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Image: Ocean Sunfish on the Steamer Fiona

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Ocean Sunfish on the Steamer Fiona

Description

A huge Ocean Sunfish being hauled aboard the Steamer Fiona in 1908.

Photographer:
Unknown
Rights:
© Australian Museum
Common name:
Ocean Sunfish
Scientific name:
Mola mola
Family:
Molidae
Order:
Tetraodontiformes

Additional information

On 18 September 1908, the Steamer Fiona, was 65 km from Sydney when it suffered a ‘violent concussion’. A boat was lowered over the side and the men onboard saw a Sunfish jammed in the framework of the port propeller. The fish was the largest known at the time, measuring ’10 feet, 2 inches’ (3.1 m) in length and ’13 feet, 4 inches’ (4.1 m) in height.

The image has been copied from: Stead, D.G. 1933.  Giants and Pigmies of the Deep. The Shakespeare Head Press. Pp. 108.

Last Updated: 9 July 2009

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