The animal that lays the most eggs at once is the ocean sunfish (Mola mola), also known as the common mola. This massive fish can lay up to 300 million eggs in a single spawning event.
Ocean Sunfish: A Prolific Egg Layer
- The ocean sunfish is the heaviest bony fish in the world, with adults weighing up to 5,000 pounds.
- Despite their size, ocean sunfish are relatively docile and feed primarily on jellyfish.
- Female ocean sunfish release their eggs into the open ocean, where they are fertilized by sperm released by males.
- These eggs are incredibly small, measuring only about 1 millimeter in diameter.
- While the number of eggs laid is astounding, only a small percentage survive to adulthood.
Other Prolific Egg Layers
While the ocean sunfish holds the record for the most eggs laid at once, other animals are also known for their large clutches:
- Common octopus: Laying up to 200,000 eggs.
- Green sea turtle: Laying up to 100-200 eggs.
- American alligator: Laying up to 50-60 eggs.
