The ten most deadly sea creatures for humans. Dangerous and bloodthirsty predators of the oceans The largest land predators

The ocean is home to a huge number of different predators. Some sea ​​predators They attack quickly, while others sit in cover for a long time, waiting for their victims.

Every inhabitant of the ocean is eaten by others marine life, only killer whales and sharks have no enemies.

Sharks

The white shark is most likely the most dangerous predator of the deep sea. People tremble at the very idea of ​​a great white shark.

The white shark has no equal in strength and power among predators in the ocean.

Sharks appeared in the ocean long before man began to dominate the Earth. There are about 400 species of sharks. But the most dangerous shark is the white shark. Individuals of this species can reach 6 meters in length, they weigh about 3 tons and have a powerful toothy mouth. There are about 300 sharp-shaped teeth in the mouth. The teeth on the upper jaw are triangular, and on the lower jaw they are curved. The body shape of the white shark is spindle-shaped, the tail has the shape of a crescent, and the fins are large. White sharks live for about 27 years.

But people are not the target. These predators prefer victims with more serious fat reserves. For example, their favorite delicacy is sea ​​lions and cats. White sharks do not show too much interest in people, since the human body contains too many tendons and muscles.

Typically, white sharks attack people for two reasons. The first is that a shark associates a person swimming in the water with a sick animal that cannot develop sufficient speed and is easy to catch. The second reason is that surfers floating on a board look like other ocean inhabitants from the water. And since the shark has rather poor eyesight, it can easily make mistakes. To determine whether the prey is edible, the shark bites it, but sometimes sharks tear people to pieces. It is difficult to predict how this predator will behave. When a shark grabs a victim, it shakes its head in all directions, thus snatching pieces from it.

Sea anemone is a predatory animal that more closely resembles a plant.

Scientists say sharks are ocean orderlies because they eat dying animals.

Sea anemones

Sea anemone is a predator veiled by beauty.

Sea anemones are representatives of cnidarians. Sea anemones have stinging cells which they use as weapons. Sea anemones reach a height of about 1 meter. These creatures lead a sedentary life. They are attached to the bottom by a foot called the sole or basal disc.

The sea anemone has from ten to hundreds of tentacles with special cells - cnidocytes. These cells produce poison, which is a mixture of toxins. Anemones use this poison during hunting and for protection from predators.

The poison contains substances that affect the nervous system of the victim. The prey is paralyzed under the influence of the poison and the predator calmly eats it.

The diet of sea anemones is based on fish and crustaceans. Sea anemone poison is not dangerous for people; it does not lead to death, but can cause quite severe burns.

Killer whales

- predators of the dolphin family, but they are not at all as friendly as dolphins. They are called killer whales. Killer whales attack almost all marine inhabitants: mammals, fish and shellfish. If there is enough food, then killer whales behave quite friendly with other cetaceans, but if there is little food, then killer whales attack their own kind: dolphins and whales.

Killer whales are one of the ocean's formidable hunters.

For these predators, the size of the prey is not of great importance; killer whales hunt large animals together. If the victim cannot be killed immediately, the killer whale harasses it by biting off small pieces of it. No one manages to stay alive after a collision with killer whales - not a small fish, not a large whale.

A pod of killer whales acts very harmoniously during the hunt. The predators move in even ranks, like soldiers, and each killer whale has a clearly defined task.

When killer whales lead a sedentary life, they feed mainly on crustaceans and fish. And migrating killer whales prefer large mammals, for example, sea ​​lions and seals. Killer whales live up to the name killer whales in the best possible way.

Octopuses

Octopuses are part of the squad cephalopods. These creatures have excellently developed vision, smell, and touch, but they do not hear very well.

To the predators underwater world include fish whose diet includes other inhabitants of water bodies, as well as birds and some animals. The world of predatory fish is diverse: from terrifying specimens to attractive aquarium specimens. What they have in common is the possession of a large mouth with sharp teeth for catching prey.

A feature of predators is unbridled greed, excessive gluttony. Ichthyologists note the special intelligence of these creatures of nature and ingenuity. The struggle for survival contributed to the development of abilities that predatory fish superior even to cats and dogs.

Marine predatory fish

The vast majority of marine fish predatory families live in tropical and subtropical zones. This is explained by the content in these climatic zones a huge variety of herbivorous fish, warm-blooded mammals that make up the diet of predators.

Shark

Unconditional leadership takes white predatory fish shark, the most insidious for humans. The length of its carcass is 11 m. Its relatives of 250 species also pose a potential danger, although attacks by 29 representatives of their families have been officially recorded. The safest is the shark - a giant, up to 15 m long, feeding on plankton.

Other species, larger than 1.5-2 meters, are insidious and dangerous. Among them:

• Tiger shark;
• hammerhead shark (large outgrowths with eyes on the sides of the head);
• mako shark;
• katran (sea dog);
• gray shark;
• spotted shark scyllium.

In addition to sharp teeth, fish are equipped with prickly spines and hard skin. Cuts and blows are no less dangerous than bites. Wounds inflicted large sharks, in 80% of cases, are fatal. The jaw strength of predators reaches 18 tf. With its bites it can dismember a person into pieces.

Pictured is a rockfish

Scorpena (Sea Ruff)

Predatory bottom fish. The body, compressed on the sides, is variegatedly colored and protected by spines and shoots for camouflage. A real monster with bulging eyes and thick lips. It lives in the thickets of the coastal zone, no deeper than 40 meters, and winters at great depths.

It is very difficult to notice it at the bottom. The food supply includes crustaceans, greenfinches, and silversides. Doesn't rush after prey. He waits for her to come closer, then he throws him into his mouth. Lives in the waters of the Black and Azov seas, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Oshiben (galeya)

A medium-sized fish, 25-40 cm long, with an oblong body of a dirty color and very small scales. A bottom predator that spends time in the sand during the day and goes out hunting at night. The food contains mollusks, worms, crustaceans, small fish. Features include pelvic fins on the chin and a special swim bladder.

