predators– killer whales, sea ​​lions and sharks.

Description

The length of adult individuals reaches 4 m, weight no more than 2 tons. There are no jaws in the small mouth. Instead, there are bone plates that form a powerful beak.

The short powerful body is flattened laterally. The dorsal fin is very long. The pectoral fins are small.

The moon fish has greatly reduced longitudinal muscles, with the help of which other fish bend their bodies. To move the anal and dorsal fins, there are separate powerful bundles of muscles.

The color varies from gray to brown with a silvery tint with light spots. The anal fin is long and strongly pointed. Instead of a tail there is a fin formed by connecting the anal and dorsal fins. The rough skin is covered with bony tubercles and small spines like a shell.

The average lifespan of a moon fish in natural conditions is about 20 years.

Moon Pisces are amazing and little-studied creatures, striking in their size, appearance and colossal fertility. They belong to a tiny family of only three species: the common sunfish, the sharp-tailed moonfish and the sunfish. This family belongs to the order Pufferfish and is related to species such as triggerfish, puffer fish and pufferfish.

Common sunfish (Mola mola).

The moon fish owes its name to its unusual body shape. In the most famous ordinary moonfish it is almost round; in the ransania and sharp-tailed moonfish it is slightly elongated and resembles a melon or torpedo. At the same time, the body is flattened from the sides, but does not differ in grace. The edges of the body appear torn and resemble a failed pancake. All languages ​​of the world in one way or another contain a reference to this unusual feature. In the majority European languages these creatures are called moon-fish or sun-fish, the Latin name of the species is translated as “millstone”, and in Polish language this fish is called "self-head" because it seems as if it consists of only one giant head. The body of the moon fish is indeed greatly shortened, but the most surprising thing is that it lacks main body movements - tail! It is replaced by a blade, devoid of its own muscular system. The body of moonfish appears high due to the highly developed oval-pointed dorsal and anal fins. The pectoral fins, on the contrary, are very small. The eyes are relatively large with a good-natured, stupid expression. The mouth of these fish is also relatively small; sharp teeth form something like jaws, but are not suitable for chewing hard objects. The skin is very thick, rough to the touch due to the bony plates that dot it, but at the same time elastic.

Although Moon Pisces does not shine with beauty and grace, they cannot fail to inspire admiration. The fact is that these are the largest of all bony fish, second in size only to whale shark(cartilaginous fish). The usual size of an adult is 2-3 m in height (since they are longer vertically than horizontally), weight is about 1 ton. The Guinness Book of Records records a sunfish measuring 4.2 m and weighing 2.3 tons! The only “dwarf” in this family is the knapsack, only 80 cm long. The coloring of these creatures also emphasizes their resemblance to the moon or millstones. It is gray, sometimes with whitish spots on the sides. Interestingly, moon fish are able to change color slightly: from slate gray to almost white. These fish do not have sexual dimorphism, so males and females do not differ from each other in appearance.

The sunfish's mouth appears tiny in proportion to its huge body.

Due to the lack of a tail, moonfish are forced to move with the help of fins (in most fish they serve only as rudders), but this method of movement is very ineffective. Making leisurely strokes of their fins, these creatures can swim very slowly, and often prefer to drift with the current. Sometimes sunfish swim on their sides, but these are probably sick or dying individuals. Despite their colossal size, these fish are very peaceful, phlegmatic and defenseless. They are completely unable to resist the attack of predators, and when attacked, they only passively watch as the aggressor tears their body.

Moonfish feed on small prey, which are as sedentary as they themselves. Their food includes jellyfish, ctenophores, salps, small crustaceans and squids. Moreover, they search for food both on the surface of the water and in the depths. They can tear into pieces an animal that does not fit into their small mouth, and grind solid food with their pharyngeal teeth. According to some evidence, sunfish meat can be poisonous, probably due to eating poisonous jellyfish and the accumulation of toxins in fish muscles.

The tiny baby sunfish is armed with spines.

