Ocean sunfish recruiting fish to clean it of parasites, near a patch of drifting kelp in the open ocean, Baja California, Mexico. Mola mola, Macrocystis pyrifera.
Ocean sunfish schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes to rid them of parasites, open ocean, Baja California, Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish schooling, open ocean near San Diego, Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) and freediving photographer, open ocean. San Diego, California.
Enormous ocean sunfish and freediving photographer, open ocean. Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) referencing drift kelp, open ocean near San Diego.
Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) swimming just below the ocean surface, open ocean, San Diego.
The business end of a mola: a mouth well suited for slurping gelatinous zooplankton, a principal food source for molas. Open ocean, Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish, open ocean.
Ocean sunfish and photographer, open ocean. Mola mola.
Bloody enormous big toad Mola mola, ocean sunfish, dwarfs freediving photographer. Open ocean, San Diego.
Ocean sunfish, open ocean.
Ocean sunfish and videographer, open ocean. San Diego, Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish schooling, referencing drift kelp, open ocean near San Diego.
Ocean sunfish hovering near drift kelp paddy, open ocean, San Diego. Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California, Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California.
The Three Tenors.
Ocean sunfish schooling offshore, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California.
Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California.
Ocean sunfish injured by boat prop with cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California. Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish hovers near drift kelp to recruite juvenile fish to remove parasites, open ocean. Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish hovers near drift kelp to recruite juvenile fish to remove parasites, open ocean.
Ocean sunfish, open ocean.
Ocean sunfish, juvenile and adult showing distinct differences in appearance, open ocean. Mola mola, San Diego.
Ocean sunfish sunning at surface, viewed from below, open ocean, Baja California.
When molas are swimming at the surface it is common for their fins to be mistaken for those of sharks. Ocean sunfish (Mola mola), dorsal fin at water surface, open ocean.
The caudal fin of the ocean sunfish is quite short and acts like a rudder, open ocean San Diego, California. Mola mola.
Ocean sunfish, open ocean.
Mola mola swimming around my buddy Mike. Who's checking out whom?
Ocean sunfish portrait, Mola mola, gliding below glassy ocean surface, Southern California.
Mola mola being cleaned of parasites by halfmoon perch Medialuna californiensis.
Molas are often seen basking flat on the ocean surface, nearly motionless, perhaps as a form of thermoregulation or seeking birds to rid them of parasites.
Schooling Mola mola, giant ocean sunfishes.
Mola madness! This paddy had over 40 large molas under it. Ocean sunfish schooling near drift kelp, soliciting cleaner fishes, open ocean, Baja California.