The first record of southern ocean sunfish, Mola ramsayi from northern Oman Sea, Iran

• Main Authors: Yasemi, M., Nazari Bejgan, A.R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Biology; Molid; Southern Ocean
• Online Access: http://aquaticcommons.org/22683/; http://aquaticcommons.org/22683/1/IFRO-v13n1p242-en.pdf

This report provides the first record of the Mola ramsayi from the northern Oman Sea, Iranian waters. The order Tetradontiformes contain the Molidae family that is a diverse marine fish group and contains eight families, 64 genera, and 320 species. Ocean sunfish or molas belong to the family Molidae. These species are epipelagic in nature. The molid species are characterized in having a distinctive laterally compressed shape, two fused teeth in jaws, no spines in dorsal and anal fins, no caudal peduncle; caudal fin lost; posterior and end of body reduced to a leathery flap or pseudo-caudal (clavus). . In the present study, we record M. ramsayi for the first time from the northern Oman Sea, Iranian waters; and it is the fourth record for this species from the northern hemisphere and the third for the Oman Sea as the study area.