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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Kit Heren

World's largest bony fish spotted off UK coast

An ocean sunfish can weigh nearly 2,300 kg (Picture: Enrico Strocchi/Creative Commons)

The world's largest bony fish has been spotted off the coast of Dorset in the south of England.

The ocean sunfish, otherwise known as the mola mola, can weigh more than a large car and grow up to ten feet long.

The fish was photographed in Portland Harbour on Thursday afternoon, swimming just below the surface of the water.

As the name suggests, the ocean sunfish may originate from tropical seas, British Sea Fishing says on its website.

The organisation adds: "It appears to be getting more common around the south of England in the summer months, something many people put down to global warming and climate change."

The fish's distinctive appearance, with a large fin on its back, can lead to it being confused for a shark, according to National Geographic.

But they do not pose any threat to humans, the organisation says on its website - although they will often approach divers out of curiosity.

The ocean sunfish is considered a vulnerable species, often getting trapped or even suffocating on plastic waste in the sea, National Geographic adds.

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