Mola Ramsayi Research Articles

First Molecular Identification of Sunfish in North Bali Water

Stranded Sunfish in North Bali with full body we collect to do molecular identification. Samples were amplified at the d-loop locus (control region) using the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) method. Primers used in PCR are H16498 as primary front (forward) and L15812 as reverse primer. Similarity value of 95% after alignment with Mola ramsayi (accession number accession AY940824) on GenBank, and the gaps of the nucleotide just 1%. The stranded sunfish identified using partial sequence mtDNA is the same species as the species Mola ramsayi.

Redescription of the bump-head sunfish Mola alexandrini (Ranzani 1839), senior synonym of Mola ramsayi (Giglioli 1883), with designation of a neotype for Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758) (Tetraodontiformes: Molidae)

The genus Mola of ocean sunfishes (family Molidae) is currently composed of three species: Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758), Mola ramsayi (Giglioli 1883), and Mola tecta Nyegaard et al. 2017. For a comprehensive revision of the genus, both literature survey and morphological investigations of Molidae were conducted. We found Mola alexandrini (Ranzani 1839) to be synonymous with M. ramsayi and we herein redescribe M. alexandrini based on the rediscovered dried holotype and 21 other fresh and preserved specimens. Mola alexandrini can be distinguished from other species of Mola by the following combination of characters in adults: head profile with bump; chin with bump; body scales rectangular; clavus rounded, supported by 14–24 (mode 17) clavus fin rays and 8–15 (12) ossicles on the rear margin. A neotype of M. mola is designated for comparison with M. alexandrini, as these two species have long been confused.

Satellite Tracking and Site Fidelity of Short Ocean Sunfish, Mola ramsayi, in the Galapagos Islands

Ocean sunfishes, with their peculiar morphology, large size, and surface habits, are valuable assets in ecotourism destinations worldwide. This study investigates site fidelity and long-range movements of short ocean sunfish, Mola ramsayi (Giglioli 1883), at Punta Vicente Roca (PVR) off Isabela Island in the Galapagos Islands. Five individuals were tracked between 32 and 733 days using ultrasonic receivers and transmitters. Two of the 5 were also tracked with towed pop-off satellite tags. One travelled to the equatorial front covering 2700 km in 53 days, with dive depths in the upper 360 m at temperatures between 9.2°C and 22°C. During its westward travel, dives extended to 1112 m (the deepest depth yet recorded for Molidae) into temperatures ranging between 4.5°C and 23.2°C. The remaining four individuals demonstrated site fidelity to PVR and were detected at the site between 128–1361 times for a total of 3557 reports. Forty-eight percent of the reports occurred during daytime hours and 52% after dark. Presumed cleaning session durations had a median of 15 minutes and a maximum of nearly 100 minutes. No other ultrasonic arrays around Galapagos or in the Eastern Pacific regional network recorded the presence of tagged individuals. These data are combined with tourist vessel sightings and submersible observations to confirm Punta Vicente Roca as an important sunfish hotspot.

Deep-sea observations at hydrocarbon drilling locations: Contributions from the SERPENT Project after 120 field visits

The SERPENT Project has been running for over ten years. In this time scientists from universities and research institutions have made more than 120 visits to oil rigs, drill ships and survey vessels operated by 16 oil companies, in order to work with the industry’s Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV). Visits have taken place in Europe, North and South America, Africa and Australasia at water depths from 100m to nearly 3000m. The project has directly produced >40 peer reviewed publications and data from the project’s >2600 entry online image and video archive have been used in many others. The aim of this paper is to highlight examples of how valuable data can be obtained through collaboration with hydrocarbon exploration and production companies to use existing industry infrastructure to increase scientific discovery in unexplored areas and augment environmental monitoring of industrial activity.The large number of industry ROVs operating globally increases chance encounters with large, enigmatic marine organisms. SERPENT video observations include the deepest known records of species previously considered epipelagic such as scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) and southern sunfish (Mola ramsayi) and the first in situ observations of pelagic species such as oarfish (Regalecus glesne). Such observations enable improvements to distribution records and description of behaviour of poorly understood species. Specimen collection has been used for taxonomic descriptions, functional studies and natural products chemistry research. Anthropogenic effects been assessed at the local scale using in situ observations and sample collection at the time of drilling operations and subsequent visits have enabled study of recovery from drilling.Future challenges to be addressed using the SERPENT approach include ensuring unique faunal observations by industry ROV operators are reported, further study of recovery from deep-water drilling activity and to carry out in situ studies to improve the understanding of potential future decommissioning of obsolete hydrocarbon infrastructure.

