Animal Species:Slender Sunfish, Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776)
As its name suggests, the Slender Sunfish is the most elongate species of sunfish. Surprisingly, it is quite a swift swimmer.
A school of juvenile Slender Sunfish
Matthew D'Avella
© Matthew D'Avella
Alternative Name/s
Oblong Sunfish, Ranzania, Short Sunfish, Slender Mola, Trunkfish
Identification
The Slender Sunfish is a distinctively shaped fish. Like the other species of sunfishes, the species lacks a true tail, and instead has a clavus.
The fish is silver coloured, often darker blue above, with blue, grey, brownish or green stripes and dots above and dark stripes from below the eye to the ventral surface.
Size range
It grows to 90 cm total length.
Distribution
It occurs worldwide in most tropical and temperate marine waters. In Australia it is known from northen Queensland, south to Tasmania and west to the south-western coast of Western Australia.
Distribution by collection data
Biomaps map of Slender Sunfish specimens in the Australian Museum collection.
Habitat
The Slender Sunfish is an oceanic species.
Other behaviours and adaptations
It is a relatively fast swimming, schooling species.
Classification
- Species:
- laevis
- Genus:
- Ranzania
- Family:
- Molidae
- Order:
- Tetraodontiformes
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
References
- Gomon, M.F., Bray, D. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 2008. The Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Reed New Holland. Pp. 928.
Mark McGrouther
, Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:
Tags fishes, ichthyology, Slender Sunfish, Ranzania laevis, Molidae,
