The blue planet Earth is called by chance. Under the water column there are 30 thousand species of creatures that breathe through the gills, surprising with a variety of structures, shapes and colors.
Among them are tiny 12-millimeter bull-calves, and the real giants - the largest fish in the world.
Fifth place - Beluga
In 1922, a giant female beluga was caught in the Caspian Sea. Her weight was 1,224 kg, of which 146.5 kg were caviar. The impressive dimensions reaching 5.5 m and weight from 400 to 1,500 kg make this representative of the sturgeon family one of the largest underwater inhabitants. The Tsar fish transfers both salt and fresh water - its range affects the Caspian, Azov, Black Seas and the rivers flowing into them: the Dnieper, Dniester, Don and Volga.
Huge creatures with a crest of bone shields on their backs and with a sharp nose have been inhabiting the water spaces of the planet for 200 million years. Among the neighbors in the hydrosphere, the relic beluga is listed as a long-liver, unlike other sturgeons, it does not die after spawning. Under favorable conditions the age of the king fish reaches 100 years. However, poachers hunting for valuable caviar prevent her from reaching venerable old age, as well as the construction of dams and hydroelectric power stations. These circumstances caused the giant to be listed in the Red Book.
Fourth Place - Herring King
The silver giant got its name due to the red radiant formation on the head resembling a crown. Fish cuts the ocean in the company of herring. It serves as the main course of the menu of an amazing creation.For the tape-shaped serpentine body, dthe length of which reaches 6 meters, weight - 250 kgand the width is only 6 cm, the creature is called a fish belt. The amazing creature does not have a swimming bladder - it moves through the undulating (wavy) movements of the dorsal fin. The fish moves vertically, tail down.
The first description of the herring king appeared in 1771. Until now, ichthyologists attribute it to the least studied inhabitants of the deep sea. A fish with a body devoid of scales and covered with tiny bone bumps lives in warm ocean waters at a depth of 50-200 meters, which greatly complicates the study of the species.
Third place - White shark
This fish bears the title of not only one of the largest fish, but also the most dangerous predator of the planet. Nature has gifted the creature the length of the streamlined body is 4-6 meters, and the weight is up to 2 tons, the talents of the perfect killer. The queen of the seas and oceans moves at a speed of 40 km / h, perfectly disguises herself on a rocky bottom and sees objects 15 meters away. But the white shark is not limited to these skills.
The sea hunter is endowed with a sixth sense - electroreception - the ability to perceive electrical signals emanating from living beings. The fish received a dangerous gift thanks to sensitive sensory organs - Lorenzini ampoules located in the jaw, eyes and snout. Ichthyologists describe them as microscopic channels from which nerve endings branch. With the help of these "locators" sharks respond to the slightest fluctuations in water and able to determine the impulses of the body of the victim, located 5 km from the hunter.
Second Place - Giant Shark
The habitat of the giant shark is the temperate waters of the oceans. Unlike its aggressive white fellow, this fish is not a predator. Her menu leaves plankton. In search of food, titanium furrows the sea, without closing the huge mouth, into which an adult could easily fit. A harmless monster passes up to 2 thousand cubic meters of water through a wide-open mouth and an awesome-looking gill slit. Filtered living microorganisms enter the stomach directly.
Massive friable body 9-12 m long and 3-4 tons in weight - not all the advantages of a giant shark. This representative subclass of lamellum has a volumetric liver, comprising 25% of body weight. The organ of the digestive system of fish includes 60% fat with a high content of squalene - a hydrocarbon that reduces specific gravity and gives the huge creature neutral buoyancy.
The biggest fish in the world
The palm among the largest fish belongs to the whale shark. Though the length of the whale shark ranges from 10 to 13 meters, and the mass - from 12 to 16 tons, this inhabitant of tropical ocean waters for a long time went unnoticed by ichthyologists. His first official description appeared in 1828. The huge creature has a unique appearance: a torpedo-shaped bluish-gray torso is crowned by a large flattened head. The transverse mouth is in the center of the muzzle.
The mouth of the shark is equipped with small teeth located in 300-350 rows. However, well-equipped jaws do not pose any danger to either fish or humans. Bloodthirsty is alien to slow giants - they consume only plankton and krill. An important role in nutrition is played by gill slots in the form of a strainer that filters food. The giant eats a lot and for a long time - feeding takes 6-7 hours.
The hydrosphere of the planet hides many secrets. In the depths of the seas and rivers, giant fish often lurk, larger than land mammals. And who knows, maybe a 30-meter gigantic creature still lives in the ocean abyss - the prehistoric underwater monster megalodon.
