Odd-Looking, Rarely Seen Fish Washes Up In New Jersey
BRIGANTINE, N.J. (CBS) - A weird-looking fish carcass was discovered last Saturday in a bay north of Atlantic City.
With its giant oval platter shape, and surprised, open mouthed expression, the Mola Mola, also known as ocean sunfish, looks like it could be a Pokemon.
In fact, it is one, called Alomomola. The no longer animated Mola Mola was found floating in Reed's Bay.
Rutgers Marine Field Station Director Dr. Ken Able says that's not its natural habitat:
"It is a common fish along the East Coast of the US, and even into Canadian waters, even down to the Caribbean, but it's found in the ocean, it's usually not found inshore."
With no discernible tail and two elongated fins, the 6 foot long 7 foot tall Mola Mola looks like a swimming giant head.
"A fin on top, the dorsal fin, a fin on the bottom, the anal fin, and it paddles these around pretty awkwardly," Able says. "It's a clumsy thing."
Able thinks the New Jersey specimen shuffled off its mortal coil out at sea, and was carried in on the current.