The sun-kissed shores of Santa Barbara, California were about to reveal a shocking discovery. Because the ocean had a surprise in store that left even the most knowledgeable experts speechless. According to scientists, there are a total of five species of sunfish, each with a unique size range. Some are small enough to hold in the palm of your hand, while others are so large that they require a forklift to be moved. The initial assumption of the researchers at the University of California Santa Barbara’s Coal Oil Point Reserve when they came across the seven-foot beached creature was that it was a common ocean sunfish, one that is frequently seen by scuba divers in the area.
However, once they took a closer look, they started to question their theory. They examined it closely, taking measurements and samples, and trying to determine if it was indeed a common sunfish or if it was something else entirely. The size of the fish was certainly unusual, as it was much larger than the typical sunfish seen in the area, which led to further investigation. What wonders await discovery?