The nature of our world is amazing in its essence, but we strive to remake it, cutting down forests to build houses or ennobling the wild nature, introducing into it all kinds of elements of civilization. However, few people know about the beauty of the underwater world of the seas and oceans, where the most beautiful marine life is found.
Nowadays, more and more people are starting to dive and explore this unique nature of ocean waters, which contains numerous secrets and mysteries. It is notable not only for the large number of different species of fish and corals, but also for its unusual caves, mystical territories, sunken cities and treasures.
There are 4 oceans on the globe, each of which carries its own impressions and has its own special “local” flora and fauna.
Pacific Ocean.
The Pacific Ocean is the first largest body of water on the planet and houses more than one hundred thousand of a wide variety of fish species. The largest inhabitant of this ocean and the entire underwater world is considered to be the gray whale, which swims in the lower layers of the water. The weight of such whales reaches 35 tons, and they can be seen during their breeding season, when the whales swim into the shallow waters of the bays.
Of course, there are also predators in the Pacific Ocean, among which the most dangerous are the leopard shark, deadly poisonous stone fish, sea urchins, snakes and dragons, which paralyze a person with their poison. Of course, there are quite a lot of such fish, so before you go scuba diving, you should definitely ask which fish pose a danger to humans and try not to get close to them.
There are also plenty of small fish here, the schools of which avid divers from all over the world want to admire. In the ocean you can find fur seals, salmon fish, telescope fish, smallmouth macropinna, and also a very unusual fish - the herring king.
Almost the entire ocean is surrounded by mountainous terrain, causing the bottom of the Pacific Ocean to form a volcanic “ring of fire.” Not far from Australia lies the Great Barrier Reef, which surrounds the largest coral lagoon. Everywhere in the ocean there is a movement of the earth's crust, which produces global catastrophes in the form of tsunamis.
Atlantic Ocean.
The Atlantic Ocean is second in size after the Pacific. The ocean floor is divided into two almost equal parts by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Its space is also inhabited by a huge number of fish and mammals. Among the most unusual and rarely seen species are flying fish, sunfish, blue sharks, giant crayfish, sea wolf and many others.
In recent years, studying the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, scientists have found several species of fish that were unknown to modern science until today. Thus, new varieties of sea worms and cucumbers, ctenophores and jellyfish, which are distinguished by their bright colors and unusual structure, were found on the seabed.
It should also be noted that it is the waters of the Atlantic Ocean that are full of numerous mysteries of sunken ships. Here is the famous Bermuda Triangle, the sunken Titanic, numerous ship cemeteries, underwater icebergs and endless mystical legends.
Indian Ocean.
Most of the Indian Ocean washes the southern continents, where the water temperature reaches 23-25 degrees. In this part of the ocean there is a rich underwater world of marine life from small fish to tiger sharks. The shallow waters are home to numerous coral reefs, colorful algae and polyps where mudskippers live.
Among the large fish in the Indian Ocean you can see families of whale fish, sperm whales, dolphins, fur seals, killer whales and several species of sharks, including great white, tiger and other representatives. Among the local fauna there are many luminous fish, for example, the platytroct fish.
The island of Amsterdam is located in the Indian Ocean and is favored by seals and penguins. Popular places for diving in Indian waters are the coasts of Australia and the resort of Sri Lanka, where pearl fishing is famous for the local craft.
Arctic Ocean.
The Arctic Ocean occupies the smallest part of the world's water space. Of course, the location in the northern hemisphere affects the inner world of the underwater territory. Mainly phytoplankton, kelp, jellyfish and other fish species live here.
Despite the poverty of Arctic waters, large fish can be found in the ocean. Its waters are home to bowhead whales, minke whales, seals, walruses and other mammals.
Among the unusual inhabitants of the ocean waters are giant mussels, the world's largest cyanide jellyfish and sea spiders.
The underwater world has been little studied; it is full of secrets and mysteries. In the abyss of the ocean lives a huge number of bright, diverse and amazing animals, including unsurpassed predators.
We will get to know some of the inhabitants of the underwater world better.
Pygmy seahorse
This is one of the most well-camouflaged inhabitants of the ocean. It takes a lot of effort to see this tiny creature measuring 2.5 cm among the dense thickets of coral. (Photo by David Doubilet):
Squid on the hunt
Typically, squids measure up to 50 cm, but there are also giant squids that reach 20 meters (counting tentacles). They are the largest invertebrates. (Photo by David Doubilet):
A pair of stingrays
Stingrays are fish, and most of them live in seawater. A squad of electric stingrays is equipped with a special weapon, which can paralyze prey with electrical discharges from 60 to 230 volts and over 30 amperes. Photograph from the Tuamotu group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, belonging to French Polynesia. (Photo by David Doubilet):
Gastropod - flamingo tongue
Found on many coral reefs in the Caribbean and Atlantic basins. The mollusk feeds on poisonous sea gorgonians, but their poison does not harm the snail. The “flamingo tongue” absorbs toxic substances and becomes poisonous itself. These mollusks leave behind noticeable trails of dead coral tissue. (Photo by Wolcott Henry):
Eel catfish
The only species of catfish that lives on coral reefs. Their first rays of the anterior dorsal and pectoral fins are jagged, poisonous spines. (Photo by David Doubilet):
Sea eel
Peeking out of his hole. (Photo by David Doubilet):
Fish and sea sponge
Currently, about 8,000 species of sponges have been described. They are animals. (Photo by David Doubilet):
Underwater laboratory "Aquarius"
The only operating laboratory in the world, located at a depth of 20 meters underwater off the coast of Florida. (Photo by Brian Skerry):
Humboldt squid
Giant squid or Humboldt squid. These carnivorous predators reach a length of 2 meters and weigh more than 45 kilograms. (Photo by Brian J. Skerry):
Crab and sea urchins
The body of sea urchins is usually almost spherical, measuring from 2 to 30 cm, and the length of the spines ranges from 2 mm to 30 ms. Some species of sea urchins have poisonous spines. (Photo by George Grall): 
Shrimp and crab
Almost perfect underwater camouflage. (Photo by Tim Laman):
Nudibranch
Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Nudibranchs lack a shell. They are one of the most brightly colored and variegated marine invertebrates. (Photo by Tim Laman):
