412 Porcupine Fish, Ocean Sunfish 



Porcupine Fish 

 Diodon hystrix Linnaeus 



The Porcupine Fish is found in all tropical seas. In the 

 western Atlantic it is common north to Florida and occurs 

 as a rare straggler from Cape Hatteras north. Its maximum 

 length is about 3 feet. 



Ocean Sunfish 

 Mola mola (Linnaeus) 



ft 



Color: Dark gray above; sides paler with silvery reflections; 



belly dusky white. 



Distribution: Cosmopolitan in the open seas in temperate 



and tropical waters. 



Size: Grows to a weight of over one ton. A fish slightly 



over 8 feet long weighed 1,800 pounds. 



General Information: The Ocean Sunfish is an oceanic 



species often found drifting at the surface of the water. It 



is reported to groan when hauled from the water. Fish 



taken along our coast have been found to be feeding on 



jellyfish. 