Atlantic cod

Large individuals up to 1-1.5 m long, weighing 50-70 kg. Lives in temperate zone, forms a number of subspecies. Present in color green color with an olive tint, brown inclusions. The basis of nutrition is herring, capelin, cod, and mollusks.

They feed their own young and small relatives. Atlantic cod are characterized by seasonal migrations over long distances of up to 1.5 thousand km. A number of subspecies have adapted to live in desalinated seas.

Pacific cod

It is distinguished by a massive head shape. Average length does not exceed 90 cm, weight 25 kg. Lives in the northern zones of the Pacific Ocean. The diet includes pollock, shrimp, and octopus. A sedentary stay in a body of water is typical.

Catfish

Marine representative of the genus Perciformes. The name was received for the front teeth, similar to those of a dog, fangs protruding from the mouth. The body is eel-shaped, up to 125 cm long, weighing on average 18-20 kg.

It lives in moderately cold waters, near rocky soils, where its food supply is located. In behavior, the fish is aggressive even towards its relatives. The diet includes jellyfish, crustaceans, small fish, and shellfish.

Pink salmon

A representative of small salmon, with an average length of 70 cm. The habitat of pink salmon is extensive: the northern regions of the Pacific Ocean, entering the Arctic Ocean. Pink salmon is a representative of anadromous fish that strives for fresh waters for spawning Therefore, small salmon are known in all the rivers of the Northern, on the Asian mainland, Sakhalin and other places.

The fish got its name from its dorsal hump. Characteristic dark stripes appear on the body before spawning. The diet is based on crustaceans, small fish, and fry.

Eel-pout

Unusual inhabitant coasts of the Baltic, White and Barents seas. A bottom-dwelling fish whose preferences are sand overgrown with algae. Very tenacious. It can wait among the wet stones for the tide or hide in a hole.

Appearance resembles a small animal, up to 35 cm in size. Large head, body tapers to a sharp tail. The eyes are large and protruding. The pectoral fins look like two fans. Scales like those of a lizard, but do not overlap the next one. The eelpout feeds on small fish, gastropods, worms, and larvae.

Brown (eight-lined) greenling

Found near rocky headlands on the Pacific coast. The name refers to the color with green and brown shades. Another option was obtained for a complex drawing. The meat is green. The diet, like many predators, includes crustaceans. There are many relatives in the greenling family:

• Japanese;
• Steller's greenling (spotted);
• red;
• single-line;
• single-feathered;
• long-browed and others.

Names of predatory fish often pass them on external features.

Gloss

Found in warm coastal waters. The length of the flat fish is 15-20 cm. In appearance, the glossa is compared to river flounder; it is adapted to live in water of varying salinity. It feeds on bottom food - mollusks, worms, crustaceans.

Glossa fish

Beluga

Among predators, this fish is one of the largest relatives. The species is listed in Krasnaya. The peculiarity of the structure of the skeleton is the elastic cartilaginous chord and the absence of vertebrae. The size reaches 4 meters and weight – from 70 kg to 1 ton.

It is found in the Caspian and Black Seas, and during spawning in large rivers. Characteristic wide mouth, thick overhanging lip, 4 big mustache inherent in the beluga. The uniqueness of the fish lies in its longevity; its age can reach a century.

Eats fish. Under natural conditions, it forms hybrid varieties with sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, and sterlet.

Sturgeon

Large predator, up to 6 meters long. The average weight of commercial fish is 13-16 kg, although giants reach 700-800 kg. The body is highly elongated, without scales, covered with rows of bony scutes.

The head is small, the mouth is located below. It feeds on bottom organisms and fish, providing itself with 85% protein food. Tolerates low temperatures and periods of lack of food well. Lives in salt and freshwater bodies of water.

Stellate sturgeon

The characteristic appearance is due to the elongated shape of the nose, the length of which reaches 60% of the length of the head. Stellar sturgeon is inferior in size to other sturgeons - the average weight of the fish is only 7-10 kg, length 130-150 cm. Like its relatives, it is a long-liver among fish, living 35-40 years.

Lives in the Caspian and Azov seas with migration to large rivers. The basis of nutrition is crustaceans and worms.

Flounder

The sea predator is easy to distinguish by its flat body, eyes located on one side, and a circular fin. She has almost forty varieties:

• star-shaped;
• yellowfin;
• halibut-shaped;
• proboscis;
• linear;
• long-snouted, etc.

Distributed from the Arctic Circle to Japan. Adapted to live on muddy bottoms. Hunts from ambush for crustaceans, shrimp, and small fish. The sighted side is characterized by mimicry. But if you startle it, it abruptly breaks away from the bottom, swims to a safe place and lies on the blind side.

Lichia

A large sea predator from the horse mackerel family. Found in the Black and Mediterranean Seas, the eastern Atlantic, and the southwestern Indian Ocean. Grows up to 2 meters with a weight gain of up to 50 kg. Lihi's prey includes herring, sardines in the water column and crustaceans in the bottom layers.

Whiting

Predatory schooling fish with a runaway body. The color is gray, with a purple tint on the back. Found in the Kerch Strait, the Black Sea. Loves cold waters. By the movement of anchovy, you can monitor the appearance of whiting.

Whip

Inhabits the coastal waters of the Azov and Black Seas. Up to 40 cm long and weighing up to 600 g. The body is flattened, often covered with spots. Open gills increase the size of the deprived head and frighten predators. Among the rocky and sandy soils hunts shrimp, mussels, and small fish.

River predatory fish

Freshwater predators fishermen know it well. This is not only a commercial river catch, known to cooks and housewives. The role of insatiable inhabitants of reservoirs is to eat low-value weeds and diseased individuals. Predatory freshwater fish carry out a kind of sanitary cleaning of reservoirs.

Chub

A picturesque inhabitant of Central Russian reservoirs. Dark green back, golden sides, dark border along the scales, orange fins. Loves to eat fish fry, larvae, and crustaceans.

