Rare Hoodwinker Sunfish Found on Oregon Beach Could Break Size Record
Giant sunfish discovered on Oregon beach may be largest of its species ever recorded
A massive hoodwinker sunfish, a rare find in the Northern Hemisphere, washed ashore on Gearhart beach in Oregon, potentially setting a record as the largest specimen of its kind ever documented.
The carcass of the hoodwinker fish that appeared on Gearhart beach on June 3. (Image credit: Tiffany Boothe/Seaside Aquarium)
Beach visitors were astonished by the sight of a colossal fish measuring 7 feet long (2 meters), featuring a round body, large fins, and bulging eyes, stranded along the Oregon coast.
An expert confirmed the species as a hoodwinker sunfish (Mola tecta), known as one of the world’s largest bony fish but seldom seen in the Northern Hemisphere.
Reports of the massive, circular fish found on Gearhart beach, a small town about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Portland, surfaced on June 3. According to a Facebook post by Seaside Aquarium, this individual could potentially be the largest of its species ever recorded.
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Following the news of the colossal discovery, marine biologist Marianne Nyegaard from New Zealand, involved in identifying M. tecta, reached out to Seaside Aquarium and confirmed it as a rare hoodwinker sunfish.
After collecting photographs, measurements, and tissue samples, Seaside Aquarium confirmed that the washed-up specimen measured 7.3 feet (2.2 meters) in length, suggesting it could be the largest of its species ever documented.
While other species in the Mola genus exhibit ridges and grooves on their bodies, the hoodwinker sunfish boasts a smooth body. (Image credit: Tiffany Boothe/Seaside Aquarium)
The hoodwinker sunfish is one of three species in the Mola genus, alongside the ocean sunfish (Mola mola), the most prevalent of the trio, and the bump-head sunfish (Mola alexandrini). All three species can reach lengths of approximately 11 feet (3.3 meters) and weigh up to 2.3 tons (2,300 kilograms), as reported by the American Museum of Natural History.
Sunfish typically forage at depths ranging from 660 to 2,000 feet (200 to 600 meters), consuming jellyfish, small fish, and crustaceans. After deep-sea dives for prey, they are occasionally observed near the ocean surface, sunbathing to regulate their body temperatures, as noted in a 2015 study.
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The washed-up specimen measured 7.3 feet (2.2 meters) in length, possibly making it the largest of its species ever documented. (Image credit: Tiffany Boothe/Seaside Aquarium)
In contrast to other Mola species that display ridges and grooves, the hoodwinker sunfish showcases a smooth body and clavus—a thick, skinned lobe at the rear of its body used for steering while swimming.
Related: Paddleboarders off Laguna Beach surprised by enormous sunfish
The origin of the hoodwinker sunfish and the reason for its appearance on Gearhart beach remain unclear.