Passers-by were amazed last weekend. They discovered the carcass of a huge fish in Lido di Venice. The authorities were immediately notified. It soon became clear: the giant was a dead sunfish. This stranded sea creature is said to be 2.5 meters long and weighs around a ton. Since the body could not be recovered immediately, fire brigades secured the area. The dead sunfish was finally removed from the beach on Monday. It will be made available to the University of Padua for research purposes.
Up to three tons
The sunfish, also known as the Mola Mola, is the heaviest bony fish in the world. The heaviest specimen to date weighed nearly three tons. The sunfish reaches a length of more than three meters. The sunfish's brain is small by comparison, weighing less than six grams, and typical features of this fish are its large, round eyes and a mouth that cannot fully close. According to the German Foundation for Marine Protection, there have been repeated documented sightings in the Adriatic Sea in recent years. Despite their size, they are completely harmless to humans. In addition, sunfish live mainly offshore in the open sea. Its name may be due to its appearance – it is disc-shaped and silvery-gray in colour.
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