Asp

The fish is called a horse for its quick jumping out of the water and deafening falls on its prey. The blows with the tail and body are so strong that small fish become stiff. The fishermen nicknamed the predator the river corsair. Keeps to himself. The main prey is bleak floating on the surface of reservoirs. Lives in large reservoirs, rivers, and southern seas.

Som

The largest predator without scales, reaching a length of 5 meters and a weight of 400 kg. Favorite habitats are the waters of the European part of Russia. The main food of catfish is shellfish, fish, small freshwater inhabitants and birds. It hunts at night and spends the day in holes and under snags. Catching a catfish is a difficult task, as the predator is strong and smart

Pike

A real predator in habits. It attacks everything, even its relatives. But it gives preference to roach, crucian carp, and rudd. Does not like prickly ruff and perch. It catches and waits until the prey calms down before swallowing.

Hunts frogs, birds, mice. It is distinguished by fast growth and good camouflage. It grows on average up to 1.5 meters and weighs up to 35 kg. Sometimes there are giants as tall as human beings.

Zander

Large predator of large and clean rivers. The weight of a meter-long fish reaches 10-15 kg, sometimes more. Found in sea ​​waters. Unlike other predators, the mouth and throat are small, so small fish serve as food. Avoids thickets so as not to become prey for pike. Active in hunting.

Predatory fish pike perch

Burbot

Belonesox

Small predators are not afraid to attack even comparable fish, which is why they are called miniature pikes. Gray-brown color with black spots like a line. The diet includes live food from small fish. If the whitefish is well-fed, then the prey will be alive until the next lunch.

Tiger perch

A large fish with a contrasting color, up to 50 cm long. The body shape resembles an arrowhead. The fin on the back extends to the tail, with which it provides acceleration in pursuit of prey. The color is yellow with black stripes along the diagonal. The diet should include bloodworms, shrimp, earthworms.

Livingston cichlid

Video of predatory fish reflect the unique mechanism of ambush hunting. They occupy the position of a dead fish and withstand a sudden attack of emerging prey for a long time.

The length of the cichlid is up to 25 cm, the spotted color varies in yellow-blue-silver tones. A red-orange border runs along the edge of the fins. The food in the aquarium is pieces of shrimp, fish, etc. Don't overfeed.

Toadfish

The appearance is unusual; the huge head and growths on the body are surprising. Thanks to camouflage, the bottom inhabitant hides among snags and roots and waits for the prey to approach to attack. In the aquarium it feeds on bloodworms, shrimp, pollock or other fish. Loves solo content.

Leaf fish

A unique adaptation to a fallen leaf. Camouflage helps to guard prey. The size of the individual does not exceed 10 cm. The yellowish-brown color helps to imitate the drifting of a fallen tree leaf. The daily diet includes 1-2 fish.

Biara

Suitable for keeping in large aquariums only. The length of individuals is up to 80 cm. The species is a real predator with a large head and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Large fins on the abdomen look like wings. It feeds only on live fish.

Tetra vampire

In an aquarium environment it grows up to 30 cm, in nature – up to 45 cm. The ventral fins look like wings. They help make quick dashes for prey. When swimming, the head is down. Live fish may be abandoned in the diet in favor of pieces of meat and mussels.

Aravana

Representative ancient fish up to 80 cm in size. Elongated body with fins forming a fan. This structure gives acceleration in hunting and the ability to jump. The structure of the mouth allows it to grab prey from the surface of the water. You can feed shrimp, fish, and worms in the aquarium.

Trahira (Tertha-wolf)

Amazon Legend. Aquarium maintenance is available to experienced specialists. Grows up to half a meter. Gray powerful body with a large head and sharp teeth. Fish feed not only on live food, but also serve as a kind of orderly. In an artificial reservoir it feeds on shrimp, mussels, and pieces of fish.

frog catfish

A large predator with a massive head and a huge mouth. The short antennae are notable. Dark body color and whitish belly. Grows up to 25 cm. Accepts food from fish with white meat, shrimp, mussels.

Dimidochromis

A beautiful blue-orange predator. Develops speed and attacks with powerful jaws. Grows up to 25 cm. The body is flattened on the sides, the back has a round contour, the belly is flat. Fish smaller than a predator will certainly become his food. Shrimp, mussels, and clams are added to the diet.

All predatory fish in the wild and artificially kept are carnivorous. The diversity of species and habitats is shaped by many years of history and the struggle for survival in the aquatic environment. The natural balance assigns them the role of orderlies, leaders with the inclinations of cunning and ingenuity, who do not allow the dominance of trash fish in any body of water.

IN sedimentary rocks On the coast of Peru, a fragment of a three-meter fossilized skull of a giant sperm whale was found. The discovery was made in the desert 35 km southwest of the city of Ika (already known to many paleontologists for its artifacts) by paleontologist Klaas Post from the Rotterdam Natural History Museum on the last day of the expedition of a team of paleontologists led by Dr. Christian de Muizon (Christian de Muizon), director of the Natural History Museum in Paris.

The expedition also included paleontologists Olivier Lambert from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels, Giovanni di Bianucci from the University of Pisa in Italy, Rodolfo Salas -Gismondi (Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi) and Mario Urbina (Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima) and Jelle Reumer (Jelle Reumer) from Rotterdam Natural History Museum.

The fossil was placed in the collection of the Natural History Museum in Lima, Peru.

The researchers, as discoverers, named the newly described species of sperm whale Leviathan melvillei:

- the first component of the name is the mythological monster Leviathan, mentioned in the Old Testament;

- the second part is given in honor of Herman Melville, the author of the novel about the white whale "Moby Dick".

According to the reconstruction carried out by scientists, Leviathan melvillei had a jaw three meters long, and from the tip of the muzzle to the tail was 16-18 meters.

The most amazing feature of this animal is its huge teeth, up to 30 centimeters long and up to 12 centimeters wide. These are the largest teeth possessed by any terrestrial predatory animal.

