Florida Coast Deep Corals 2005: Ocean Sunfish "Mola Mola"

This ocean sunfish Mola Mola was about 5 long and probably weighed 300-500 pounds. It was discovered during a Johnson-Sea-Link dive on a beautiful Lophelia coral reef located 40 miles east of Cape Canaveral, Florida. The white patches are where its skin has been taken off by unknown means, revealing the white cartilage beneath. Sunfish appear to have at least an ephemeral association with Lophelia coral pinnacles, as they have been seen in these locations numerous times by previous researchers. Video courtesy of Sandra Brooke, Florida Coast Deep Corals 2005, HBOI, NOAA-OER.

Florida Coast Deep Corals 2005 Expedition, Johnson-Sea-Link Submersible Pilot Don Liberatore: Oh, look at this, an ocean sunfish... Oh my God, cool! Right in front of us. Ah Ha Ha! Lets see if I can get a camera on it. Alright we got a Mola Mola here. Very cool!

Please visit source: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/05deepcorals/welcome.html

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• NOAA
• Ocean
• Explorer
• oceanexplorer
• Mola
• Sunfish
• Gulf
• of
• Mexico
• Underwater
• Diving
• Snorkeling
• environment
• aquatic
• wildlife
• Johnson-Sea-Link