The slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis) is a species of mola fish and the only member of the genus Ranzania. It is found globally in tropical and temperate waters of the sea. There have been many cases of this fish ending up on the shores of Australia. There are four species of sunfishes in the family Molidae. Apart from the most common ocean sunfish or common sunfish (Mola mola), the other three are slender mola (Ranzania laevis), the sharp-tailed mola (Masturus lanceolatus), and the southern ocean sunfish (Mola alexandrini). These marine sunfishes are called by this name as they are known to lie on their side at the sea surface, basking in the sun. The species of fish was first described in 1776 by Thomas Pennant, a Welsh naturalist and explorer after thorough research. However, this research brought about many other explorations, right after by Georges Cuvier and Samuel Johnson. This fish has been given many common names such as oblong sunfish, short sunfish, slender mola, and trunkfish.The slender mola is found in all the marine waters of the world and the distribution in Australia is limited to Queensland, Tasmania, and the south-western coast of Western Australia. The distribution has also been seen in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Ocean. Large shoals have been seen stranded along the south-west coast of Australia. This is one bizarre-looking species with no dorsal and anal fins that are actually fused together into a rudder-like structure known as clavus. Tiny spots and stripes are seen along the silvery body. The biology is similar to the ocean sunfish (Mola mola) that has a body shaped like a blunted axe and fins seen out of the top and bottom of the head. The biology and science of these fish are quite unique and need a lot of research to know more about the life they lead.The two species, ocean sunfish (Mola mola) and slender sunfish, have been further studied for science and there have been many discoveries that we will learn in this article.For more relatable content, check out these channel catfish facts and rockfish facts.
Fun Slender Sunfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Planktonic crustaceans, jellyfish, small fish, and squid
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 300 million
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? Up to 3.2 ft (1 m)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Elongated and compressed body
Skin Type Wet and slimy scales
What were their main threats? Habitat Loss And Predators
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Temperate And Tropical Sea
Locations Australia, Southern Brazil, The Usa, Surface To The Depths Of The Arabian Gulf
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Ranzania
Class Actinopterygii
Family Molidae
Slender Sunfish Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a slender sunfish?The slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis) is a mola in the family of Molidae found in all tropical and temperate water areas of the sea in the world.What class of animal does a slender sunfish belong to?The slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis) falls under the class of Actinopterygii in the kingdom of Animalia.How many slender sunfish are there in the world?The population of sunfishes is not known. There is currently no danger to this species and the distribution map of this fish species shows that they are abundantly found, as is the ocean sunfish of the same group Molidae.Where does a slender sunfish live?The distribution map of slender sunfishes shows that these fishes are found worldwide. In the Atlantic Ocean region, these marine fishes are found in Florida of the United States, Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and south to southern Brazil. This marine species is also seen in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Scandinavia, the Mediterranean Sea, along with West Africa, and South Africa. In the Indo-west Pacific Ocean, the mola species is seen in East Africa in the waters around Somalia, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Reunion. From Africa, the range goes to the north towards Iran, India, Taiwan, China, and south to Australia, Mascarenes, and the Hawaiian Islands. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, they are found in California and Chile. They are not very common in the north of Mexico. The slender mola is a vagrant in the Persian Gulf. The Australian population is seen in Queensland, Tasmania, and the south-western coast of Western Australia.Rare occurrences of this fish have been seen in many different parts of the world where this species usually do not live.The ocean sunfish is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The ocean sunfish is also seen in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Sea. What is a slender sunfish’s habitat?The slender sunfish habitat includes subtropical waters between depths of 3.2-459.3 ft (1-140 m). This fish is abundant in all tropical and temperate oceanic water of the world.Who do slender sunfish live with?They are usually found solitary but are known to get along well and sometimes form small schools. They are known to feed on planktonic crustaceans together.How long does a slender sunfish live?The lifespan of the slender sunfish and also the ocean sunfish is not known. It is estimated that the ocean sunfish is known to attain their largest size in around 20-25 years.How do they reproduce?The number of slender sunfish eggs laid by the females is not known. Molas, in general, are known to produce a large number of eggs. There are instances of females of the ocean sunfish carrying 300 million eggs in a season. Juveniles are born with tails.What is their conservation status?The slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis) is categorized as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. These fishes have a very wide distribution in ocean water areas and the population size is large too. There is no danger currently for the two species, ocean sunfish and slender sunfish.Many science expeditions have been carried out to know more about this fish with a bizarre shape. An image has also been seen of these fishes washing ashore from the ocean on the beaches of Australia. However, many of them returned to the deeper areas of the ocean.Slender Sunfish Fun FactsWhat do slender sunfish look like?Although the shape of the fish is bizarre, it is a beautiful creature like the ocean sunfish. Mola mola is not colorful, however, its cousin, the slender sunfish, is known to be colorful. The body is shaped elegantly and elongated with stunning stripes and spots along the silvery-colored skin. The body is shaped like an elongated oval that is compressed. It has a small mouth and the mouth is shaped like a funnel and a vertical slit when closed. The dorsal fin has 17-19 rays, the anal fin has 18-19 rays, and the pectoral fin has 13 rays. The caudal fin and peduncle are replaced by a short rudder-like structure known as clavus. The dorsal and anal fins are positioned very high and are in a backward position. Teeth are beak-like. Dark bluish-gray color on the dorsal and posterior side is seen with silvery gray on the sides and ventral sides. Deep blue to black dots are seen along the length of the body. The head is covered with white wavy bars. Fins are seen coming out of the top and bottom of the head.