Body fish family
They feed on sea urchins, starfish, crabs, and mollusks, deftly blowing them out of the ground with a stream of water released from their mouths. (Photo by Wolcott Henry):
Lipped perches
Schools of these fish move through the ocean as a unit to protect themselves from predators. (Photo by David Doubilet):
Bell fish
This inhabitant of coral reefs is a truly unique fish, reaching 80 cm in length. She does not swim most of the time, but spends it in an upright position, hanging upside down. In a similar way, it disguises itself as a stick, protecting itself from predators and waiting for prey. (Photo by David Doubilet):
Colony of ascidians and sticky fish
Ascidians are a class of sac-shaped animals with a length from 0.1 mm to 30 cm, distributed in all seas. Sticky fish usually stick to large fish, whales, sea turtles, and the bottoms of ships. (Photo by David Doubilet):
Red starfish
The sizes of these brightly colored animals range from 2 cm to 1 meter, although most are 12–25 cm. Starfish are sedentary and have from 5 to 50 arms or arms. These animals are predators. Photo by David Doubilet:
Giant spider crab
This is one of the largest representatives of arthropods: large individuals reach 3 m in the span of the first pair of legs! (Photo by David Doubilet):
Great white shark
Reaching a length of over 6 meters and a mass of 2,3000 kg, the great white shark is the largest modern predatory fish. (Photo by David Doubilet):
Magnificent mantis crab (harlequin)
One of the largest mantis shrimp. It is about 14 cm in length, and the largest individuals measure up to 18 cm. (Photo by Tim Laman):
Dancing reef catfish
This frame Swirling striped eel catfish(Striped Catfish Eel or Plotosus Lineatus) is technically very complex, and not only did the author manage to capture a very dynamic school well, but also a colleague photographer was advantageously included in the frame in the background. Very unusual.
Of all the sea catfish, this species is the only one that prefers to settle in areas of coral reefs and they can often be seen sitting in small grottoes and cracks, crowded there like herrings in a jar. The attraction to groups is especially strong in young individuals; they gather in schools of 50-100 fish and live like that, in close quarters, but not in any way offended.
A school saves a fish's life, that's true. They also feed in schools, gather in a wall and plow the soil, looking for small bottom inhabitants. If you pursue them, the flock will rise into the water column and begin to form a terrifying ball, swimming at high speed from the edges to the center, as if everyone was trying to hide deeper. As a last resort, they have a special weapon - poisonous spines in the area of the dorsal and pectoral fins, which sting like a wasp; it is unpleasant to accidentally touch such a small fish with your bare hand.
Coral Triangle
Anyone who wants colorful and colorful dives should definitely dive in the coral triangle area - an area with the highest biological diversity of marine fauna, located on both sides of the equator and covering the islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.
After all, what ensures the colorfulness of reefs in general is the number of species of corals and fish inhabiting the reef. The waters of this part of the ocean contain about 610 species of corals (80% of the world's species diversity), as well as about 2,300 species of fish (40% of the world's species diversity) and any dive turns into an endless alternation of colors and shades.
Diving in the western island of Papua (Raja Ampat region), scientists easily recorded more than 400 species of fish during an hour-long dive; for example, 420 species of fish live throughout the waters of the Hawaiian Islands. For me personally, the most important thing when diving is good transparency, because... On any reef slope or wall you can always find a lot of interesting things. On the picture typical beautiful reef with hundreds of beautifully rendered colorful Anthias fish.
Napoleon
Here is a very influential opportunistic predator, charming all divers at the first meeting. This representative bumphead wrasse(Cheilinus undulatus or Maori Wrasse) is very impressive in appearance, representative in size (about a meter on average), and also has such a rich palette of scale colors and contrasting colors that a meeting with it decorates the entire dive.
At the same time, this is a very smart and courteous hunter, it’s not for nothing that he name is Napoleon(although he is called that because of the bump on his forehead, which increases over the years and in profile he looks like Napoleon in a cocked hat). He always shows interest if he feels that there is something to profit from. More than once I watched him chase small fish or, teaming up with whitetip sharks, hunt on a reef plateau right during the day, without being embarrassed by other inhabitants.
The worst thing will happen to those who decided to feed the fish underwater and secretly pulled out a piece of bread from their vest pocket, losing the element of precaution. Napoleon will swim up from the side or behind and, extending his jaw, swallow the entire fist into his mouth, trying to chew it. Unusual sensations are guaranteed, both for the feeder and for the entire group.
Since Napoleon quite vigorously squeezed the diver’s hand with his jaws, it turned out that even through the glove there were traces of blunt teeth. They began to bleed, and under the glove you wouldn’t notice it right away. And since salt water doesn’t stop bleeding, several gray reef sharks began to become active around this diver and our group. In order not to provoke the sharks’ feeding behavior, we had to evacuate this diver out of harm’s way on the surface and then return to the group.
Glamorous sea sponge inhabitant
Here is a very nice-looking, but extremely small in size (1-2 cm), representative of crustaceans - crouching hairy lobster(Hairy squat lobster - Lauriea siagiani). Its peculiarity is that it is more related to hermit crabs because has a soft abdominal section and, in the absence of a shell, protects it by tucking it under itself and sitting on it.
However, at the same time, like lobsters, it can move backwards. Also similar to a lobster is given by more powerful forelimbs equipped with prominent claws. It is in this family of decapod crayfish that the length of the clawed limb can be 2-4 times greater than the length of the body, because their style of existence is simple - to hide in some crevice, protect the back of the body and wield claws.
This type of crayfish lives in sea sponges of red colors (mostly 1-2 species) and has a protective soft pink glamorous hue, revealing itself only by a bunch of yellowish hairs sticking out in all directions.
Thunderstorm for Red Sea holidaymakers
Pictured is a graceful pelagic Longtip shark(Oceanic Whitetip Shark - Carcharhinus longimanus) accompanied by Pilot fish from the horse mackerel family. This species of shark has a formidable reputation, and scientists clearly classify it as one of the ten species of sharks that actually pose a danger to humans (all the other 400 species are only potentially dangerous).
