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First record of the southern ocean sunfish, Mola ramsayi, in the Galápagos Marine Reserve

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 June 2013

Tierney M. Thys ,
Jonathan Whitney ,
Alex Hearn ,
Kevin C. Weng ,
Cesar Peñaherrera ,
L. Jawad ,
J. Alfaro-Shigueto ,
J.C. Mangel  and
Stephen A. Karl
Tierney M. Thys*
Affiliation:
Ocean Sunfish Research and Tagging Program, 25517 Hacienda Place, Suite C Carmel, CA, 93923
Jonathan Whitney
Affiliation:
Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Mānoa, PO Box 1346, Kāne’ohe, HI, 96744
Alex Hearn
Affiliation:
Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, 1088 Academic Surge, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616-5270
Kevin C. Weng
Affiliation:
Oceanography Department, Pelagic Fisheries Research Program, University of Hawai’i, Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
Cesar Peñaherrera
Affiliation:
Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
L. Jawad
Affiliation:
Natural Sciences, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Tamaki Paenga Hira, The Domain, Private Bag 92018, Victoria Street West, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
J. Alfaro-Shigueto
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, TR10 9EZ, UK
J.C. Mangel
Affiliation:
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, TR10 9EZ, UK
Stephen A. Karl
Affiliation:
Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Mānoa, PO Box 1346, Kāne’ohe, HI, 96744
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: T.M. Thys, Ocean Sunfish Research and Tagging Program, 25517 Hacienda Place, Suite C Carmel, CA, 93923 email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Ocean sunfish from the genus Mola, family Molidae, are the world's heaviest bony fish, reaching 2500 kg, primarily on a diet of gelatinous zooplankton. Three molid species are reported to occur in the Galápagos archipelago: Mola mola, Masturus lanceolatus and Ranzania laevis. To date, no genetic analysis of any molid has been conducted in Galápagos. In October 2011, tissue samples were obtained from nine sunfish at Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela Island, genetically analysed and found to be Mola ramsayi—the southern sunfish. This marks the first record of M. ramsayi in Galápagos waters.

Keywords

MolidaeTetraodontiformesdistribution expansion
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 6 , 2013 , e70
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2013 

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