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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🌡️ Subtropical

Slender sunfish

Ranzania laevis Pennant, 1776
Max Length
100 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.7
Depth
1–140 m
Climate
Subtropical
Resilience
-
Vulnerability
50.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
pelagic

📖 Overview

Slender sunfish (Ranzania laevis) is a ray-finned fish of the family Molidae. It inhabits marine (saltwater) waters in pelagic environments. This species can reach a maximum total length of 100 cm. It occurs at depths between 1 and 140 metres. With a trophic level of 3.7, it is a mid-level predator. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Scientific Name
Ranzania laevis
Authority
Pennant, 1776
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Subtropical
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
100 cm
Depth Range
1–140 m
Latitude
55°S – 71°N
Trophic Level
3.7
Vulnerability
50.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 20. Caudal fin present in postlarvae but resorbed during metamorphosis and replaced by a clavus . Body elongated, Mouth slit vertical .: short and / or deep.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Slender sunfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous 📦 Batch Spawner
Spawning Season
spring-summer
Spawn Location
Pelagic
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; pelagic-oceanic; depth range 1 - 140 m . Subtropical; 71°N - 55°S, 180°W - 180°E South Africa.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🐟 Pelagic
Trophic Level
3.7±0.47
🧍 Solitary
Food Items

planktonic crustaceans (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.02344 × L3.03 (TL)
Max TL
100cm
Dorsal Rays
18
Anal Rays
20

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2011

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Fishing Vulnerability
50.00/100
Moderate-High vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.7
Predator
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Latitude Range
71°N – 55°S
Described By
Pennant, 1776

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Blue Tiger Mola · Dwarf Sunfish · King of the Mackerel or Makua · Oblong Sunfish · Short Sunfish · Slender Mola · Slender Sun-fish · Slender sunfish · Slender sunfish, Truncated Sunfish · Truncated sunfish · Trunkfish
🌍AFR Rompvis
🇸🇦Arabic سمكة الشمس النحيلة · مولا نحيلة
🏳️Catalan Peix lluna nan
🌍CES měsíčník protáhlý
🌍CYM Pysgod Haul Main · pysgodyn haul main
🇩🇰Danish Aflang klumpfisk
🇩🇪German Schlanker Sonnenfisch · Stutzmondfisch
🌍ELL Κολοβό φεγγαρόψαρο
🇫🇮Finnish pikkumöhkäkala
🇫🇷French Poisson-lune tronqué · Poisson-lune tronqué, Ranzania · Ranzania
🇭🇷Croatian Mali bucanj
🇮🇹Italian Pesce luna allungato · Pesce luna nano · Pesce luna snello · Pesce luna troncato
🇯🇵Japanese Kusabifugu · クサビフグ
🌍MLT Mola · Pixxiluna · Pixxitambur · Qamar tawwali
🇳🇴Norwegian Liten månefisk
🇵🇱Polish Tuloglów
🇵🇹Portuguese Peixe-lua-comprido · Peixe-roda
🇷🇺Russian Овальная луна-рыба
🌍SLV Lopar
🇪🇸Spanish Ranzania · mola flaca · pez luna colitruncado
🌍SQI Peshk lepur · peshku lepur
🌍THA ปลาหนังช้างเล็ก
🌍TUR ayi baligi · uzun pervane baligi
🇨🇳Chinese 斑點長翻車魨 · 曼波 · 海蟲 · 翻車魚 · 蜇魚 · 蜇魴

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Cephalus cocherani Traill 1832 Synonym
Cephalus elongatus Risso 1827 Synonym
Cephalus oblongus Shaw 1804 Synonym
Cephalus varius Shaw 1804 Synonym
Diodon dimidiatus Walbaum 1792 Synonym
Mola planci Nardo 1827 Synonym
Orthragoriscus battarae Ranzani 1839 Synonym
Orthragoriscus oblongus Bloch & Schneider 1801 Synonym
Orthragoriscus solaris Gronow 1854 Synonym
Orthragoriscus truncatus Retzius 1785 Synonym
Orthragus oblongus Rafinesque 1810 Synonym
Ostracion boops Richardson 1845 Synonym
Ostracion laevis Pennant 1776 Homotypic
Ranzania makua Jenkins 1895 Synonym
Ranzania truncata Retzius 1785 Synonym
Ranzania typus Nardo 1840 Synonym
Tetraodon truncatus Retzius 1785 Synonym
Tetrodon truncatus Retzius 1785 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 12 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

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