In November-December 2010, the story of the attack of these sharks on tourists vacationing in Sharm el-Sheikh thundered very loudly. Several Europeans, Russians and CIS citizens were bitten. At that time, the media brought down dozens of versions and bloodthirsty scenarios on the minds of viewers, however, the true reasons established by biologists were poorly advertised. There is no doubt that this species of shark is dangerous, and many divers who have encountered them during safaris in the open areas of the Red Sea have observed their unpredictable behavior and aggressive manner of interaction.
The fact that the sharks came closer to the coast, and also concentrated on prey floating on the surface, is the fault of the crew of cargo ships from Australia and New Zealand, transporting sheep to this Arab region for the Eid al-Adha holiday. They simply threw the mammals that died along the way overboard, provoking the sharks to follow the ship all the way to the port of destination. Having swam en masse to the coast, the sharks also managed to sample people swimming, and then again swam out to the open sea to feed on fish and squid. This is the truth of life.
Underwater macro abstraction
Since ancient times, the study of coral polyps , I still love the unique macro textures of sea animals that reflect their anatomical features. For example, surface starfish Nectria Ocellata is a remarkable pattern consisting of dozens of calcareous bodies, each of which, like an independent fungus on a stalk, slightly rises above the collagen tissue of the skeleton.
Stars belong to the phylum echinoderms, and these plates are peculiar spines, only in sea urchins they are more obvious, and in stars they are smoothed and often look like mini spines, plates, rods, etc. Tell me, who besides nature can create such a harmonious, symmetrical palette?
Underwater coral rose
Beautiful Colony coral Montipora Tuberculosa resembling a rose flower (viewed vertically from top to bottom). If we assume that the colony grows by 2-3 mm per month, then the formation of such a flower requires many years of painstaking work of coral polyps.
Various species of Montipora are found everywhere and are often called Lettuce Coral (lettuce) or Cabbage Coral (cabbage), extensive colonies on the walls of channels almost always form an excellent refuge for small fish and such areas of the reef are called fish apartments.
Manta Parade
Of the more than 1,100 Maldives islands, as well as countless banks and lagoons, you should definitely pay attention to the place famous throughout the diving world - Hanifaru Lagoon. This micro-atoll, located on the northwestern border of the larger Baa Atoll, has gained popularity due to its unique geological structure.
Under certain circumstances, namely at the height of the southeast monsoon (July-November) and during a special phase of the moon, this lagoon turns into a huge plankton trap and attracts dozens of manta rays feast in its waters. The point is that the current enters a narrow channel on the south side of the faro (the Maldivian word for a rounded reef), and since it is a dead end, the water exits through the reef near the surface, and the plankton mostly accumulates, literally forming a cloud.
It is into this channel that numerous manta rays swim; scientists counted up to 200 individuals in a water area of 100–500 meters, as well as another plankton lover - whale sharks, 2-8 individuals on average. A real show opens up for the diver - 20-50 manta rays circling in different trajectories and eating plankton. It’s difficult to see more at once, because... It’s a little unclear, there’s still plankton around. I don’t know any more places in the world where you can most likely photograph 14 manta rays at the same time.
Fire sea urchin
Top view of the shell fiery sea urchin(Fire Urchin or Asthenosoma varium) or they are also called needle-cushion hedgehogs, because. at the tips of the needles they have small pads with potent poison. In this type of hedgehog, these pads are bright blue, but in general the pads can be of all colors of the rainbow.
In addition to spines, the surface contains pedicillariae - flexible skeletal structures ending in tweezers that serve many purposes, for example, to clean the surface or protect the hedgehog. This is why these types of hedgehogs have particularly severe burns, because... The pedicillaria themselves are also equipped with sensitive receptors; they inject poison upon contact and even cling to the enemy.
The most amazing thing is that interesting species of shrimp live on their backs - Coleman’s shrimp (Periclimenes colmani), which are cohabitants of hedgehogs, i.e. They don’t do much harm, but they don’t do any good either. Cooperation is beneficial only for the shrimp; they receive protection, food, transport and many other useful things. Who saw the shrimp in the photo?
Bearded shark eater
The photo shows the only (according to some scientists) documented representative of sharks, who not so long ago, right in front of those same scientists, swallowed another species of shark from his biological order and began to devour it as if nothing had happened.
Turns out, Bearded wobbegong(Tasselled Wobbegong or Eucrossorhinus dasypogon), had long been suspected of regular cannibalism (based on the stomach contents of the studied individuals), but this was the first time he ate a shark on camera. It would not be true to say that other species of sharks do not eat each other at all. Yes, relatives are not included in the regular menu of other sharks, but from time to time shark cannibalism occurs, during the same food rush, when an excited shark grabs everything in sight, or even more exotic intrauterine cannibalism, when more developed shark cubs feed on weaker ones while still in the confined space of a mother shark.
Wobbegongs or carpet sharks are not dangerous for humans (subject to logical precautions); divers can observe them in the waters of Australia, New Zealand, the large island of Papua, and there are even specific Japanese wobbegongs.
Close acquaintance
Funny photo frog fish(Antennarius pictus), illustrating the difference in size between a native inhabitant and a visiting guest in the underwater world. During a regular dive you can find many more such exotic little things than the coveted and not always present large ones. The peculiarity is that it is impossible to see small objects without concentrating on a small area of the reef.
Any reef slope is teeming with hundreds of species of small fish and invertebrates, and swimming 20 meters in a dive can see more than swimming 500 meters along the same slope. One client, who dived for sharks and did not notice anything else, after several dives in my company, became an avid macro diver and even asked me for an underwater magnifying glass as a gift. It’s a matter of the amount of knowledge, the more you know, the more interested you are in the details, details, features of the marine world.
The soft smile of a tough predator
Without unnecessary drama, but for some reason such photos evoke the idea of the last frame. It makes you shiver when you realize that you can find yourself in the water column face to face with an ideal predator, in whose eyes you can read plans to study you in more detail.