Absolute record holder teeth

Among modern predators, only sperm whales, reaching 20 meters in length, can compare in size with L. melvillei. However, the modern sperm whale has functional teeth only on the lower jaw (on the upper there are practically non-protruding rudimentary teeth), while in the ancient leviathan sperm whale both the lower and upper jaws are equally developed. The presence of teeth both above and below suggests a predatory hunting strategy: probably Leviathan melvillei attacked its prey, grabbed it with powerful jaws and tore it apart with giant teeth.

Analyzing the details of the skull, and due to the fact that the jaws of the found animal were equipped with large powerful muscles, scientists suggest that Leviathan melvillei could easily deal with even whales up to 7-10 meters long.

At the same time and in the same waters, along with Leviathan melvillei, another monster lived - Carcharocles megalodon - giant shark, reaching 15 meters in. Could these giants predatory world to compete or engage in fights is still unknown to scientists, since there are no facts indicating meetings of these monsters.

In addition, scientists will have to answer the question of the reasons for the disproportionate torso of the animal. This will allow us to study the skeleton of a prehistoric sperm whale.

Initially, it was believed that the large head allowed these marine mammals to dive to considerable depths in search of food. But the latest data disproves this theory, since the animals that were hunted giant hunters, lived in the upper layers of the ocean.

Based on the size of the skull, researchers claim that the ancient monster whale had a large spermaceti organ, the purpose of which modern sperm whales have no consensus on.

According to modern ideas, this large cavity in the forehead, filled with a waxy substance - spermaceti, helps the whale in several tasks:

- the first (controversial) is the facilitation of diving and ascent due to a consistent change in the density of this substance. It hardens and contracts upon contact with cold water and melts from the heat of the blood;

- this cavity apparently plays some role in echolocation;

- a large head can serve impact weapon in the fight between males for females.

Perhaps she helped the Leviathan in attacking its prey. Such a ram could damage the victim no less than the subsequent capture by strong jaws. At least two 19th-century whaling ships were sunk after being struck on the side by the massive head of large male sperm whales. Similar incidents later formed the basis of the plot of the novel Moby Dick.

Since the Leviathan did not dive deep for its victims, but preferred to feed near the surface of the sea, it did not need “assistance in diving.”

It may follow from this that such a large organ during the evolution of whales appeared precisely as an echolocator and a ram, and long before sperm whales began to make their amazing dives to great depths.

Scientists still cannot answer the question of what led to the extinction Leviathan melvillei, but suggest that this could be due to changes in environment(cooling), as well as in the number and size of available prey.

Lambert is confident: Leviathan melvillei is the largest sperm whale known to science. Its descendants shredded, lost their teeth and, instead of actively hunting mammals, switched to sucking mollusks such as squid.

Sperm whales, which today feed on deep-sea squid, are much less vulnerable to climate change than active predators living near the surface of the water. Modern sperm whales specialize in a completely different food niche: they are excellent divers hunting deep-sea squid. And sperm whales don’t really need teeth to capture squid.

This was not at all the case with Leviathan melvillei, he knew perfectly well how to use such an impressive weapon. Well, millions of years after the disappearance of the monster, the vacated niche of an aggressive predator was filled by “killer whales” - killer whales, significantly inferior to the Leviathan in size, but using similar hunting tactics.

And two more important discoveries in recent years concerning the evolution of whales.

Last year, the remains of two whales of the Archaeoceti group of the species Maiacetus inuus, about 48 million years old, were found in Pakistan. Analysis of the fossilized skeletons of a male and a pregnant female has revealed that female primordial whales gave birth on land. In addition, their discovery provided new data to determine how whales migrated from land to water. Scientists believe that the first land creatures appeared in the Devonian - about 360-380 million years ago. After 300 million years, some mammal species decided to return to the water. Their paws began to turn back into fins. The discovery in Pakistan reveals an important link in the evolution of whales. The presence of teeth in the fetus suggests that newborn whales of this species were not completely helpless in their first years of life.

In 2007, a group of American scientists found that the ancestors of modern whales were creatures similar to deer without horns and smaller in size. New evidence suggests that the ancestors of whales were artiodactyls, which lived in South Asia about 50 million years ago and hid in the water when danger approached. Previously it was assumed that the closest relatives marine mammals are hippopotamuses.

photo: John 'K'

Sharks

Perhaps the most dangerous predator in the ocean is the white shark: this animal brings great fear to people. Sharks lived in the ocean many years before humans appeared. About 400 species of these animals are known, but the white shark is considered the most dangerous predator. Its powerful teeth, enormous weight - about 3 tons and a length of about 6 meters - can terrify anyone. The predator has a spindle-shaped body, large fins and a crescent-shaped tail, and lives for approximately 27 years. There are 300 sharp teeth in the oral cavity, the upper jaw is equipped with triangular teeth, and on the lower jaw they take on a curved shape.

photo:corwinconnect

However, humans are not a “delicacy” for these animals; they prefer to attack those inhabitants who have good fat reserves, for example, fur seals and lions. People are not very interesting for white sharks: they have a lot of muscle tissue and tendons. Shark attacks on people occur for two reasons:

a person flounders in the water, and a predator mistakes him for easy prey - a sick animal;

the silhouette of a man floating on a surfboard resembles the outlines of other inhabitants of the ocean. Because sharks have poor eyesight, they may mistake a swimmer for mere prey. To make sure that the prey is edible, the predator makes a test bite or limits itself to a powerful push, but it can also tear the prey into pieces.

photo: Venson Kuchipudi

It is difficult to predict how a white shark will behave. Having caught prey, the shark shakes its head in different directions, which helps it tear the victim into pieces.

Scientists believe that thanks to this animal, the Pacific Ocean is the cleanest, since the shark eats the weakest creatures.

