Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Osmoregulation in Fishes02:32

Osmoregulation in Fishes

When cells are placed in a hypotonic (low-salt) fluid, they can swell and burst. Meanwhile, cells in a hypertonic solution—with a higher salt concentration—can shrivel and die. How do fish cells avoid these gruesome fates in hypotonic freshwater or hypertonic seawater environments?
Fixed Action Patterns01:06

Fixed Action Patterns

A fixed action pattern (FAP) is a specific, hard-wired sequence of behaviors that occurs in response to an external stimulus, called a sign stimulus. The behavior is “fixed” because it is essentially unchangeable—proceeding similarly across individuals of a species every time it occurs.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Distribution of Dall's Porpoise, Phocoenoides dalli, in the North Pacific and Bering Sea, Based on T/S Oshoro Maru 2012 Summer Cruise Data.

Zoological science·2016
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Assays to Detect UV-reflecting Structures and Determine their Importance in Mate Preference using the Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna
06:41

Assays to Detect UV-reflecting Structures and Determine their Importance in Mate Preference using the Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna

Published on: September 14, 2016

Why does the ocean sunfish bask?

Takuzo Abe1, Keiko Sekiguchi

  • 1School of Fisheries Science; Hokkaido University; Hakodate City, Hokkaido, Japan.

Communicative & Integrative Biology
|October 13, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) bask to seek parasite removal from seabirds. This symbiotic cleaning behavior may be crucial for marine ecosystems, offering evidence of interspecific communication in the open ocean.

Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Ichthyology

Background:

  • Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) exhibit peculiar basking behavior at the sea surface.
  • Parasite elimination is a hypothesized reason for this behavior, but direct evidence in oceanic regions is scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of basking in parasite removal for ocean sunfish.
  • To document interspecific interactions between ocean sunfish and potential cleaning organisms.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of a school of 57 ocean sunfish in the North Pacific Ocean.
  • Photographic documentation of ecto-parasite (Pennella sp.) infestation.
  • Recording of a Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) removing parasites from a sunfish.
Keywords:
Pennella sp.albatrossoceanic sunfishparasite skin scarsskin parasite infection

More Related Videos

Incremental Temperature Changes for Maximal Breeding and Spawning in Astyanax mexicanus
06:36

Incremental Temperature Changes for Maximal Breeding and Spawning in Astyanax mexicanus

Published on: February 14, 2021

Behavioral Tracking and Neuromast Imaging of Mexican Cavefish
14:58

Behavioral Tracking and Neuromast Imaging of Mexican Cavefish

Published on: April 6, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 17, 2026

Assays to Detect UV-reflecting Structures and Determine their Importance in Mate Preference using the Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna
06:41

Assays to Detect UV-reflecting Structures and Determine their Importance in Mate Preference using the Sailfin Molly Poecilia latipinna

Published on: September 14, 2016

Incremental Temperature Changes for Maximal Breeding and Spawning in Astyanax mexicanus
06:36

Incremental Temperature Changes for Maximal Breeding and Spawning in Astyanax mexicanus

Published on: February 14, 2021

Behavioral Tracking and Neuromast Imaging of Mexican Cavefish
14:58

Behavioral Tracking and Neuromast Imaging of Mexican Cavefish

Published on: April 6, 2019

Main Results:

  • Ocean sunfish were heavily infested with Pennella sp. ecto-parasites.
  • A Laysan albatross was observed actively removing and consuming parasites from an ocean sunfish.
  • Photographs provided evidence of parasite load and post-removal scars.

Conclusions:

  • Ocean sunfish basking behavior may be linked to seeking symbiotic cleaning services.
  • Albatross-mediated parasite removal could be a significant ecological interaction for ocean sunfish.
  • Symbiotic cleaning relationships play an important role in the open ocean ecosystem.