This photograph was taken from a special cage where, under the protection of steel bars, a person can tickle his nerves and feel the power of the evolutionary ideal of sea fish. Such dives are practiced in the waters of South Africa, Pacific Mexico, southern Australia and New Zealand, and the Californian coast of the USA.
Arriving for a week, a diver is almost guaranteed to be able to see great white shark(Carcharodon carcharias), and several individuals and more than once, and the most important thing is to do it in a safe way. The impressions of meeting a 3-6 meter giant will remain in your memory for a long time. Who knows whether there will be more such meetings in your life, there are not so many great White sharks - according to rough estimates by scientists, there are only 3,000-4,000 individuals in the entire ocean.
Fighting crab
A curious object, beloved by all photographers - boxing crab(Boxing Crab or Lybia tessellate). A brilliant example to illustrate mutually beneficial cohabitation (mutualism) in the underwater world. Its manifestation consists in the fact that the crab, in the adapted claws of the front pair of legs, tenderly carries two anemones, whose tentacles, strewn with stinging stinging cells, represent a formidable weapon in its weight class (the crab measures 4 cm, the anemone up to 1 cm). As a result, the crab receives a weapon, which it swings and shakes menacingly, like a boxer, and the sea anemone receives enhanced washing and nutrition.
By the way, do not underestimate small sea anemones; their burn is very sensitive even to human skin.
Seawater aquarium
What a unique creation our great ocean is! It is obvious to me that somewhere in an invisible dimension there is a creator of all this splendor: millions of meters of reefs, thousands of species of animals, all of this coexists, self-regulates, changes and continues to strive for the ideal.
A natural aquarium that has existed for hundreds of millions of years, every dive into which should be perceived as an excursion into another world, all these colors, shapes, features, everything leaves an indelible impression. Why it's not ideal gentle reef slope of Bali what's in the picture? Compositionally, I really like the photo - 2/3 shades of reef and 1/3 blue, it’s simple, but that’s how hundreds of dives are remembered in my head.
Underwater macro abstraction 2
Is this photo from the underwater world? Could this be a satellite image of volcanism on the surface of Io, one of Jupiter's moons? You can’t tell right away. In reality, this is a site mantle of a huge tridacna mollusk. They are famous for their incredible colors and patterns on their robes. There are two answers to how these patterns are created and why they are unique to each individual. The simple answer is that the specific coloring is due to colonies of dinophyte algae, whose ability to photosynthesize provides 80% of the tradacna’s nutrition. There are thousands of species of these algae, and depending on which algae have formed colonies on the mantle, the color will be the same.
The answer is complex - of course, algae have a color component and coloring pigments, but in fact, the beautiful tints and shades of the mantle are a play of light. All color patterns and iridescence are the reflection of light by crushed particles inside the mantle, and in fact an optical illusion (like a colored film of gasoline on water or the iridescent surface of a CD). If you move a tridacna from a depth of 5 meters to 15 meters, the pattern is guaranteed to change.
Sea dragons
Who should not be interested in tenderness and attention to future offspring? sea dragons(Weedy Sea Dragon or Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) from the needle fish family. In a supposedly monogamous family relationship (it’s hard to say for sure, because there is not a single scientist who has swum next to the fish for a couple of years), the father is the guarantor of procreation and takes into his own hands the process of bearing eggs.
After changing color, courtship ritual, parallel swimming and other mating dances, the dragonets begin to mate. On the tail of the male there is a special surface where the female lays about 100 bright pink eggs, and after fertilization of the clutch he continues to carry them for a month and a half. During this period, he is very cautious and hides more in algae thickets than swims, so it is much more difficult to photograph him. When born, small dragons are completely independent, immediately begin to swim and actively feed, and one in ten survives to adulthood.
Every meeting contains a surprise: trigger
I admire the courage of the photographer who shoots with a wide angle across the entire frame Bluefin ballistode(Titan Triggerfish or Balistoides viridescens) is a titan among its fish family. They are slightly larger than an A4 sheet, but there are also stockier specimens over half a meter. They have a very specific reputation; they are unpredictable, fearless and biting.
Particular aggravations occur in them at the time of reproduction, when the fish cares for the eggs on the sandy bottom. The conditional nest is easy to notice by its special shape in the form of a circle with a pile of coral chips in the center. The trigger does not move away from this zone and swims around it, turning its muzzle towards the bottom. The security zone includes both a horizontal plane and a vertical one, as if rising upward with a cylinder, i.e. if you are in the water above the nest, you will be considered a trespasser.
The triggerfish does not stand on ceremony with unwitting victims; it usually lies on its side, protrudes its dorsal spine, fills its eye with blood and, like Fedor Emelianenko (a fighter so great, who knows), with acceleration, boldly rushes at any opponent, regardless of size. When it just scares you for the first time, when it pokes you in the side with its muzzle, and when it bites on a protruding object, it depends on your luck. In the memory of any experienced diver there is a lot of evidence in the form of bitten fins, suits, slates or boxing with a trigger underwater.
The most outstanding case in my memory happened to my colleague Alain, an instructor from the Philippines. During a drift dive in a channel with a sandy bottom, the trigger bit off a piece of his ear. Since then, Alain has been covering his ear with a flesh-colored plaster, similar to how someone puts it on a finger.
Aliens are already here, only they are small
Gorgeous shot of an unusual representative of crustaceans - sea goat(Skeleton Shrimp or presumably Caprella Penantis). They are difficult to identify due to their extremely small size; many divers have never seen them at all. Goats usually sit attached to algae, hydroids or sponges. They are on average 1-3 cm in length and translucent in appearance.
Sea goats have an interesting structure in the form of an oblong body, on one end of which there is a head with eyes and antennae, and on the second, an abdominal section with legs with which the crustacean is attached to the surface. A disproportionately long and mobile thoracic region with numerous, so to speak, arms, among which 2 main arms with massive grasping apparatuses covered with hairs, spines and bristles stand out. They feed on various small things, floating algae, plankton, detritus, although if they were five meters in size, then, I think, there would be nothing worse under water; they would definitely feed on divers.