* We’ve been unable to source an image of a slender sunfish and have used an image of a mud sunfish instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of a slender sunfish, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at [email protected]How cute are they?They are not usually considered cute. However, in close quarters, they are extremely pretty.How do they communicate?Fishes communicate tactically and chemically.How big is a slender sunfish?This is the smallest of the sunfishes in the group with a length of up to 3.2 ft (1 m). The spotted sunfish of the genus Lepomis in the family Centrarchidae and found in North America has a range of length between 4-7 in (10-17.7 cm).How fast can a slender sunfish swim?They are fast movers and very agile. However, the speed is not known.How much does a slender sunfish weigh?The weight is not known. The redbreast sunfish is a species found in the United States, The Atlantic Ocean, and eastern Canada but is of a different family of Centrarchidae. The weight of this species is 1-2 lb (0.4-0.9 kg).What are the male and female names of the species?The slender sunfish male and slender sunfish female are not given different names. The species is known by the scientific name and the common name.What would you call a baby slender sunfish?The name of a slender sunfish baby is not known.What do they eat?The slender sunfish diet consists of planktonic crustaceans, jellyfish, and small fish like all other sunfishes. However, the slender sunfish are also seen feeding on fast-moving squids.Most sunfishes, including ocean sunfish (Mola mola), are known to feed on jellyfish, salps, crustaceans, and small fishes.Are they poisonous?They are not considered poisonous.Would they make a good pet?They are not considered pets and only thrive in wild habitats.Did you know…This marine species was first discovered in 1776 by Thomas Pennant. Since then, research to know the biology and science of these unique fast fishes has been going on with no concrete data.Sunfish are also called mola.Sunfishes are long-lived.Do slender sunfish have brains?The ocean sunfish is known to have a small brain. A bigger specimen will have a brain the size of a nut.How do slender sunfish protect themselves?Slender sunfish adaptations include swimming in schools to protect themselves while at a younger age. When this fish grows up, it becomes isolated. The circular body also helps them to move quickly.The body of the slender mola of the family Molidae looks like the side view of a large shark underwater. This is due to optical illusion meant to deceive predators and sway them away.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these green sunfish facts and black ghost knifefish facts for kids.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable slender sunfish outline coloring pages.Second image by Hunter Desportes
What type of animal is a slender sunfish?
The slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis) is a mola in the family of Molidae found in all tropical and temperate water areas of the sea in the world.
Fun Slender Sunfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Planktonic crustaceans, jellyfish, small fish, and squid
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 300 million
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? Up to 3.2 ft (1 m)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Elongated and compressed body
Skin Type Wet and slimy scales
What were their main threats? Habitat Loss And Predators
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Temperate And Tropical Sea
Locations Australia, Southern Brazil, The Usa, Surface To The Depths Of The Arabian Gulf
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Ranzania
Class Actinopterygii
Family Molidae
Fun Slender Sunfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Planktonic crustaceans, jellyfish, small fish, and squid
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 300 million
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? Up to 3.2 ft (1 m)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Elongated and compressed body
Skin Type Wet and slimy scales
What were their main threats? Habitat Loss And Predators
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Temperate And Tropical Sea
Locations Australia, Southern Brazil, The Usa, Surface To The Depths Of The Arabian Gulf
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Ranzania
Class Actinopterygii
Family Molidae
Fun Slender Sunfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Planktonic crustaceans, jellyfish, small fish, and squid
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 300 million
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? Up to 3.2 ft (1 m)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Elongated and compressed body
Skin Type Wet and slimy scales
What were their main threats? Habitat Loss And Predators
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Temperate And Tropical Sea
Locations Australia, Southern Brazil, The Usa, Surface To The Depths Of The Arabian Gulf
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Ranzania
Class Actinopterygii
Family Molidae
Fun Slender Sunfish Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Planktonic crustaceans, jellyfish, small fish, and squid
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 300 million
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? Up to 3.2 ft (1 m)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Elongated and compressed body
Skin Type Wet and slimy scales
What were their main threats? Habitat Loss And Predators
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Temperate And Tropical Sea
Locations Australia, Southern Brazil, The Usa, Surface To The Depths Of The Arabian Gulf
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Ranzania
Class Actinopterygii
Family Molidae
What do they prey on? Planktonic crustaceans, jellyfish, small fish, and squid
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 300 million
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? Up to 3.2 ft (1 m)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Elongated and compressed body
Skin Type Wet and slimy scales
What were their main threats? Habitat Loss And Predators
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Temperate And Tropical Sea
Locations Australia, Southern Brazil, The Usa, Surface To The Depths Of The Arabian Gulf
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Ranzania
Class Actinopterygii
Family Molidae
What do they prey on? Planktonic crustaceans, jellyfish, small fish, and squid
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 300 million
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? Up to 3.2 ft (1 m)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Elongated and compressed body
Skin Type Wet and slimy scales
What were their main threats? Habitat Loss And Predators
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
What do they prey on?
Planktonic crustaceans, jellyfish, small fish, and squid
What do they eat?
Carnivore
Average litter size?
300 million
How much do they weigh?
N/A
How long are they?
Up to 3.2 ft (1 m)
How tall are they?
What do they look like?
Elongated and compressed body
Skin Type
Wet and slimy scales
What were their main threats?
Habitat Loss And Predators
What is their conservation status?
Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Temperate And Tropical Sea
Locations Australia, Southern Brazil, The Usa, Surface To The Depths Of The Arabian Gulf
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Ranzania
Class Actinopterygii
Family Molidae
Where you’ll find them?
Temperate And Tropical Sea
Locations
Australia, Southern Brazil, The Usa, Surface To The Depths Of The Arabian Gulf
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Ranzania
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Ranzania
Class Actinopterygii
Family Molidae
