
An astonishing underwater picture has captured the moment a sealion takes a massive chunk out of an ocean sunfish.

It attacked the fish, which is also known as a 'mola mola' around 12 miles off the coast of San Diego, California.

Wildlife photographer Richard Herrmann pictured the seal ripping the flesh from the fish, which measures around 10ft-long and can weight up to a staggering 2,000kg.

Sealions in the waters around Californian are predators that feed on over 50 species of fish, according to the Seal Sitters website.

They can grow to nearly 400kg and mostly eat squids, octopuses, hake and herring - but are also hunt down salmon and other bottom-dwelling fishes.

Chomp: A wildlife photographer has captured the incredible - and nauseating - moment a sealion took a massive chunk out of a sunfish

Attack: The sunfish, which is also known as a 'mola mola', was pictured writhing around as it desperately tried to break free from the seal's bite

Bite: The epic attack took place around 12 miles off the coast of San Diego, California, where sealions are known to hunt up to 50 species of fish