A line of gray reef sharks
There are places where you can meet one shark in a week of diving, and local dive guides will tell you that you are lucky. We have to explain that creating the conditions for a shark oasis is not difficult, you just need to, at a minimum, not catch them and not sell their fins to the Chinese.
A photo from diving in the South Channel of Fakarava Atoll, in French Polynesia, clearly shows what quantities gray reef sharks can gather at the moment of a favorable current in a compact area of the reef. A couple hundred, that's for sure. Throughout the dive, they swim past in an endless line, looking at the divers with interest. The photo frame limits the coverage area, but even inside it you can count 28 (who is more?) gray reef sharks. The waters of the atoll are part of a biosphere reserve and are considered one of the best places in the world for diving - Fakarava Atoll, South Pass dive site.
Filipino fishermen's best friends
There is a small region in the Philippines called Oslob, located on the southeastern coast of the island of Cebu. It is curious because its population recently radically changed its economic activity. Previously, locals increasingly fished in the surrounding waters, but now, due to an unusual incident, they have become apologists for tourism.
The point is that this stretch of coastline has been visited for many decades whale sharks(Whale Shark or Rhincodon typus), but only since September 2011 fishermen realized that sharks need to be fed and then they will swim more willingly, and even if locals are willing to pay a dollar to see sharks, then foreign guests will pay the full twenty. Now, putting aside the nonsense, the donk and the jig, and armed with the sign “I’ll take you to see the shark. Inexpensive” they attract visiting tourists, who are becoming more and more numerous. The most resourceful fishermen have become village managers, organizing a team of boatmen and coordinating visits from hotels and resorts.
The place is unique in that, unlike natural shark aggregations, which, as a rule, occur seasonally in water areas saturated with plankton (and therefore muddy - 5-10 meters visibility), here sharks are fed from a boat from a bag, and those who wish can observe and photograph sharks in clear water (15-30 meters), which leaves the best impressions and allows you to take good shots.
On average, individuals are about 2-6 meters. By the way, they are fed with young shrimp, which are lured to the light and scooped out of the sea with nets the night before, then packed into bags and stored in ice until the morning. In my opinion, this is a completely natural breakfast and lunch, and during the night and evening the shark itself eats something in the depths of the sea and balances its diet.
Macro photography sea anemone tentacle(Bulb-tentacle Sea Anemone or Entacmaea quadricolor) with a tip-swelling effect that amusingly changes shape, giving the tips a bulbous or pear-like shape with a process of varying curvature and shape.
The question of why in the same species swellings sometimes appear on the tips of the tentacles and sometimes disappear remains open. There are opinions that this is due to the amount of light on a particular day or to the feeding regime of the sea anemone, but I prefer the more logical version, which is not without support in the world and is especially advocated by aquarists: if the sea anemone has swelling on its tentacles, then a fish already lives in it - clown, i.e. she's busy. Other clown fish clearly see this signal and do not claim housing, because... The symbiotic resources of sea anemones are also not unlimited. Pay attention to this the next time you dive.
Beautiful, but not tasty
The photo shows a bright and typical owner of a frightening color - nudibranch Hypselodoris infucata- one of more than 3,000 species of nudibranchs represented in the world's oceans. If on land a fruit becomes more beautiful and attractive at the moment of ripening, provoking a desire to eat it, then in the sea the nudibranchs are the opposite: the brighter and more beautiful it is, the more poisonous and unpleasant it tastes. In fact, even in places on the coast where Asians ate all the seafood, including the smallest thing, there are a lot of nudibranchs and they are the main attraction for divers, for example, Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam or the Anilao area in the Philippines and others.
The vitality of mollusks stems from the ability to accumulate toxic chemical components of food and metabolism in the body and, if necessary, release them through special glands. Some of these bright markings and multi-colored dots on the mantle represent these glands. If you disturb a mollusk, you can see something subtle, whitish and cloudy begin to ooze from it - this is a powerful repellent compound. However, if we assume that this is the only defense mechanism, then many nudibranchs would have been eaten by fish long ago.
They are eaten, but they are “washed” before eating. I observed this process and it is also described in the literature. The point is that the fish sucks the nudibranch into its mouth, starting the process of releasing toxins, and then immediately spits it out along with the water. She repeats this 20 times - and that’s it, the dish is ready. The supply of toxic chemicals is not endless and the mollusk simply releases most of them into the water.
Cute American sea cows
An excellent photo of a family idyll - mother and baby, our distant relatives, marine mammals Manatees(Trichechus manatus). Such encounters can be brought to life if you visit the American state of Florida, where about 5,000 manatees live on its coast. Since they feel equally at home in sea and fresh water, they often swim into rivers and canals and can move tens of kilometers inland.
The best time to view manatees is in October-March, when they are more willing to migrate from the cool sea to warmer rivers and bays fed by underground springs. Iconic place - Crystal River, Three Sister Springs. There, in a water area of a couple of square kilometers, hundreds of manatees gather. This is the largest local accumulation of these animals on the planet. Many people wonder why such a populated state as Florida is full of unafraid manatees? The answer is quite obvious - for harming an animal they can get up to 3 years in prison, and there are no people willing to shoot at manatees instead of beer cans.
Green-eyed tanguero
Curious reef inhabitant - (Dancing Durban Shrimp or Rhynchocinetes durbanensis). They live in hundreds on reefs and are especially easy to spot at night, when their eyes reflect the light of a flashlight and literally shine back from the reef wall like spotlights.
Wonderful natural pattern. At first it may seem that this is a still frame from a creative advertising video about bonduelle corn or something like that, but in fact it is surface area of a starfish, facing towards the bottom, and the yellow round pieces are its legs.
Stars are the champions of various textures, and unlike the coloring of fish or others, stars have three-dimensional plots. This star is called Culcita New Guinea(Pin-Cushion Star or Culcita novaeguineae). In this type of star, the legs do not have suction cups, but they have special glands, and when the star needs to climb an inclined surface, they secrete an adhesive substance, thereby improving traction.