Tracking a Marine Ecotourism Star: Movements of the Short Ocean SunfishMola ramsayiin Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia

Ocean sunfishes, Molidae, comprise the world’s heaviest bony fishes. They include the short mola,Mola ramsayi(Giglioli 1883), an important tourist draw at Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, Bali, where SCUBA divers can observe ectoparasite-laden individuals being cleaned by smaller reef fishes. Despite widespread appeal, little is known about these fishes relative to regional oceanography. We present the first behavioral information for this species anywhere in the world. Satellite tag data indicate a wide thermal range (10–27.5°C) with depth occupation mostly (95%) in the upper 250 m and habitat preference near the bottom of the warm surface layer. One tag popped off as scheduled after 6 months off Nusa Penida, <10 km from its original deployment. The 3 other tags popped off prematurely: 747 km southeast 89 days after deployment; 142 km south after 7 days of deployment; and 162 km south after 24 days of deployment. Amid mounting tourist pressures and bycatch ofM. ramsayiin eastern regions of Indonesia, such as Alor, behavioral information of this species is essential for effective management and conservation of this valuable marine ecotourism asset.

Seeking the sun in deep, dark places: mesopelagic sightings of ocean sunfishes (Molidae).

Evidence is presented from publicly available remotely operated vehicle (ROV) footage that suggests deep-water ranging in ocean sunfishes (family Molidae) is more common than typically thought, including a new maximum depth recorded for the southern sunfish Mola ramsayi.

Confirmation of Mola mola (Tetraodontiformes: Molidae) and historical records of ocean sunfishes (Mola sp.) in the coastal area of Uruguay

Mola mola is distributed from temperate to tropical oceans. The scarce reports on the occurrence of the species in the Uruguayan coast were based on incomplete morphological studies on collected specimens that could not properly discard the congeneric Mola ramsayi . This work constitutes confirmation of the occurrence of Mola mola in the coastal area of Uruguay, based on morphological characters of a specimen collected in April 2013. The fish occurred 100 m offshore in the Rio de la Plata estuary (at a depth of 5 m), in an area with a water temperature between 19 and 19.5°C. Morphometric data is provided. The specimen is preserved in the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Montevideo (Uruguay).

First record of the southern ocean sunfish, Mola ramsayi, in the Galápagos Marine Reserve

tierney m. thys, jonathan whitney, alex hearn, kevin c. weng, cesar pen~aherrera, l. jawad, j. alfaro-shigueto, j.c. mangel and stephen a. karl Ocean Sunfish Research and Tagging Program, 25517 Hacienda Place, Suite C Carmel, CA, 93923, Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i, Mānoa, PO Box 1346, Kāne’ohe, HI, 96744, Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, 1088 Academic Surge, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616-5270, Oceanography Department, Pelagic Fisheries Research Program, University of Hawai’i, Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador, Natural Sciences, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Tamaki Paenga Hira, The Domain, Private Bag 92018, Victoria Street West, Auckland 1142, New Zealand, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, TR10 9EZ, UK

First record of Mola ramsayi from the Sea of Oman, Sultanate of Oman

The first record of the southern ocean sunfish Mola ramsayi in Omani waters is reported based on a single 916 mm total length specimen found stranded on the coasts of Sur City 193 km south of the Omani capital Muscat, 22835′10.22′′N 59830′18.91′′E. This account also represents the third northernmost record of a south ocean sunfish in the Indian Ocean. Morphometric and meristic data are provided and compared with those of 5 specimens caught off United Arab Emirates, Brazil and India. The southern ocean distribution of M. ramsayi is corrected in this report.

‘Plywood’ structure and mineralization in the scales of the ocean sunfishes, Mola mola and M. ramsayi

The mineralized dermal denticles of fibrillar structure of the dermal plate of the modified scales of Mola mola and Mola ramsayi have both highly specialized and archaic features suggesting that the Molidae branched from the teleost line at an early stage in its evolution.

Resin-bonded plywood for construction

The mineralized dermal denticles of fibrillar structure of the dermal plate of the modified scales of Mola mola and Mola ramsayi have both highly specialized and archaic features suggesting that the Molidae branched from the teleost line at an early stage in its evolution.