First record of the southern ocean sunfish, Mola ramsayi, in the Galápagos Marine Reserve

Tierney M. Thys, Jonathan Whitney, Alex Hearn, Kevin C. Weng, Cesar Peñaherrera, L. Jawad, J. Alfaro-Shigueto, J. C. Mangel, Stephen A. Karl

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ocean sunfish from the genus Mola, family Molidae, are the world's heaviest bony fish, reaching 2500 kg, primarily on a diet of gelatinous -Aooplankton. Three molid species are reported to occur in the Galápagos archipelago: Mola mola, Masturus lanceolatus and Ran-Aania laevis. To date, no genetic analysis of any molid has been conducted in Galápagos. In October 2011, tissue samples were obtained from nine sunfish at Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela Island, genetically analysed and found to be Mola ramsayi - the southern sunfish. This marks the first record of M. ramsayi in Galápagos waters.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere70
JournalMarine Biodiversity Records
Volume6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2013

Keywords

  • Molidae
  • Tetraodontiformes
  • distribution expansion

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