At a lower magnification, you can see the strict five-ray symmetry of the oral side of the star, and in the center, accordingly, its mouth. The color scheme is from another star of the same species, they can be of different colors, from red to green:
But this is what Kultsita looks like under water, if you don’t turn it over - it’s almost like it’s not a star at all, but some kind of pin cushion from Ikea. That's what they call her - pincushion star. Interestingly, when she is young, she is flat and swells with age. Previously, scientists even confused and classified juveniles as different species, but then they realized what was going on:
Is it good or bad for the ocean when ships are artificially sunk in it? The photo clearly shows that any hard surface, over years of being in water, turns into a basis for marine life. In fact, in the sea there is a noticeable shortage of solid surfaces on which life could anchor.
If you take a large bay, in the center of which there is a sandy desert, and flood an object there, then after a few years small invertebrates, such as sponges, corals, ascidians, will settle on it, then mollusks and shrimp will settle, and only then smaller fish will come, and then larger fish. There will be such an oasis in the desert, which arose only thanks to the introduction of a solid surface.
The photo shows that the ship has been lying there for more than 10 years and is literally covered with a bright carpet of marine life, the metal is no longer visible, and large perches, like the owners of the oasis, patrol along the sides. Even car tires grow overgrown and become home to marine life. In Russia, there is no question of intentional flooding; everything itself sinks periodically.
The main point in sinking a ship is preparation, for example, the removal of the same petroleum products, because the fuel will cause more one-time harm than the potential release in the future. If the ship is going to be dived as a tourist attraction, then positioning is also important. If it sank upside down, then it is less expressive, so the question of how to explode in the correct way, ensuring consistent filling with water, comes to the fore. People's work is interesting.
We had a big report about artificial reefs.
Hollywood smile
Interesting photo of a bright reef parrotfish(Queen parrotfish or Scarus vetula) with an emphasis on the powerful jaw apparatus, reminiscent of the forked beak of a parrot. The fish feeds mainly on algae that inhabit coral colonies; it literally scrapes off layers of polyps from flat corals, and also crunches, biting off shelves of branched corals. Over the course of a year, one fish grinds about 150 kg of coral, forming the most delicate and pleasant tropical sand.
However, not many people know how to take such a photo, because the nimble fish does not like excessive attention. The secret is that this is night photography. At night, parrotfish sleep in a funny way, lying upright on the reef. Anyone who dived at night could see parrots lying in a coma, surrounded by some strange transparent mucus. This is their sleeping bag, like a cocoon for protection. Before going to sleep, the parrot secretes mucus through its mouth and it envelops it, making it less vulnerable to predators who rely on vision last.
The depths of the sea are full of amazing secrets and they are inhabited by no less amazing living creatures, which will be discussed today. The largest animal on the planet that lives in the ocean is the whale. Despite the fact that he himself is huge, his throat is very small, and his mouth is blocked by horny plates with fringe along the edges, which is also called whalebone. This whalebone is intended for straining food. And the whale feeds like this: taking sea water into its mouth, it filters it through the whalebone, as if through a huge sieve.
The water is filtered and poured out, and small animals - crustaceans and fish - remain inside the throat. And although they are not fish, they are large sea animals. Female whales feed their little cubs with milk and whales breathe air, like earthly animals.
And there are also toothed whales, which... They do not have whalebone, but they do have huge and sharp teeth in their mouths. The sperm whale will dive deep into the sea and grab a squid with these teeth.
Octopuses are very strange animals. They are called cephalopods because their legs grow directly from their heads. Although these legs are more like tentacle arms with powerful suction cups with which it grabs prey. The octopus has eight such tentacles. If it touches the fish with its suction cups, it will stick tightly to the tentacle. The octopus can move very quickly, since it has its own natural jet engine. The octopus will take water into its water bag and push it out with tremendous force, moving in the opposite direction.
The swordfish gets its name from its sharp, bony nose that actually resembles a sword. The swordfish quickly bursts into the very thick of the school of fish and begins to strike prey left and right with its swordtail. The blow of her sword is so strong that it can pierce a fishing boat.
All sorts of animals live in the sea-ocean. There are even sea horses. The seahorse constantly blends in with its environment so that it cannot be detected.
And the sea rooster, despite its name, does not know how to crow, it only cracks loudly, as if. But it is painted so brightly that it will give odds to any earthly rooster.
We only met a small number of amazing fish living in the depths of the ocean. In fact, the variety of living things in the ocean is as huge as the ocean itself. And ocean scientists are still discovering more and more new species of marine life.
The underwater world of the oceans is hidden from our view. Only an inquisitive and trained person can dive and enjoy the bright colors and grandeur. Diving reveals to us a beauty that can captivate any imagination. Underwater, a scuba diver gets acquainted with the life of fish, swims among corals, delves into mystical caves and finds. The underwater kingdom of each of the four oceans has its own flavor, and I really want to introduce you to it better.
Pacific Ocean
Diving into the waters of the Pacific Ocean promises many unforgettable experiences. This is the largest body of water on our planet, and there are more than 100 thousand species of underwater inhabitants.
The largest representative of these waters is the gray whale Rigel. The weight of this beauty is about 35 tons. Habitat: lower layers of water. From time to time, huge whales surface in shallow bays, usually during breeding season.
The underwater world of the oceans is inhabited not only by peaceful inhabitants, but also by predators. For example, in the Pacific Ocean lives an unusual one. Many divers, having spotted a predator with an original color, try to take a photo with it. But this could end badly. In a calm state, a leopard shark will not attack, but if a diver is injured on sharp coral or rock, it will react to the smell of blood. The maximum length of such a shark is a little more than two meters, weight - 20 kg. Small representatives of this species often end up in aquariums or private aquariums of wealthy people.
In the Pacific Ocean you can find snakes, stone fish, mollusks, and sea urchins. All of these representatives secrete a paralyzing poison, and communication with them can be dangerous for a scuba diver.
In these waters there are many small fish swimming in silvery or colorful schools. Watching their movements is especially interesting. Valuable salmon fish, fur seals and many other representatives are also found here.
