Definition

Noun: 1. A type of large ocean sunfish: "Headfish" refers to any of several very large, slow-moving, pelagic bony fish of the family Molidae, characterized by a distinctive, almost circular, laterally compressed body that appears truncated, with very high dorsal and anal fins and a rudder-like clavus in place of a typical caudal fin. They are found in warm and temperate seas worldwide.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • We were astonished to see a massive headfish basking near the surface of the water.
  • The headfish, also commonly called the ocean sunfish or mola, feeds primarily on jellyfish.
  • Due to its unusual shape, the headfish is sometimes mistaken for a shark when only its dorsal fin is visible.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific context: In ichthyology (the study of fish), "headfish" is a common name used interchangeably with "ocean sunfish" or "mola" for fish in the genera and . The name derives from the animal's body shape, which can look as if it is all head.
  • The research paper compared the parasitic load on two species of headfish.

Variants and Related Words

• Ocean sunfish (n): The most common synonym for "headfish."
• Mola (n): The scientific genus name, often used as a common name.
• Molidae (n): The biological family to which the headfish belongs.

Synonyms

• Ocean sunfish
• Mola
• Sunfish (Note: This term can also refer to freshwater fish in the family Centrarchidae, so context is important.)

Related Phrases / Terms

• Pelagic fish: A term describing fish that live in the open sea, not near the bottom or shore. The headfish is a pelagic species.
• Caudal fin: The tail fin. The headfish lacks a true caudal fin, having instead a clavus.
• Rudder-like lobe: A descriptive phrase for the clavus, the stiff structure at the rear of the headfish that functions like a rudder for steering.

Noun

1. among the largest bony fish; pelagic fish having an oval compressed body with high dorsal and anal fins and caudal fin reduced to a rudder-like lobe; worldwide in warm waters