Moonfish do not have special spawning grounds, so they spawn in the same areas where they feed. In terms of fertility, the females of these species have no equal: each can lay up to 300 million eggs! This absolute record in the world of fish. Sunfish eggs are extremely small and float in the water column (such eggs are called pelagic eggs). Thanks to this, it can be carried by currents over long distances, contributing to the spread of these slow-moving creatures across the oceans. Tiny fry, hatched from eggs, initially have big thorns, protecting them from predators. However, the young grow very quickly and by 15 months reach a size of 1.8 m. According to observations in captivity, sunfish can live up to 10 years; life expectancy in nature has not been precisely established.

Despite their large size, moonfish have many enemies. Young individuals can be attacked by tuna, while killer whales and sharks like to hunt adults. There are cases when sea lions played with these fish, biting off their fins and throwing their bodies above the water. Men in different parts The world treats moon fish differently. In Taiwan and Japan they are considered the greatest delicacy (along with related species puffer fish) and eat all parts of the body. IN European countries Fishing for these species is prohibited. And in the tropics, sunfish are not eaten, but they are not protected either. Here they are considered pests that steal bait from hooks, so fishermen cut off the fins of caught individuals and condemn them to slow fishing. painful death in the depths of the ocean.

Common sunfish in the Barcelona Aquarium.

In captivity, these fish are extremely rare, since they require large and deep aquariums, and they are often injured on the walls of containers. Now the aquariums of Osaka, Monterey, Barcelona, ​​Lisbon and Valencia can boast of having these fish in their collections. Sunfish need protection as amazing and still little-studied representatives of the aquatic fauna.

Moonfish on Latin sounds like Mola mola, also popularly called “sun” or “head”. The word mola translates as “millstone”. This is one of the largest bony representatives of the aquatic world of all existing and known species in the world. One of the individuals, which was caught in 1908, is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Its weight was 2235 kilograms, its length was 3.1 meters, and from the lower to the upper fin it was 4.26 meters. Geography of habitat

Range and habitat

Sunfish are found in tropical and temperate waters of all oceans. In the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, these fish are distributed from Canada (British Columbia) to the south of Peru and Chile, in the Indo-Pacific region - throughout the Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea, and further from Russia and Japan to Australia, New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands. In the eastern Atlantic they are found from Scandinavia to South Africa, and occasionally enter the Baltic, North and Mediterranean seas. In the western Atlantic Ocean, sunfish can be found from the coast of Newfoundland to southern Argentina, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Genetic differences between individuals living in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are minimal.

Population size in spring and summer common sunfish in the northwest Atlantic is estimated at 18,000 individuals. Large concentrations of small fish up to 1 m in length are observed in coastal waters. In the Irish and Celtic Seas, 68 individuals of this species were recorded in 2003–2005, the estimated population density was 0.98 individuals per 100 km².

These pelagic fish are found at depths of up to 844 m. Adults spend most of their time in the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones at depths of more than 200 m. According to other studies, more than 30% of the time common sunfishes spend at the surface at depths of up to 10 m and over 80% in thicker than water at a depth of up to 200 m.

Usually these fish are caught at temperatures above 10 °C. Prolonged exposure to temperatures of 12°C or below can cause them to become disorientated and cause sudden death. Common moonfish are often found in the surface layers of the open ocean; There was an opinion that this fish swims on its side, but there is a version that this method of movement is typical for sick individuals. It is also possible that in this way the fish warm up their bodies before immersing themselves in cold water layers.

Description

The sunfish (lat. mola-mola) is one of the most amazing sea creatures. Its Latin name translates as “millstone”, which is quite consistent with the size and shape of this fish, which resembles a huge disk, flattened on the sides. The back of the body seems to be chopped off and ends with a wavy edge, which is a modified fixed caudal fin.