Atlantic Ocean
The underwater world of the oceans is interesting to observe in the Atlantic. The second largest body of water on Earth is divided into two parts by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Many fish and mammals live here. An unusual sight is represented by flocks of huge flying crayfish, sea wolf and many other inhabitants.
The underwater kingdom of the Atlantic has surprised scientists many times with previously unknown species of fish, worms and jellyfish. Extreme divers can dive to sunken ships, visit the Bermuda Triangle and tickle their nerves while hiding from predatory sharks.
Indian Ocean
Diving into the waters of the Indian Ocean is like a fairy tale. The riot of colors and diversity of living creatures is breathtaking. The warm waters of the reservoir are home to the brightest inhabitants of the World Ocean. Here you can find giant coral octopuses, sea beauties and colorful sea worms.
The unique conditions of the Indian Ocean make its fauna very interesting to observe. Many species of fish and shellfish, representing the underwater world of the oceans, live only here and are not able to survive in other latitudes. However, we must not forget about the dangers lurking in the underwater kingdom.
Arctic Ocean
This body of water is considered the smallest of all oceans. Its waters are harsh and restless, but even here there is its own underwater world. Don't expect much variety, the main local inhabitants are phytoplankton, kelp, various jellyfish and some species of large and small fish. In addition, whales can be found here.
The giant mussel and the world's largest jellyfish, the cyanea, look very unusual.
Dangerous inhabitants of the depths
When talking about danger, almost everyone imagines huge predatory sharks. The deep sea shark is very dangerous to humans. And you must follow certain rules so as not to become its prey. Scientists know more than 350 species of sharks, but this figure is not final, since unknown representatives continue to come into their field of view. Various species of dangerous predators live in the waters of all oceans. The following species can attack humans:
- White shark;
- fox;
- hammerhead fish;
- sandy;
- brindle;
- gray nanny and others.
It must be borne in mind that any shark whose size exceeds 1 meter can be potentially dangerous.
Predatory moray eels, large sea bass, and so on are considered very dangerous. It is better for a person not to get in their way.
Barracuda is called the ocean pike. This predator is found in subtropical and tropical waters. The fish hunts in schools, very quickly, attacks unexpectedly and quickly disappears. The speed of a barracuda during hunting can reach 60 km/h.
One of the predators that can attack a person is the moray eel. This fish waits in ambush and attacks prey that finds itself in its territory. And given the size of the predator (some individuals have a body length of more than three meters), the damage can be very serious.
Small fish can also pose a danger. Nature has provided them with poisonous spines, fins and growths for protection.
The unusual, bewitching beauty of the underwater kingdom cannot but attract attention. But no matter how hard a person tries, he will never be able to unravel all the mysteries and study this world completely.
Everything inaccessible enchants. And what could be further from a person than the ocean floor? Sea creatures are so different from terrestrial creatures. I really want to know more about them. What do they eat? How do they live and protect themselves? There is so much that I really want to know.
Looking at the surface of the water, it is difficult to imagine the diversity of life that lurks below. But these are not only animals, fish and plants. The basis of the marine food chain is plankton.
What is plankton?
The entire world of marine animals would cease to exist without him. Plankton are microscopic creatures that are invisible to the naked eye. Their design does not allow them to move arbitrarily in the water. The position of this creature depends on the current, they are not able to resist it.
There are two types of plankton in nature:
- zooplankton, which is formed from living organisms;
- phytoplankton are special marine plants.
The latter gives the water a slightly green tint. There is so much plankton in the water that in one liter of it millions of these creatures are found. Moreover, they not only serve as food that all marine life eats, but also participate in the restoration of oxygen in the water.
Transparent antiquity, or Why the jellyfish is interesting
These inhabitants of the deep sea consist of 90 percent water. Moreover, jellyfish appeared on Earth so long ago that their distant ancestors witnessed the life of dinosaurs.
Some species of these animals have poison that can cause a burn on the skin of a person or even kill. For example, the box jellyfish is extremely dangerous. It kills as many people a year as do not die from all other inhabitants of the seas and oceans. The bite of this jellyfish kills in three minutes, and it moves at a speed of 2 m/s. It is difficult to escape from it, and surviving a bite is almost impossible.
The range of sizes of these creatures of different species is striking. The smallest of them are the size of a pinhead, while the largest have a dome with a diameter of two and a half meters, and their tentacles grow up to fifty meters.
Since jellyfish mostly die after reproduction, their life span is very short. Very rare specimens live in nature for more than two years. Most often they are given only a few months. In captivity, these marine inhabitants can live for quite a long time.
Boneless Giant - Octopus
These sea creatures are very interesting for children due to their unusual structure. After all, octopuses have tentacles instead of legs, and they have no bones at all. Thanks to the latter fact, this creature can easily squeeze into a tiny hole, the diameter of which is only one centimeter.
Here are some interesting facts about sea creatures - octopuses:
- the blood of these creatures is blue;
- they have three hearts at once;
- octopuses are deaf;
- they can separate any part of the body, which will then grow back;
- octopuses easily change their color to adapt to their environment;
- they turn completely white with fear;
- in order to confuse the pursuer, these animals throw out a cloud of ink.
Some types of octopuses are extremely poisonous. For example, the blue-ringed one, which has a diameter of about 3-4 cm and weighs only 100 g. Its bite stops swallowing after 5 minutes. And after 30 minutes the person suffocates. Moreover, there is no effective antidote yet. The only way to save a person is to perform artificial ventilation until the poison stops working.
Wonderful cetaceans
These inhabitants of the deep sea are mammals. Even though their bodies are quite similar to those of fish, they are still very different. The main difference is in the way of breathing. Marine fish breathe air dissolved in water. Cetaceans lack this ability. They need to breathe air from the atmosphere. For this purpose, they are forced to float to the surface. There they inhale and exhale. The latter is visible as a fountain of air with a small amount of water.
These mammals give birth to their young in water. Therefore, immediately after birth, the mother pushes to the surface for the first breath.
The largest marine mammals are blue whales. By the way, they are the largest animals on Earth. The dolphin is the smallest of the cetaceans.
