Fossil Record
The known fossil history of this genus extends back to the Eocene with the genus Eomola containing the species E. bimaxillaria known from the Upper Eocene of the North Caucasus. The fossil genus Austromola containing one species, A. angerhoferi, is known from the Lower Miocene Ebelsberg Formation near Pucking, Austria. This species was a resident of the Paratethys Sea and is estimated to have reached a length of around 320 centimetres (130 in). At least one fossil species of Mola, M. pileata, is known from the Upper and Middle Miocene of Europe with a possible second species known from the Lower Miocene of North Carolina, USA. The genus Ranzania has five known fossil species - R. grahami and R. tenneyorum, both from the Middle Miocene Calvert Formation of Virginia, USA, R. zappai from the Middle Miocene of Italy, R. ogaii from the Middle Miocene of Japan and an as yet unnamed species from the Upper Miocene of Algeria.
Read more about this topic: Molidae
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