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Ocean Sunfish

Mola mola

Fish · family Molidae · order Tetraodontiformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
2 states[3]

The Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) is a fish in the family Molidae[4]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Ocean Sunfish a global rank of G5, which means Secure[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Vulnerable[5]. In US government data, the fish is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[5] Vulnerable

Where Ocean Sunfish lives

NatureServe lists the Ocean Sunfish as native in 2 US states and territories, Rhode Island and South Carolina[3]. NatureServe state ranks are SNR for Rhode Island and SU for South Carolina[6]. People report it to GBIF most often from California, Massachusetts, Maine, Oregon and North Carolina, but those counts follow where observers look, not how many fish live there[7].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: native, state rank SNRRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank SUSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[6].
Show state ranks (2 states)
StateRankMeaning
Rhode IslandSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaSUUnrankable

When to look for it

Reports of the Ocean Sunfish in the United States on GBIF are highest in August, September and October[8]. These records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].

January: 158 recordsJanFebruary: 386 recordsFebMarch: 207 recordsMarApril: 553 recordsAprMay: 1,270 recordsMayJune: 3,155 recordsJunJuly: 7,762 recordsJulAugust: 24,142 recordsAugSeptember: 26,401 recordsSepOctober: 15,008 recordsOctNovember: 4,840 recordsNovDecember: 1,614 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January158
February386
March207
April553
May1,270
June3,155
July7,762
August24,142
September26,401
October15,008
November4,840
December1,614

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Ocean Sunfish as present in 4 park units[9]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Massachusetts, Maine, Oregon, North Carolina[7]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Ocean Sunfish endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, Secure, and the IUCN category it records is Vulnerable[2][5].
Where does the Ocean Sunfish live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Rhode Island and South Carolina[3]. GBIF has the most reports from California, Massachusetts, Maine, Oregon and North Carolina[7].
When is the Ocean Sunfish seen most often?
GBIF records in the United States are highest in August, September and October[8]. This shows when people report it, not how many fish there are[8].

Facts and sources

  1. Ocean Sunfish is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Ocean Sunfish: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Ocean Sunfish as native in 2 US states and territories: Rhode Island, South Carolina. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) is a fish in the family Molidae, order Tetraodontiformes. NatureServe Explorer
  5. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Vulnerable. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe state ranks for Ocean Sunfish (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  7. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Ocean Sunfish: California, Massachusetts, Maine, Oregon, North Carolina. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  8. GBIF observation records of Ocean Sunfish in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  9. NPSpecies park lists recording Ocean Sunfish as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.