A little about different types of whales
Blue whales are already born giants. Their length reaches 8 meters, and they weigh about 3 tons. The largest female of this whale that was caught weighed 190 tons.
Most cetacean species prefer the sea. The exception is humpback whale, which lives near the coast. There are cases when these animals were spotted in bays and rivers. These sea creatures love to perform acrobatic stunts. They emerge from the water and dance gracefully.
These species of whales do not have teeth. Instead, the mouth is filled with horny plates called baleen. Through them, mammals filter plankton, which they feed on.
Such sea predators as sperm whale, feed on cephalopods and fish. They are wonderful divers. They can dive for squid to depths of up to two kilometers. While searching for prey, sperm whales are capable of not breathing for about two hours.
Another carnivorous mammal - killer whale. She has proven herself to be a brutal killer. But there are no documented facts about attacks on people.
Amazing whale narwhal differs from all others in having a long straight tooth. Despite their menacing appearance, they are very friendly.
The most famous cetaceans are dolphins. They are incredibly smart and quick-witted. They are easy to tame and train. By the way, they have a well-developed vocal apparatus and produce a large number of different sounds.
Unusual fish
The names of sea creatures such as: moon fish, needlefish, flounder and swordfish. The first of them floats near the surface of the sea. This makes its fin visible above the water. From a distance it looks like a shark fin. However, it is completely harmless.
Needlefish has a unique way of hunting. She hides behind other fish and approaches the prey. At the right moment, she instantly sucks the poor thing into her mouth.
Angler invented his own style of hunting. This predator shakes its antenna with a growth that resembles a worm in appearance. The fish “bite” at him, and he eats them.
A flying fish invented a way to escape from enemies. She learned to glide over the sea. This is facilitated by its well-developed lateral fins.
Fish with eyes on one side
Flounders can have eyes only on the right or left side of the body. It all depends on the species. These marine fish are unique in that their eggs do not contain fat. This causes the eggs of most flounder species to float near the surface.
These fish do not like deep water. They live mainly near the coast. Rare individuals swim to depths of more than one kilometer.
Interestingly, flounder species are differentiated by mouth size. They can be largemouth or smallmouth. The first of them are predators, whose mouth is symmetrical and “equipped” with teeth on the sighted and blind sides of the body. Examples of such fish are halibut and flounder. They feed mainly on worms and small fish, mollusks and crustaceans, as well as brittle stars.
Warlike Swordfish
This name arose due to the unusual xiphoid process, which is located on its upper jaw. This is not the only feature. Swordfish have no scales. All this, as well as a sickle-shaped tail and a special shape of fins, allows it to be the fastest creature on Earth. Swordfish can swim for a long time at a speed of about 130 km/h.
For such speeds you need space. Therefore, it can only be found in the open ocean.
Swordfish fry feed on plankton. But after they grow to 2 cm, they begin to hunt. Their prey is small fish. At the same time, they begin to develop a sword-shaped appendage. The fry grow very quickly, and after a year their length is about 50 cm.
The predator feeds on everything that comes in its way. And the size of the prey doesn't matter. With her sword she strikes the sea dweller. There are known facts that pieces of shark bodies were found in the stomachs of caught fish.
A little about predators living in the seas
The most famous sea predators are sharks. They were able to survive the dinosaurs. Their sizes depend on the species. The largest of them reach 10-12 meters. Moreover, not all types of sharks are predators. There are some that feed on plankton. Sharks move very quickly due to their streamlined body shape. Unlike fish, they lay eggs, not eggs. These eggs may be attached to the bottom or algae. And some species of sharks carry eggs inside themselves. Shark eggs hatch completely viable.
Prominent representatives of this family: brindle and gray shark. The first one is painted in a very original way. So much so that it resembles a tiger. She doesn't swim far from the coastline. Its diet consists of fish and crustaceans, birds and small mammals.
Gray shark also does not swim far into the sea. She looks for fish and crustaceans in the shallows. It does not purposefully attack people. But a person running in panic can be mistaken for a victim.
Other unusual predators - stingrays. Their bodies are strongly flattened and resemble a scarf. When the stingray lies on the bottom, it is perfectly camouflaged. His swimming style resembles flying in the water column. Some species of stingrays are poisonous. They have a spike on their back that releases a poisonous substance. And their mouth is on their belly. Moreover, it is equipped with a large number of sharp teeth.
Leopard seal is a formidable and dangerous predator. This seal got its name because of its color, similar to the spots of a leopard. It feeds on penguins and other warm-blooded animals of the Antarctic. But the leopard seal does not mind picking up carrion or feasting on squid or fish.
Amazing facts about sharks
Only the facts are listed here. There is so much made up about marine life that we need to get more reliable information.
- These creatures are excellent at recognizing odors. Blood has a special place in this. They feel it even at very low concentrations.
- If the victim does not smell of blood, then the shark perceives its movement. To do this, it has a lateral line, consisting of cells sensitive to vibrations.
- Baby sharks are born with a large number of teeth and can immediately begin to get their own food.
- By the way, about teeth. In sharks they are attached to the gums, not the jaws. Moreover, they form from 4 to 6 rows. Her teeth grow throughout her life, moving forward to replace the lost ones.
- The force of pressure of each tooth of a white shark is the same as if a load of 3 tons pressed 1 cm 2.
- These gluttons eat everything. Moreover, even inedible things are found in their stomachs. But this is not the most surprising thing. A shark can hold food in its stomach without digesting it for several weeks.
- The entire skeleton of a shark is made of cartilage. There is not a single bone in it.
- This sea creature does not have a swim bladder. This feature forces the shark to constantly move so as not to drown.
Enchanting reefs
Corals are formed from small animals. Although many believe that these are marine plants. Coral reefs are home to many animals and plants. This is due to the calm sea inside them. In addition, they have a lot of light and warmth. The inside of the reef is teeming with life, while the outside is empty and bottomless.
The largest coral has a length of more than two thousand kilometers. It is located off the coast of Australia.
Underwater volcanoes sometimes rise to the surface of the ocean. Regularly shaped coral reefs can form around such craters. They form coral islands called atolls.
