Updated

Updated · Seacoastonline.com · Aug 6

Ocean Sunfish Surfaces Off Hampton’s North Beach as 5,000-Pound Species Tracks Jelly Bloom

Updated

Updated · Seacoastonline.com · Aug 6

Ocean Sunfish Surfaces Off Hampton’s North Beach as 5,000-Pound Species Tracks Jelly Bloom

Q: What draws a massive, shark-like creature with no real tail to the shallow waters of Hampton Beach every summer?

A seasonal food source draws it in. Marine biologist Ellen Goethel said the massive, shark-like animal seen off Hampton Beach is an ocean sunfish, or *Mola mola*, and it likely comes into the shallows each summer to feed on comb jellies, jellyfish and other soft-bodied prey that gather along the coast. The sightings fit a regular warm-weather pattern in Hampton waters. Goethel said sunfish appear there around this time each year, often moving back and forth near the shoreline. Broader reporting on the species suggests they may also spend time near the surface after deeper dives, sometimes basking to warm up. The fish’s odd shape helps explain why beachgoers notice it. From a distance, its large dorsal fin can make it look like a shark, but it has no true tail; instead, a short, truncated structure called a clavus acts as a rudder while the fish propels itself with its tall dorsal and anal fins. Ocean sunfish are among the largest bony fish on Earth, reaching more than 14 feet across and weighing up to about 5,000 pounds. Despite surviving for millions of years with little change, they face modern risks including predators, vessel strikes, fishing bycatch and plastic debris that can resemble jellyfish and be swallowed.

1 articles · Updated · Seacoastonline.com · Aug 6

A Mola mola was spotted this past week swimming back and forth off Hampton’s North Beach, with video showing the fish moving on its side near shore.
Comb jelly and lion’s mane jelly blooms likely drew it in: ocean sunfish feed on both, and the report said there must be a comb-jelly bloom along the coast.
The species is often mistaken for a shark because its large dorsal fin breaks the surface, but it swims by flapping oversized dorsal and anal fins and using a stubby tail as a rudder.
Ocean sunfish are the world’s largest bony fish, reaching up to 5,000 pounds and more than 14 feet from dorsal-fin tip to anal-fin tip.
The sighting also highlights a broader risk for the species, which can mistake floating plastic for jellyfish prey and die after ingesting it.

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Seacoastonline.com15d ago

Ocean Sunfish Sighted at Hampton's North Beach Amid Jellyfish Bloom

How does a bizarre, tail-less sea monster weighing 5,000 pounds survive on a diet of flimsy jellyfish and comb jellies?

What draws a massive, shark-like creature with no real tail to the shallow waters of Hampton Beach every summer?

This ancient giant survived millions of years, but can the ocean sunfish outlive modern threats like invisible microplastics and vessel strikes?

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Seacoastonline.com15d ago

Ocean Sunfish Sighted at Hampton's North Beach Amid Jellyfish Bloom

Ocean Sunfish Surfaces Off Hampton’s North Beach as 5,000-Pound Species Tracks Jelly Bloom

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