Because the sunfish is rarely seen alive by the average person (it spends much of its time in deep, cold water surfacing to bask), artists have historically relied on preserved specimens, poor photographs, or other artists’ work. This game of telephone led to systematic distortions.
Clavus_Zero compared 75 images of Mola mola from Wikipedia, stock photo sites, and encyclopedias. They found that 92% contained at least one major anatomical error. The post went viral within niche natural history circles, and the term was born. It has since been maintained by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) as an unofficial reference for science illustrators. Why the Mola Errata List Matters Beyond Illustration You might ask: Does it really matter if a cartoon sunfish has a tail? Mola Errata List
According to marine biologists, yes. The has become a tool for combating "taxonomic drift"—the phenomenon where public misunderstanding of an animal’s anatomy affects conservation efforts. For example, if the public believes the sunfish is a slow, vertical drifter (due to bad art), they may not support boat-speed regulations designed to protect it. In reality, Mola mola are powerful, laterally undulating swimmers. Because the sunfish is rarely seen alive by