Ocean Sunfish
Mola mola
Sighting evidence at The Smalls Reef, Wales (Pembrokeshire)
Photo: Randy Puckett · CC BY-NC
The warm summer months bring ocean sunfish to The Smalls, drawn by lion's mane jellyfish blooms drifting on the surface current. At up to 2 metres across, these flattened giants are unmistakable mid-water silhouettes, often approached to within a body length by divers before slowly sculling away on their triangular fins. Cleaning stations are sometimes established at the reef surface where small wrasse remove parasites from the sunfish skin.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Ocean Sunfish is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.