Molidae
The Molidae comprise the family of the molas or ocean sunfishes, unusual fish whose bodies come to an end just behind the dorsal and anal fins, giving them a "half-fish" appearance. They are also the largest of the ray-finned bony fish, with the southern sunfish, Mola alexandrini, recorded at 4.6 m (15 ft) in length and 2,744 kg (6,049 lb) in weight.
| Molidae Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Mola mola | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Suborder: | Tetraodontoidei |
| Family: | Molidae Bonaparte, 1832 |
| Genera | |
The family name comes from the ocean sunfish's scientific name Mola mola, both its genus name and epithet come from the Latin word mola for "millstone" because of its circular shape.
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