Tag Archives: jellyfish

M is for Mola Mola

mola mola

M is for Mola Mola

Scientific Name: Mola mola

The Mola Mola is also known as The Sunfish because she likes to bask in the sun. She dives into the cold dark depths of the ocean to fill up her belly with jellyfish. When the cool deep waters chill her bones, she swims all the way back up, up, up to the surface, lies on her side and soaks up the warm sun rays. Sometimes a sea bird will drop down and pick off all the little hitchhiking bugs on her tail. Because they are so slow and docile, they are the most highly parasitized fish in the ocean (Disgustingly long tape worms are a common hitchhiker).

The little orange fish on the left is a baby picture, from when she was a teeny tiny microscopic mola mola floating in the plankton as she grew and grew. Molas are the largest teleosts and grow from 10 microns to over 10 feet wide.

J is for Jellyfish loving Juvenile Jack

jack aka golden trevally

J is for Jellyfish loving Juvenile Jack

Scientific name: Gnathanodon speciosus

Tagalog: Leson & Labong Labong

Juvenile Jacks love Giant Jellyfish.

They have tough skin so the jellyfish tentacles only sting a little bit.

Having jellyfish protection when a big fish wants to eat you is worth a little sting.

This bright yellow jack is also known as Golden Trevally and like most trevally, they get HUGE.

Jacks are truly a « Jack of all trades ». Jacks patrol their reef, but they can also compete in the open ocean or expore sandy shallows or swim around the mangroves.

They are large and in charge predators and even boss around the reef sharks.

At least they are once they grow up, and to do that they have to survive with tricks like swimming with jellyfish.