In Reply to: Molas posted by Nate on September 17, 2005 at 01:10:21:

Nate, you wrote:

Molas are primarily cartilaginous? It strikes me as odd that a bony fish is primarily cartilaginous.

Why yes, it IS odd that the largest bony fish is primarily cartilaginous.

However, it is true.

It comes from the fact that Molas and several other orders (Pleuronectiformes (flatfishes) and Tetraodontiformes (triggerfishes, pufferfishes), are the most recently evolved orders of osteoicthyes, and as such each of these orders has some unique characteristics. For the mola, along with their nearly total lack of bones, they also lack the air bladder that is pretty much standard equipment in bony fish. Why? They achieve lower density and neutral buoyancy by retaining a largely cartilaginous skeleton (cartilage is nearly half the density of bone and nearly the same as sea water) and increasing body fat deposits. This eliminates the need for an air bladder. Pretty cool, huh?

But you "sound" like the expert.

Thank you. Don’t claim to be, but I do have a whole lot of experience, and I read a lot and listen a lot…

You say "MOLAS ARE NOT GOOD TO EAT?" Do you know for a fact that those three guys don't think Molas are any good? Everyone has the same tastes as you?

Not at all - I know folks who think pig anus is the best of all worlds – More power to ‘em. You kinda of strike me as that sort. But then pigs are raised for food and using all parts is good resource management. Granted molas are consumed in the Far East, but so is rhinoceros horn, bear gall bladder, and tiger testicles. All these I might add (mola included) believed to grant support to the limber-dicked of the region. Are these products you use? I’d bet big money that the mola that was hauled out of the Marina ended up in a dumpster somewhere and not on any of those three a-holes dinner table.

I think the drink Chicha is disgusting, but on a trip to the Amazon jungle a friend was drinking the fermented drink like it was an award winning beer even though he knew he was drinking a beverage that was fermented by human saliva.

And this has what to do with killing a mola?

In case you're interested. Molas are commercially harvested for food in Taiwan.

Addressed above.

Based on your story, it sounds like they were shore diving. If so I am very impressed with their hunt. It's not easy shooting then subduing something that big and strong and towing it back to the beach.

No they had a small outboard

That's the problem I have with guys like you. You have no problems talking about killing (then downgraded to maiming) three human beings because they killed a fish which they kept (pressumably to eat). What if those guys rely on what they catch as a source of protein for their families?

I try to bring enlightenment wherever I go. If sometimes it takes solution .45 to remedy intransigent stupidity, so be it. Humans are supposed to be wiser and compassionate, care about the environment, and I’m constantly disappointed in the examples I see and are often presented in various forums.

I’m often disappointed in myself, but I’ll continue to work on being a better person.

• Re: Re: Molas - LONG Nate 16:29:19 09/17/05 (0)