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First Record of a Rare Sunfish, Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) from Coastal Waters of West Bengal, India


Affiliations
1 Bajkul Milani Mahavidyalaya, Kismat Bajkul, Purba Medinipur – 721655, West Bengal, India
2 Estuarine Biological Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Ganjam - 721428, Odisha, India
3 Department of Zoology, Panskura Banamali College, Panskura – 721152, West Bengal, India
4 Marine Aquarium and Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Digha - 721428, West Bengal, India
5 Marine Fish Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata - 700016, West Bengal, India
     

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The rare Ocean sunfish, Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758), is reported herewith first time from West Bengal coast of India based on two specimens collected from Digha Mohona (21°37.843'N, 87°32.827'E) by using trawl nets. This forms the second sunfish species from this coast after Ranzania laevis was recorded 18 years back. Past records of this species in Indian waters also discussed.

Keywords

First Record, Mola mola, Molidae, Sunfish, West Bengal.
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  • First Record of a Rare Sunfish, Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) from Coastal Waters of West Bengal, India

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Authors

Dipanjan Ray
Bajkul Milani Mahavidyalaya, Kismat Bajkul, Purba Medinipur – 721655, West Bengal, India
Anil Mohapatra
Estuarine Biological Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Ganjam - 721428, Odisha, India
Mrinmay Ghorai
Department of Zoology, Panskura Banamali College, Panskura – 721152, West Bengal, India
Prasad Chandra Tudu
Marine Aquarium and Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Digha - 721428, West Bengal, India
Subhrendu Sekhar Mishra
Marine Fish Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata - 700016, West Bengal, India

Abstract


The rare Ocean sunfish, Mola mola (Linnaeus 1758), is reported herewith first time from West Bengal coast of India based on two specimens collected from Digha Mohona (21°37.843'N, 87°32.827'E) by using trawl nets. This forms the second sunfish species from this coast after Ranzania laevis was recorded 18 years back. Past records of this species in Indian waters also discussed.

Keywords


First Record, Mola mola, Molidae, Sunfish, West Bengal.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi.v119i1.181720