Movements and Foraging Behavior of Ocean Sunfish

Abstract

Widespread across tropical and temperate seas, the movements of ocean sunfish species have been tracked remotely with satellite telemetry since the year 2000. Likewise, advancements in animal borne sensors and cameras have provided previously intractable insights into their foraging ecology. Within this broader context, this chapter focuses on two main elements: (1) sunfish horizontal and vertical tracked movements at different spatial scales and, (2) seasonal shifts in distribution linked to habitat productivity and water temperature. Physiological mechanisms which may enable sunfish to forage extensively are explored, such as how the large size of adult sunfish (with their thick hypodermal tissue layer) influence foraging abilities during deep dives to below 500 m. Predator prey interactions are discussed in the context of theoretical foraging frameworks (such as Levy Flight and Brownian motion), which have emerged as generalizable theories across marine predators. Lastly, we make recommendations for future work, highlighting the need for satellite tracking studies outside of coastal regions; tracking molid species other than M. mola and M. alexandrini; and the monitoring of a wider range of individual sizes, especially larger mature sunfishes. These three major points are key to gaining a clearer understanding of Mola spp. movements and distribution patterns worldwide, while shedding light on reproduction ecology.