Mimicry are masters of underwater camouflage. Ragbill seahorse: a unique fish of Australia In what water column does the ragbill live?

Rag picker (lat. Rhycoredurus eques) – ray-finned sea ​​fish from the Needle family (lat. Syngnathidae). The presence of many leaf-like growths gives it a very original appearance, making it more like a plant rather than a fish.

It is also called the rag-picker seahorse, although zoologists have identified this miracle as separate genus Rhycodurus, which is translated from Greek language means "seaweed-like tail."

Spreading

Rag pickers live in cold sea ​​waters on south coast west and south of Australia. Their habitat extends sporadically from the surrounding area Australian city Perth to national park Wilsons Promontory on the peninsula of the same name in Victoria.

Fish settle at depths from 3 to 30 m on the border of sandy beaches and coral reefs. Unlike seahorses they do not attach to plants, so during storms they are often washed ashore. From this point of view sand beach much better than the coastal rocks.

Behavior

The color of the fish depends entirely on the conditions. environment. In shallow water they are sandy or olive in color. Ragfish, which live at great depths, are predominantly dark brown or brownish-red. The body length of adult individuals reaches 35 cm. It is extremely rare to come across specimens that have managed to grow up to 50 cm.

Ragfingers feed on small crustaceans, especially paying attention to shrimps and mysids. They swim very slowly with the help of small translucent fins. Their tail is motionless.

In an hour, these sea slugs move only 100-140 m.

Despite their inactivity, they are practically invisible among underwater vegetation, so they very rarely come to predators for lunch.

The rag picker has no teeth and swallows its prey whole. The fish eats up to 3 thousand mysids per day. He likes to eat protein foods with marine herbaceous plants from the genus Posidonia.

Reproduction

Spawning takes place in winter. To procreate, rag pickers gather in small bays. At this time, females can be easily distinguished from males by their large swollen bellies.

The female lays 250 to 300 eggs, which are attached to the male's tail.

The eggs are 7 mm long and about 4 mm in diameter. The tail of the new parent takes on a yellowish tint. Happy and proud fathers leisurely set off into deep waters to devote themselves to the pleasant chores of raising their offspring.

Young fish hatch from eggs after about 8 weeks within 6-7 days. Their size does not exceed 3.5 cm. During their first 3-6 hours of life they remain close to their father. After listening to their father's parting words, the young rag pickers independently go to the shallow waters.

The species is taken under state protection. Ragpickers in Australia are bred in aquariums and sold for export. In captivity good care they live up to 10 years.

Some animals became so carried away by camouflage that they became completely different from the representatives of their class. For example, Sea Horses They bear little resemblance to fish, and some of them are even difficult to mistake for animals. In this article we will talk about the master of mimicry - the rag-picking seahorse. Photos and Interesting Facts you will find about it below. We will also tell you interesting facts from amazing life sea ​​creature.

Rag horse

Seahorses look extraordinary. Their curved body is very similar to the chess piece of a knight, which is how they get their name. Despite their bizarre shapes, they are all fish and belong to the order Acidaceae.

Many of them have various growths on the body and can change color to blend in as much as possible with the surrounding background. The marine one does it especially well. Its body is greatly elongated and covered with numerous processes resembling branches and leaves. Most of these processes serve only for camouflage and do not have other practical functions.

Like other skates, the ragpicker has a small head and a long, tube-like snout. It acts like a vacuum cleaner, collecting prey along with water. Rag pickers are colored green, yellow or blue, and are able to change shade depending on their internal state and mood. The color also depends on what exactly the fish eat. Compared to their brothers, they have quite big sizes. Adult skates reach about 30-35 centimeters in length.

Where do they live?

Seahorses are exotic animals and are not usually found in our area. They mainly prefer warm subtropical and tropical seas. The ragpicker seahorse lives among western and southern shores Australian waters Indian Ocean. They live at shallow depths or at coral reefs without going deeper than 20-30 meters from the surface.

In fact, the species is an Australian endemic and is considered the symbol of the state of South Australia. Today, the pipit is under strict protection, as it may be in danger of extinction. The main reason for this is water pollution industrial waste, as well as catching rag pickers by divers for souvenirs.

Nutrition

Ragfish seahorses are solitary animals and do not form groups or schools. They live on their own, feeding on small crustaceans and algae that come along their way. They do not have any special tricks or devices for catching prey. Skates are slow and clumsy enough to be serious predators. Their whole secret is to disguise themselves as algae, thanks to which they become invisible to their victims.

The ragpicker seahorse is toothless and does not have a movable jaw. He simply sucks in his food and swallows it without chewing. The basis of its diet is plankton and mysid crustaceans, which it can eat up to several thousand per day.

The skate itself rarely becomes prey. It contains many bones and little nutrients, therefore it is not of particular value to predators.

Lifestyle

The rag picker is not a very active inhabitant of the ocean. It moves smoothly and very slowly, covering a distance of no more than 150 meters in one minute. If something happens, he will not be able to escape from the enemy, so with his whole appearance he creates the impression of a branch floating with the flow. Almost transparent fins on the back and chest help it move through the water. They constantly sway and flutter, creating the illusion of leaves.

The inability of skates to swim confidently makes them completely helpless during a storm. However, many of them have a coiled tail that helps them cling to underwater plants and stay in place. This is well shown in the children's cartoon "Octonafty" in the episode "Octonafty and the Seahorses." The rag picker does not have such a device, so during a storm the waves often throw it onto the coast.

A small fish - the rag-picker seahorse - lives at shallow depths among aquatic plants, in shape and color it is similar to algae. Name the type of its protective device against enemies, explain its meaning and relative nature. 1) the resemblance of an animal to a stationary one natural object- called a plant patronizing resemblance(imitation); 2) the seahorse hangs among aquatic plants and is invisible to predators; 3) when the fish moves or on open space it becomes accessible and noticeable to enemies.

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