A gigantic moonfish, 3.2 metres long, 2.9 metres wide and weighing two tonnes, has been caught in the net of a tuna fishing boat off the coast of Ceuta, Spain, reports Telex.
According to marine biologist Enrique Ostale, the specimen is a record size for the region. The species (Mola mola) is classified as vulnerable and cannot be consumed in Europe. The fish was first herded into an underwater chamber of the ship and then lifted on board by crane for a few minutes while Ostale and his colleagues measured, photographed and took DNA samples. The boat only has a 1-tonne scale, so its weight could only be estimated from its dimensions. After testing, the moonfish was released.
Holdhal
A holdhal (Mola mola) one of the heaviest bony fish in the world. Adults weigh on average 1000 kilograms. It lives in tropical temperate seas. Its body is flat, resembling a single gigantic head with fins attached. Its main food is jellyfish. The moonfish is the record fish in terms of egg/egg clutch abundance.
The offspring bear little resemblance to adults, their bodies covered with spines.
Moonfish feed on swordfish, some seals and sharks. Because of their low numbers, they are It is banned in the EU, but is served as a delicacy in Japan, Taiwan and Korea.