It is the absence of a tail that makes the fish so slow. The dorsal and anal fins are narrow and high, opposing each other and set far back. The head ends with a very small mouth in the shape of a parrot's beak. Jaws without teeth. The teeth are replaced by a solid enamel plate. The skin of the moon fish is covered with small bony tubercles. The skin is unusually thick, durable and elastic - they say that even the skin of a ship cannot withstand this and the paint peels off. The color of the moon fish is dark gray or brown, with light spots irregular shape and different sizes.

Last September at Kuril Islands caught a sunfish weighing 1100 kg. The photo of this individual was on all news channels. They caught it near Iturup Island. At first, the fishermen were delighted with such a gorgeous catch, but due to inexperience they were unable to drag it into the trawler. While she was being towed for three days, she went rotten. As a result, upon arriving on land, the fishermen gave the delicacy to the bears.

Lifestyle

Ordinary moonfish lead, as a rule, a solitary lifestyle, but sometimes they are found in pairs, and in places where cleaning animals gather they can gather in groups.

The sunfish can often be seen lying on its side on the surface of the water. From time to time, its fins show on the surface - sometimes they are mistaken for the dorsal fins of a shark. They can be distinguished by the nature of the movement of their fins. Sharks, like most fish, swim by flapping their tail fin from side to side. In this case, the dorsal fin remains motionless. Moonfish move their dorsal and anal fins like oars. The larvae and fry of this species swim like ordinary fish.

Previously, it was believed that the sunfish was a poor swimmer, unable to overcome strong currents, so it was classified as oceanic macroplankton. However, targeted observations have shown that the sunfish can swim 26 km per day, and maximum speed swimming speed reaches 3.28 km/h.

Sometimes sailors from a ship can observe how this harmless “monster” sways sluggishly on the surface of the water. But the fry and young moonfish swim as briskly as the rest of the inhabitants of the underwater kingdom. Adults most spend time lying on their side at the bottom.

In captivity, these fish are extremely rare, since they require large and deep aquariums, and they are often injured on the walls of containers. Now the aquariums of Osaka, Monterey, Barcelona, ​​Lisbon and Valencia can boast of having these fish in their collections. Sunfish need protection as amazing and still little-studied representatives of the aquatic fauna.

Nutrition

Moonfish feed on small prey, which are as sedentary as they themselves. Their food includes jellyfish, ctenophores, salps, small crustaceans and squids. Moreover, they search for food both on the surface of the water and in the depths. They can tear into pieces an animal that does not fit into their small mouth, and grind solid food with their pharyngeal teeth. According to some evidence, sunfish meat can be poisonous, probably due to the consumption of poisonous jellyfish and the accumulation of toxins in the muscles of the fish.

Reproduction

The head fish is the most prolific creature in the ocean - during one spawning, the female is capable of laying about 300 million eggs, with a diameter of about 0.1 cm. Newborn fry weigh about 0.01 grams and are similar to puffer fish, however time will pass and the size of the fish will increase 60 million times - only these fish have such a huge ratio from birth to adulthood.

The average lifespan of these fish in captivity is about 10 years, in natural conditions 16-23 years.

The larvae that hatch from the eggs resemble pufferfish, then wide bone plates appear on the body of the grown larvae, which gradually turn into sharp long spines, which then also disappear. The caudal fin and swim bladder also gradually disappear, and the teeth merge into a single plate. Despite high fertility, the numbers of this species are small and continue to decline. Except natural enemies, which prey on larvae and adults, the population of sunfish is threatened by humans: in many Asian countries they are considered medicinal and large-scale catching is carried out, although there is information that the meat of these fish contains toxins, like those of hedgehog fish and pufferfish, and in internal organs contain the poison tetrodotoxin, just like puffer fish.

Enemies

Despite their large size, moonfish have many enemies. Young individuals can be attacked by tuna, while killer whales and sharks like to hunt adults. There are cases when sea lions played with these fish, biting off their fins and throwing their bodies above the water. People in different parts of the world view moonfish differently. In Taiwan and Japan, they are considered the greatest delicacy (along with the related species puffer fish) and are eaten from all parts of the body. In European countries, fishing for these species is prohibited. And in the tropics, sunfish are not eaten, but they are not protected either. Here they are considered pests that steal bait from hooks, so fishermen cut off the fins of caught individuals and condemn them to a slow, painful death in the depths of the ocean.

