{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "ocean-sunfish",
  "name": "Ocean Sunfish",
  "scientificName": "Mola mola",
  "category": "Fish",
  "summary": "The ocean sunfish, or mola, is the heaviest bony fish in the world, reaching up to about 2,000 kg and 3 m across in the largest specimens. Found in temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, it is a harmless drifter that swims slowly at up to 5 km/h and feeds mostly on jellyfish. Molas are famous for basking flat at the surface, live around 8 to 10 years, and are classed as Vulnerable.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Actinopterygii",
    "order": "Tetraodontiformes",
    "family": "Molidae",
    "genus": "Mola"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1000,
    "lengthM": 3,
    "topSpeedKmh": 5,
    "lifespanYears": 10
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Mola mola"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore — jellyfish, salps, and small fish"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Temperate and tropical oceans worldwide"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "8–10 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "250–2,000 kg (550–4,400 lb); record specimens heaviest bony fish"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 5 km/h (3 mph); slow swimmer"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "All temperate and tropical oceans — pelagic species occasionally seen basking at surface worldwide.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America",
      "Oceania",
      "Oceans",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Mola mola.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Mola%20mola&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Mola mola. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mola_mola/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/ocean-sunfish/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/ocean-sunfish/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}