[Eug Wanker]

A sunfish that washed up near the base of Farewell Spit is a monster with a strange sense of timing, a marine expert says.

The 3m sunfish was discovered at Taupata Creek near Puponga by passers-by on Sunday.

Department of Conservation worker and Pakawau resident Heather Gunn said she was driving past when she saw "a big lump" on the beach, which she initially thought to be a whale.

"It looked fresh. It did not smell and it had not been pecked over."

A sunfish washed up on Farewell Spit at Christmas 2002, and another was washed up on Pakawau Beach about four years ago.

DOC marine specialist Andrew Baxter said the most recent sunfish discovery was "a real oddity" because of the time of year.

"The literature says they can be found in New Zealand's north-eastern waters in warm summers, and they can stray south of Cook Strait. But this is definitely not a warm summer, rather a cold spring."

Mr Baxter said sunfish could grow up to 3m long and weigh up to a tonne.

After seeing a photograph of the sunfish, Mr Baxter estimated it was between 2m and 3m long.

[Zimphire]

That looks like something out of a H.P. Lovecraft novel.

[Albert Pujols]

yum! Looks good enough to eat.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by Albert Pujols:
yum! Looks good enough to eat.

A Puponga prandial pork out prize for Pujols!

[spatterson]

Originally posted by Albert Pujols:
yum! Looks good enough to eat.

I think its about to make me puke... That thing is nasssssty!

[ambush]

it must have died an horrible, slow death

[Xeo]

Originally posted by ambush:
it must have died an horrible, slow death

It was probably dead before it washed up on shore.

[Kilbey]

I have caught small sunfish. They are pretty ugly, but this is mucho uglier:

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by Kilbey:
I have caught small sunfish. They are pretty ugly, but this is mucho uglier:

[khufuu]

Originally posted by Kilbey:
I have caught small sunfish. They are pretty ugly, but this is mucho uglier:

A hit of acid'll do it every time.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

The blood pouring out of its mouth doesn't help much but I have seen much worse.

Just another one of Gods ugly creatures.

[OreoCookie]

Hmmm, o-sashimi

[Turias]

That's a damn big sunfish. I used to catch them all the time at a lake in Maine, but they were usually only 7 inches long and much less ugly. Does the one pictured above have two eyes on one side of its head? It looks similar to a flounder, but I can't tell if the second "eye" is actually an eye.

Anyway, I snapped the following picture during my visit to the Seattle farmer's market.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by Turias:
That's a damn big sunfish. I used to catch them all the time at a lake in Maine, but they were usually only 7 inches long and much less ugly. Does the one pictured above have two eyes on one side of its head? It looks similar to a flounder, but I can't tell if the second "eye" is actually an eye.[/IMG]

I think it is just the fin or an Gil.

[BoomStick]

I'ts a Mola Mola.

[wdlove]

Has some human facial traits.

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Originally posted by wdlove:
Has some human facial traits.

In that case do us a favour and never post a picture of yourself.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by wdlove:
Has some human facial traits.

Well, perhaps a tiny bit, but not much:





However, the resemblance here is uncanny:




Notice the rectangular face, the triangular forehead, the strong ridge above the eyes separating the forehead from the rest of the face, the textured skin on the cheeks, and the spots. Both seem to have red eyes too.