Sea anemones

These organisms belong to the class of cnidarians, distinctive feature which is the presence of stinging cells used for protection from predators and for the purpose of attack. Anemones lead a sedentary lifestyle, their length reaches 1 meter in height.

photo:Achim

These predators are attached to the bottom with a special leg called the basal disc or sole. The tentacles of sea anemones, the number of which varies from ten to hundreds, contain special cells called cnidocytes. These cells secrete a venom, a mixture of toxins, intended for hunting and self-defense. The poison contains substances that affect the nervous system: they paralyze the victim, which allows the predator to pull it closer to the mouth. With the help of poison, sea anemones immobilize fish and crustaceans, which constitute their main diet.

For humans, the venom of stinging cells is not life-threatening, but can cause pain and burns.

Killer whales

These predators belong to the dolphin family, but do not have all the benevolent features of these animals. Their nickname is the killer whale; they eat almost all the inhabitants of the oceans: shellfish, fish, mammals. If there is enough food for them, then killer whales exist quite peacefully with other cetaceans. But if a killer whale gets hungry, a whale, a penguin, or a penguin can become food for it.

photo: Nick Johnson

The size of the victim has no special significance: If it is a large animal, killer whales can attack as a whole herd. But when it is not possible to kill the prey in one fell swoop, killer whales can starve it out, biting off small pieces from the body. No one can be protected from the attack of killer whales - neither a small herring nor a large dolphin.

A pack of these animals works in a strictly regulated mode: when they notice the prey, they become very “silent”.

photo:Sean

They move in even ranks, like soldiers, and each individual has its own task. If a school of killer whales leads a sedentary lifestyle, then fish or crustaceans are quite suitable for food. A migrating pod of killer whales may rely on large mammals such as seals and sea lions for food. They fully justify their nickname – “killer whales”.

These are representatives of the order of cephalopods. Octopuses have an excellent sense of smell, vision and touch, but they do not hear very well. Octopuses are agile animals that use their tentacles to capture prey and immobilize it with paralyzing poison. Their prey most often are crabs and lobsters: with the help of their tools, they split their shells and reach the body of the victim. Octopus venom is also dangerous for humans, causing problems with speech, breathing and swallowing. If help does not arrive in time, this can lead to death.

Photo: Neptune Canada

Octopuses are quite cunning creatures: when an enemy attacks, they seem to throw away their tentacles. The folded organ wriggles desperately, and the predator focuses directly on it. At this time, the octopus crawls away safely.

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Original taken from billfish561 in Beautiful, but dangerous inhabitants of the seas and oceans.

There are quite a lot of creatures living in sea and ocean waters, an encounter with which can cause a person trouble in the form of injury or even lead to disability or death.

Here I have tried to describe the most common sea inhabitants that you should be wary of when you encounter them in the water, while relaxing and swimming on the beach of a resort or while diving.
If you ask any person "...Which inhabitant of the seas and oceans is the most dangerous?", then we will almost always hear the answer “... shark..." But is this so? Who is more dangerous, a shark or an outwardly completely harmless shell?

Moray eels

It reaches a length of 3 m and a weight of up to 10 kg, but as a rule, individuals are found about a meter long. The fish has bare skin, without scales. They are found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and are widespread in the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Moray eels live in the bottom layer of water, one might say at the bottom. During the day, moray eels sit in crevices of rocks or corals, sticking their heads out and usually moving them from side to side, looking for passing prey; at night they get out of their shelters to hunt. Moray eels usually feed on fish, but they also attack crustaceans and octopuses, which are caught from ambush.

After processing, moray eel meat can be eaten. It was especially valued by the ancient Romans.

Moray eel is potentially dangerous to humans. A diver who has become a victim of a moray eel attack always somehow provokes this attack - he sticks his hand or foot into the crevice where the moray eel is hiding, or chases it. A moray eel, when attacking a person, inflicts a wound that is similar to the bite mark of a barracuda, but unlike a barracuda, the moray eel does not immediately swim away, but hangs on its victim like a bulldog. She can grab the arm with a bulldog death grip, from which the diver cannot free himself, and then he can die.

It is not poisonous, but since moray eels do not disdain carrion, the wounds are very painful, do not heal for a long time and often become inflamed. Hides among underwater rocks and coral reefs in crevices and caves.

When moray eels begin to feel hungry, they jump out of their shelters like an arrow and grab a victim swimming by. Very gluttonous. Very strong jaws and sharp teeth.

Moray eels are not very attractive in appearance. But they do not attack scuba divers, as some believe; they are not aggressive. Isolated cases occur only when moray eels are in mating season. If a moray eel mistakes a person for a source of food or he invades its territory, then it may still attack.

Barracudas

All barracudas live in tropical and subtropical waters of the World Ocean near the surface. There are 8 species in the Red Sea, including the large barracuda. There are not many species in the Mediterranean Sea - only 4, of which 2 moved there from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal. The so-called “malita”, which has settled in the Mediterranean Sea, provides the bulk of the entire Israeli catch of barracudas. The most ominous feature of barracudas is the powerful lower jaw, which protrudes far beyond the upper jaw. The jaws are equipped with fearsome teeth: a row of small, razor-sharp teeth dot the outside of the jaw, and a row of large, dagger-like teeth inside.

The maximum recorded size of a barracuda is 200 cm, weight is 50 kg, but usually the length of a barracuda does not exceed 1-2 m.

She is aggressive and fast. Barracudas are also called “living torpedoes” because they attack their prey with great speed.

Despite such a formidable name and ferocious appearance, these predators are practically harmless to humans. It should be remembered that all attacks on people occurred in muddy or dark water, where the moving arms or legs of a swimmer were mistaken by the barracuda for swimming fish (This is exactly the situation the author of the blog found himself in in February 2014, when he was on vacation in Egypt, Oriental Bay Resort Marsa Alam 4+* (now called Aurora Oriental Bay Marsa Alam Resort 5*) Marsa Gabel el Rosas Bay . A medium-sized barracuda, 60-70cm, almost bit off the first f alang of the index finger on right hand. A piece of a finger was hanging on a 5mm piece of skin (dive gloves saved me from complete amputation). At the Marsa Alam clinic, the surgeon put 4 stitches and saved the finger, but the rest was completely ruined ). In Cuba, the reason for attacking a person was shiny objects such as watches, jewelry, knives. It will not be superfluous if the shiny parts of the equipment are painted dark.

