Ocean sunfish

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ocean-sunfish

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is the Ocean sunfish?Approximately 2,700 kg (6,000 lbs)
2. How long is the Ocean sunfish?Over 3 meters (10 feet)
3. What is the scientific name?Mola mola
4. What is the diet?Predominantly jellyfish and other gelatinous zooplankton; also small fish, squid, and algae
5. What is an ocean sunfish and why is it called a giant?The ocean sunfish, or Mola mola, is the heaviest bony fish in the world. It can weigh more than 1,000 kg and grow over 3 meters long, making it a giant of the sea.
6. How does the ocean sunfish look different from other fish?It has a flat, disc‑shaped body with no tail fin. Instead it has a round, rudder‑like clavus that helps it steer.

Convergent evolution: The independent evolution of similar features in species of different lineages.
Pelagic zone: The open ocean water column, far from the coast and seafloor, encompassing the majority of the ocean's volume.
Cleaning symbiosis: A relationship where one animal cleans another, removing parasites or dead tissue, often for food.
Diurnal vertical migration: The daily movement of marine organisms from deeper waters to shallower waters and back.