One day, people at Seaside, Oregon, saw something incredible—a circular shaped fish washed ashore. It was over seven feet long! This unexpected event quickly got everyone’s attention. People took photos and videos of the huge fish. The Seaside Aquarium was called, and marine biologists came to check out the fish.
People were amazed and curious. For many, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see such a rare and huge fish up close. The hoodwinker sunfish is known for being hard to find, making this discovery even more special.
Marine biologists from the Seaside Aquarium and other places started studying the fish. They identified it as a hoodwinker sunfish (Mola tecta), a species first described in 2017. This fish was not only big but also in great condition, giving scientists a rare chance to study it closely.
Understanding the Hoodwinker Sunfish
The hoodwinker sunfish, or Mola tecta, is a new addition to what we know about marine life. It was first described by Dr. Marianne Nyegaard and her team in 2017. The hoodwinker sunfish is known for its unique look and secretive behavior.
Hoodwinker sunfish have a flat, oval-shaped body with smooth skin. Unlike other sunfish, they don’t have a big head bump or long fin structures, making them look more streamlined. These fish can grow very large, with some reaching over ten feet long and weighing more than two tons.
Hoodwinker sunfish live in deep waters, often several hundred meters down. They eat a variety of marine creatures, including jellyfish, small fish, and plankton. Despite their size, they are gentle giants and are not dangerous to humans.
Sources
- Rare 7-foot hoodwinker sunfish washes ashore on Oregon beach
- Gigantic sunfish that washed up on Oregon beach could be the largest of its species ever found
- A giant ‘sunbathing’ fish that washed ashore in Oregon turned out to be an unexpected oddity
- 7-foot sunfish found on Oregon beach is newly discovered species
- See the Rare, 2,000-Pound Hoodwinker Sunfish That Washed Ashore in Oregon