The barracuda's sharp teeth can damage the arteries and veins of the limbs; in this case, the bleeding must be stopped immediately, since blood loss can be significant. In the Antilles, barracudas are more feared than sharks.

Jellyfish

Every year, millions of people suffer from “burns” from contact with jellyfish while swimming.

There are no particularly dangerous jellyfish in the waters of the seas washing the Russian shores; the main thing is to prevent these jellyfish from coming into contact with mucous membranes. In the Black Sea, the easiest jellyfish to encounter are Aurelia and Cornerot. They are not very dangerous, and their “burns” are not very strong.

Aurelia "butterflies" (Aurelia aurita)

Cornermouth jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo)

Only in Far Eastern seas lives enough cross jellyfish, dangerous to humans, the poison of which can even lead to the death of a person. This small jellyfish with a cross pattern on its umbrella causes severe burns at the point of contact with it, and after a while causes other disorders in the human body - difficulty breathing, numbness of the limbs.

Cross Medusa (Gonionemus vertens)

consequences of a cross jellyfish burn

The further south you go, the more dangerous the jellyfish are. In the coastal waters of the Canary Islands, a pirate awaits unwary swimmers - the "Portuguese man-of-war" - very beautiful jellyfish with a red crest and a multi-colored bubble-sail.

Portuguese man of war (Physalia physalis)

The "Little Man of Portugal" looks so harmless and beautiful at sea...

And this is what the leg looks like after contact with the "Portuguese man-of-war"....

Many jellyfish live in the coastal waters of Thailand.

But the real scourge for swimmers is the Australian “sea wasp”. She kills with a light touch of multi-meter tentacles, which, by the way, can wander on their own without losing their murderous qualities. You can pay for getting acquainted with the “sea wasp” with severe “burns” and lacerations at best, and with life at worst. Sea wasp jellyfish have killed more people than sharks. This jellyfish lives in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, is especially numerous off the coast of Northern Australia. The diameter of its umbrella is only 20-25 mm, but the tentacles reach a length of 7-8 m and they contain venom similar in composition to cobra venom, but much stronger. A person who is touched by a “sea wasp” with its tentacles usually dies within 5 minutes.

Australian box jellyfish or "sea wasp" (Chironex fleckeri)

burn from jellyfish "sea wasp"

Aggressive jellyfish also live in the Mediterranean and other Atlantic waters - the “burns” caused by them are stronger than the “burns” of Black Sea jellyfish, and they cause allergic reactions more often. These include cyanea ("hairy jellyfish"), pelagia ("little lilac sting"), chrysaora ("sea nettle") and some others.

Atlantic cyanide jellyfish (Cyanea capillata)

Pelagia (Noctiluca), known in Europe as "purple sting"

Pacific sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens)

Jellyfish "Compass" (Coronatae)
Compass jellyfish chose the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea and one of the oceans - the Atlantic - as their place of residence. They live off the coast of Turkey and the United Kingdom. This is enough large jellyfish, their diameter reaches thirty centimeters. They have twenty-four tentacles, which are arranged in groups of three each. The body color is yellowish-white with a brown tint, and its shape resembles a saucer-bell, which has thirty-two lobes, which are colored brown at the edges.
The upper surface of the bell has sixteen brown V-shaped rays. The lower part of the bell is the location of the mouth opening, surrounded by four tentacles. These jellyfish are poisonous. Their venom is potent and often leads to the formation of wounds that are very painful and take a long time to heal..
And yet the most dangerous jellyfish They live in Australia and its adjacent waters. Burns from box jellyfish and Portuguese man-of-war are very serious and often fatal.

Stingrays

Stingrays of the stingray family and electric rays can cause trouble. It should be noted that the stingrays themselves do not attack a person; injury can be caused if you step on him when this fish is hiding at the bottom.

Stingray stingray (Dasyatidae)

Electric Stingray (Torpediniformes)

Stingrays live in almost all seas and oceans. In our (Russian) waters you can find the stingray, or it is otherwise called catfish. It is found both in the Black Sea and in the seas of the Pacific coast. If you step on a stingray buried in the sand or resting at the bottom, it can cause a serious wound to the offender, and, among other things, inject poison into it. He has a barb on his tail, or rather a real sword - up to 20 centimeters in length. Its edges are very sharp, and also jagged, along the blade, on the lower side there is a groove in which dark poison from the poisonous gland on the tail is visible. If you touch a stingray lying at the bottom, it will strike with its tail like a whip; at the same time, it sticks out its spine and can cause a deep chopped wound. A wound from a stingray blow is treated like any other.

The Black Sea is also home to the sea fox stingray Raja clavata - large, up to one and a half meters from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, it is harmless to humans - unless, of course, you try to grab it by the tail, covered with long sharp spines. Electric stingrays are not found in the waters of Russian seas.

Sea anemones (anemones)

Sea anemones inhabit almost all the seas of the globe, but, like other coral polyps, they are especially numerous and diverse in warm waters. Most species live in shallow coastal waters, but they are often found in maximum depths World ocean. Sea anemones Usually hungry sea anemones sit completely calm, with tentacles widely spaced. At the slightest changes occurring in the water, the tentacles begin to oscillate, not only they stretch out towards the prey, but often the entire body of the sea anemone bends. Having grabbed the victim, the tentacles contract and bend towards the mouth.

Sea anemones are well armed. Stinging cells are especially numerous in predatory species. A volley of fired stinging cells kills small organisms and often causes severe burns in larger animals, even humans. They can cause burns, just like some types of jellyfish.

Octopuses

Octopuses (Octopoda) are the most famous representatives of cephalopods. “Typical” octopuses are representatives of the suborder Incirrina, bottom-dwelling animals. But some representatives of this suborder and all species of the second suborder, Cirrina, are pelagic animals that live in the water column, and many of them are found only at great depths.