Human interaction

Despite their impressive size, ordinary moonfish do not pose a danger to humans. There have been cases when fish that jumped out of the water fell into boats and knocked people down. Their habitats attract divers; they become accustomed to the presence of humans. Collisions with sunfish are common in some regions. These collisions can cause damage to boat hulls, and sometimes the bodies of these fish get stuck in the blades large ships(which can also cause an accident).

These fish have tasteless flabby meat. However, in Taiwan and Japan it is considered a delicacy, and in some regions of the western Pacific and southern Atlantic there is a specialized fishery for it. All parts of fish are used as food, including fins and internal organs. In addition, they are in demand in traditional Chinese medicine. Due to possible toxin content, the sale of sunfish products in Europe is prohibited. In Russia, Vomer fish is sold under the trade name “sunfish”.

Up to 30% of the drift gillnet catch used for swordfish off the coast of California consists of sunfish. In the Mediterranean Sea, the level of bycatch of this species is even higher and reaches 71–90%. In some places, fishermen cut off the fins of these fish, considering them useless bait snatchers. Floating on the surface of the water plastic bags resemble jellyfish, the main food of sunfishes. After swallowing garbage, fish can die from suffocation or starvation as the plastic clogs their stomach.

Much in the biology of common moonfish remains unclear; their populations are counted from the air, migrations are studied using tagging, genetic research fabrics. Occasionally, sunfish are found on the shore.

1. The brain mass of this oceanic giant is 4 grams.
2. If you put all the sunfish eggs in a chain, its length will be about 30 km.
3. There is a toxin in the body of these fish, so it is undesirable to eat it, and if you eat caviar, milt or liver, it can be fatal.
4. Sunfish are often kept in captivity, but sometimes these fish die when they crash against the walls of the aquarium.
5. The spinal cord of the sunfish is shorter than the head, length no more than 15 mm.
6. A female fish lays about 300 million eggs at a time, and about future fate doesn't worry about his children at all. That is why this species has a very low survival rate of offspring.
7. Sunfish are very difficult to keep in an aquarium. All individuals have a very small brain compared to body size. The fish practically does not react to the threat; it is inactive and clumsy. More daring representatives of the deep, sharks and other predators often feast on it.

Video

Sources

https://ianimal.ru/topics/ryba-luna https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordinary_luna-fish

True, there is an assumption that this is what sick and dying fish do, which is why they are caught without any difficulty and which usually have an empty stomach. Moon fish is a very poor swimmer, unable to overcome strong currents. Sometimes from a ship you can observe how this harmless monster, swaying sluggishly and sticking the top of its dorsal fin out of the water, slowly swims without any visible goal. It feeds on zooplankton: various crustaceans, small squids, eel larvae (leptocephali) and many salps, ctenophores and jellyfish are often found in the stomach. It is possible that large individuals are capable of descending to significant depths. The sunfish is the most prolific fish: one female lays up to 300 million eggs. Pelagic caviar. Spawns in tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, but adult fish, carried by warm currents, often penetrate into moderate warm waters. In the North Atlantic they reach Newfoundland, Iceland, Great Britain, the western part of the Baltic Sea and along the coast of Norway even to Murman. In our Far Eastern waters in summer they are occasionally found in the northern part Sea of ​​Japan and in the area southern islands Great Kuril ridge. Despite the fact that even large moon fish cannot cause any harm to humans, in some places off the coast South Africa fishermen experience superstitious fear when meeting this fish, considering it a harbinger of trouble, and hastily return to the shore. This is apparently explained by the fact that only before bad weather can the moonfish be seen near the shore, and fishermen associate its appearance with an approaching storm.