Ocean Sunfish (Mola-Mola)

Spotted on a Puffin Watching boat trip out to Matinicus Rock, this gigantic bony fish was near the surface basking in the sun. Known for their odd shape, and enormous weight, these fish date back to the extinction of dinosaurs. Evolving from a line of pufferfish that swam further into the open ocean, the Sunfish adapted the best they could although they are not nearly as streamlined as their neighbors. They have been recorded to be as large as 11ft and 5,000 pounds. Their diet? Jellyfish.

“In its lifetime, a mola grows from a larva one-tenth of an inch long to an adult more than 60 million times its starting weight. That is comparable to a human baby ultimately weighing the equivalent of six Titanics.”