They live in all tropical and subtropical seas and oceans, from shallow waters to depths of 100-150 m. They prefer rocky coastal zones, looking for caves and crevices in the rocks for habitat. In the waters of the Russian seas they live only in the Pacific region.

The common octopus has the ability to change color to adapt to its environment. This is explained by the presence in his skin of cells with various pigments that, under the influence of impulses from the central nervous system, can stretch or contract depending on the perception of the senses. The usual color is brown. If the octopus is scared, it turns white; if it is angry, it turns red.

When enemies approach (including divers or scuba divers), they flee, hiding in rock crevices and under stones.

The real danger is an octopus bite if handled carelessly. The secretion of the poisonous salivary glands can be injected into the wound. In this case, acute pain and itching is felt in the bite area.
When a common octopus bites, a local inflammatory reaction occurs. Heavy bleeding indicates a slowdown in the blood clotting process. Usually, recovery occurs within two to three days. However, there are cases of severe poisoning in which symptoms of damage to the central nervous system occur. Wounds caused by octopuses are treated in the same way as injections from poisonous fish.

Blue-ringed octopus (Blue-ringed Octopus)

One of the contenders for the title of the most dangerous sea animal for humans is octopus Octopus maculosus, which is found along the coast of the Australian province of Queensland and near Sydney, is found in the Indian Ocean and occasionally in the Far East. Although the size of this octopus rarely exceeds 10 cm, it contains enough poison to kill ten people.

Lionfish

Lionfish (Pterois) of the family Scorpaenidae pose a great danger to humans. They are easily recognized by their rich and bright colors, which warns of the effective means of protection these fish have. Even marine predators prefer to leave this fish alone. The fins of this fish look like brightly decorated feathers. Physical contact with such fish can be fatal.

Lionfish (Pterois)

Despite its name, it cannot fly. The fish got this nickname because of its large pectoral fins, a little like wings. Other names for lionfish are zebra fish or lion fish. She got the first because of the wide gray, brown and red stripes located throughout her body, and the second due to her long fins, which make her look like a predatory lion.

The lionfish belongs to the scorpionfish family. The body length reaches 30 cm, and the weight is 1 kg. The coloring is bright, which makes the lionfish noticeable even at great depths. The main decoration of the lionfish is the long ribbons of the dorsal and pectoral fins, which are what resemble a lion's mane. These luxurious fins conceal sharp, poisonous needles, which make the lionfish one of the most dangerous inhabitants of the seas.

The lionfish is widespread in the tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific oceans off the coasts of China, Japan and Australia. It lives mainly among coral reefs. lionfish Since it lives in surface waters reef, therefore it poses a great danger to swimmers, who can step on it and get injured by the sharp poisonous needles. The excruciating pain that occurs is accompanied by the formation of a tumor, breathing becomes difficult, and in some cases the injury leads to death.

The fish itself is very voracious and eats all kinds of crustaceans and small fish during the night hunt. The most dangerous include puffer fish, boxfish, sea dragon, urchin fish, ball fish, etc. You only need to remember one rule: the more colorful the fish and the more unusual its shape, the more poisonous it is.

Star pufferfish (Tetraodontidae)

Cube body or box fish (Ostraction cubicus)

hedgehog fish (Diodontidae)

fish ball (Diodontidae)

In the Black Sea there are relatives of the lionfish - the noticeable scorpionfish (Scorpaena notata), it is no more than 15 centimeters in length, and the Black Sea scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus) - up to half a meter - but such large ones are found deeper, further from the coast. The main difference between the Black Sea scorpionfish is its long, rag-like flaps, supraorbital tentacles. In the noticeable scorpion fish these outgrowths are short.

conspicuous scorpionfish (Scorpaena notata)

black sea scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus)

The body of these fish is covered with spines and growths, the spines are covered with poisonous mucus. And although the scorpionfish’s venom is not as dangerous as that of the lionfish, it is better not to disturb it.

Among the dangerous Black Sea fish Of note is the sea dragon (Trachinus draco). An elongated, snake-like, bottom-dwelling fish with an angular large head. Like other bottom-dwelling predators, the dragon has bulging eyes on the top of its head and a huge, greedy mouth.

sea ​​dragon (Trachinus draco)

The consequences of a poisonous injection from a dragon are much more serious than in the case of scorpionfish, but not fatal.

Wounds from scorpionfish or dragon thorns cause burning pain, the area around the injections turns red and swells, then general malaise, fever, and your rest is interrupted for a day or two. If you have suffered from ruff thorns, consult a doctor. Wounds should be treated like regular scratches.

The “stone fish” or wart (Synanceia verrucosa) also belongs to the order of scorpion fish - no less, and in some cases more dangerous than lionfish.

"stone fish" or wart (Synanceia verrucosa)

Sea urchins

Often in shallow waters there is a risk of stepping on a sea urchin.

Sea urchins are one of the most common and very dangerous inhabitants of coral reefs. The hedgehog's body, the size of an apple, is studded with 30-centimeter needles sticking out in all directions, similar to knitting needles. They are very mobile, sensitive and react instantly to irritation.

If a shadow suddenly falls on a hedgehog, it immediately points its needles towards danger and puts them together, several at a time, into a sharp, hard peak. Even gloves and wetsuits do not guarantee complete protection from the formidable peaks of the sea urchin. The needles are so sharp and fragile that, having penetrated deep into the skin, they immediately break off and it is extremely difficult to remove them from the wound. In addition to spines, hedgehogs are armed with small grasping organs - pedicillariae, scattered at the base of the spines.

The venom of sea urchins is not dangerous, but it causes burning pain at the injection site, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and temporary paralysis. And soon redness and swelling appear, sometimes there is loss of sensitivity and secondary infection. The wound must be cleaned of needles, disinfected, and to neutralize the poison, hold the damaged part of the body in very hot water for 30-90 minutes or apply a pressure bandage.

After meeting with the black "long needle" sea ​​urchin Black dots may remain on the skin - this is a trace of pigment, it is harmless, but it can make it difficult to find needles stuck in you. After first aid, consult a doctor.

Shells (molluscs)

Often on the reef among the corals there are wavy valves of bright blue color.

tridacna clam (Tridacna gigas)

According to some reports, divers sometimes get caught between its doors, like in a trap, which leads to their death. The danger of tridacna, however, is greatly exaggerated. These clams live in shallow reef areas in clear tropical waters, so they are easy to spot thanks to large sizes, brightly colored mantle and the ability to splash water during low tide. A diver caught in a shell can easily free himself by inserting a knife between the valves and cutting the two muscles that compress the valves.

Poisonous shellfish Cone (Conidae)
Do not touch beautiful shells (especially large ones). Here it is worth remembering one rule: all mollusks that have a long, thin and pointed ovipositor are poisonous. These are representatives of the conus genus of the gastropod class, having a brightly colored conical shell. Its length in most species does not exceed 15-20 cm. The cone injects with a needle-sharp spike that protrudes from the narrow end of the shell. Inside the thorn there is a duct of the poisonous gland, through which very strong poison is injected into the wound.

Various species of the genus cone are common on coastal shallows and coral reefs of warm seas.

At the moment of the injection, a sharp pain is felt. At the site where the spike was inserted, a reddish dot is visible against the background of pale skin.

The local inflammatory reaction is insignificant. A feeling of acute pain or burning appears, and numbness of the affected limb may occur. In severe cases, there is difficulty speaking, flaccid paralysis quickly develops, and knee reflexes disappear. Death may occur within a few hours.

In case of mild poisoning, all symptoms disappear within 24 hours.

First aid consists of removing thorn fragments from the skin. The affected area is wiped with alcohol. The affected limb is immobilized. The patient is taken to the medical center in a supine position.

Corals

Coral, both living and dead, can cause painful cuts (be careful when walking on coral islands). And the so-called “fire” corals are armed with poisonous needles that dig into human body in case of physical contact with them.

The basis of the coral is made up of polyps - marine invertebrate animals measuring 1-1.5 millimeters or slightly larger (depending on the species).

As soon as it is born, the baby polyp begins to build a cell house in which it spends its entire life. Micro-houses of polyps are grouped into colonies from which a coral reef ultimately appears.

When hungry, the polyp sticks out tentacles with many stinging cells from its “house”. The smallest animals that make up the plankton encounter the tentacles of the polyp, which paralyzes the victim and sends it into the mouth. Despite their microscopic size, the stinging cells of polyps have a very complex structure. Inside the cell there is a capsule filled with poison. The outer end of the capsule is concave and looks like a thin spirally twisted tube called a stinging filament. This tube, covered with tiny spines directed backwards, resembles a miniature harpoon. When touched, the stinging thread straightens, the “harpoon” pierces the victim’s body, and the poison passing through it paralyzes the prey.

Poisoned coral harpoons can also injure humans. Dangerous ones include, for example, fire coral. Its colonies in the form of “trees” made of thin plates have chosen the shallow waters of tropical seas.

The most dangerous stinging corals from the genus Millepora are so beautiful that scuba divers cannot resist the temptation to break off a piece as a souvenir. This can be done without “burns” and cuts only in tarpaulin or leather gloves.

Fire coral (Millepora dichotoma)

When talking about such passive animals as coral polyps, it is worth mentioning another interesting type of marine animal - sponges. Typically, sponges are not classified as dangerous marine inhabitants, however, in the waters of the Caribbean there are some species that can cause severe skin irritation to a swimmer upon contact with them. It is believed that pain can be relieved weak solution vinegar, but unpleasant consequences from contact with a sponge can last several days. These primitive animals belong to the genus Fibula and are often called touch-me-not sponges.

Sea snakes (Hydrophidae)

Little is known about sea snakes. This is strange, since they live in all the seas of the Pacific and Indian Oceans and are not among the rare inhabitants of the deep sea. Maybe it's because people just don't want to deal with them.

And there are serious reasons for this. After all, sea snakes are dangerous and unpredictable.

There are about 48 species of sea snakes. This family once left land and completely switched to an aquatic lifestyle. Because of this, sea snakes have acquired some features in the structure of the body, and in appearance they are somewhat different from their terrestrial counterparts. The body is flattened laterally, the tail is in the form of a flat ribbon (in flat-tailed representatives) or slightly elongated (in swallowtails). The nostrils are located not on the sides, but on the top, so it is more convenient for them to breathe, sticking the tip of the muzzle out of the water. The lung stretches throughout the body, but these snakes absorb up to a third of all oxygen from the water with the help of the skin, which is densely permeated with blood capillaries. A sea snake can stay underwater for more than an hour.

The venom of the sea snake is dangerous to humans. Their venom is dominated by an enzyme that paralyzes the nervous system. When attacking, the snake quickly strikes with two short teeth, slightly bent back. The bite is practically painless, there is no swelling or hemorrhage.

But after some time, weakness appears, coordination is impaired, and convulsions begin. Death occurs from paralysis of the lungs within a few hours.

The great toxicity of the venom of these snakes is a direct result aquatic habitat: To prevent the prey from escaping, it must be instantly paralyzed. True, the venom of sea snakes is not as dangerous as the venom of snakes that live with us on land. When a flattail bites, 1 mg of poison is released, and when a swallowtail bites, 16 mg is released. So, a person has a chance to survive. Out of 10 bitten sea ​​snakes 7 people remain alive, of course, if they receive medical assistance on time.

True, there is no guarantee that you will be among the last.

Among other dangerous aquatic animals, especially dangerous freshwater inhabitants should be mentioned - crocodiles living in the tropics and subtropics, piranha fish living in the Amazon River basin, freshwater electric stingrays, as well as fish, the meat or some of whose organs are poisonous and can cause acute poisoning.

If you are interested in more detailed information about dangerous species of jellyfish and corals, you can find it at http://medusy.ru/