Rubric: Animals of the Indian Ocean. Organic world of the Indian Ocean

Flora and fauna of the Indian Ocean, which runs through the tropical and southern belts, is varied. This formidable and colorful world has long attracted the attention of both travelers and experienced explorers.

This amazing region features four climatic zones. The first is characterized monsoon climate and cyclones along the coasts. In the second zone, southeasterly winds frolic from early June to mid-September, the third zone is located in cozy subtropical latitudes, and between Antarctica and forty-five degrees south latitude there is a fourth zone with a fairly severe climate and strong winds. Two biogeographic regions stand out here - temperate and tropical. And today we will get acquainted with the inhabitants of the Indian Ocean, with the unique living organisms that inhabit these tropical waters.

soft corals

Inhabitants of the Indian Ocean: flora and fauna

The tropical region of the Indian Ocean is a true paradise for plankton. Here they "live":

• trichodesmium (unicellular algae);
• posidonia (sea grass, related to higher plants).

Sea grass Posidonia (Posidonia)

AT coastal zones ah, a luxurious phytocenosis is formed thanks to the mango thickets typical of these places.

The fauna of the Indian Ocean is surprisingly rich. Here you can find a huge variety:

• bizarre shellfish;
• crustaceans;
• lime sponges;
• silicon sponges.

Sponges

The fauna of the Indian Ocean is represented by a considerable number of commercial species that are worth their weight in gold all over the world. These are nutritious lobsters, and frequent "guests" of shrimp feasts. Crustaceans mainly live in the region of Australia, Asia and Africa. If we talk about shellfish, then here you can meet such colorful characters as cuttlefish and mysterious squids.

Cuttlefish (lat. Sepiida)

Among the inhabitants of the shelf zone you can find such fish as:

1. mackerel;
2. sardinella;
3. horse mackerel;
4. rock perch;
5. reef perch;
6. anchovy.

Coral harrupe (Cephalopholis miniata)

Tropical waters do not just attract the attention of both professional explorers and fans of spearfishing and adventurers. It is here that you can meet terrible sea snakes, bizarre, as if descended from old engravings. marine fish as well as sea turtles.

The mysterious swordfish, famous for its unpredictability and excellent predatory instincts, also lives here. The architecture of this fabulous corner is made up of luxurious, antique-like reef structures and no less beautiful coral polyps.

Shark hunts a seal

Inhabitants of the temperate zone of the Indian Ocean

The flora and fauna of the Indian Ocean in the temperate zone is represented by a huge number marine plants and animals that are of great interest to both eminent scientists and those who are interested in nature. For the most part, brown and red algae from the groups of kelp and fucus grow here.

Among the inhabitants of the Indian Ocean you can meet genuine titans water world, such as:

• blue whale;
• toothless whale;
• dugong;
• sea ​​Elephant;
• seal.

Dugoon (lat. Dugong dugon)

on the Indian Ocean is very rich in various representatives of cetaceans. This diversity is due to one simple reason: the vertical mixing of water masses is so violent that a real paradise is created for plankton, which is the main food for toothless and mighty blue whales.

Blue whale (lat. Balaenoptera musculus)

These waters have become a haven for such unique organisms as:

• peridinea;
• ctenophores

Giant jellyfish "Black sea nettle" -. Chrysaora fuscescens

Ominous physalia also live here, their poison, according to some sources, is similar to that of a cobra. Should an unlucky underwater hunter encounter these unique creatures, appearance which resembles an alien ship, as a fatal outcome is not excluded.

Speaking about the flora and fauna of the Indian Ocean, it should be noted that organic existence is very unevenly distributed here. If the productivity of the coastal waters of the Arabian and Red Seas is quite high, then in southern hemisphere there is a phenomenon that scientists call the "ocean desert".

Sea turtle accompanied by surgeon fish

Mysterious Indian Ocean

In addition to sharks, poisonous moray eels live here, the bite of which is not much different in strength from the bite of a trained bulldog, sharp-toothed barracudas, jellyfish, and killer whales, known as “killer whales” thanks to American cinema.

The underwater world of the Indian Ocean is so diverse and interesting that it never ceases to amaze and surprise. The inhabitants of the Indian Ocean are able to amaze the imagination of even the most sophisticated researchers, rare, unexplored and even truly creepy specimens. And if you are interested undersea world, then this world will definitely not disappoint you if you go to conquer the unexplored depths of these mysterious places.

Manta, or giant sea devil (lat. Manta birostris)

In this article, we touched a little on the incomprehensible beauty and diversity of the flora and fauna of the Indian Ocean, but it is better, as they say, to see once than to hear 100, and in our case, to read.

And in more detail with the amazing inhabitants of this ocean, you will be introduced to these articles:

The Indian Ocean is located between four continents - Eurasia (the Asian part of the continent) in the north, Antarctica in the south, Africa in the west and east with Australia and a group of islands and archipelagos located between the Indochinese Peninsula and Australia.

The position of most of the Indian Ocean in the zone from tropical to temperate latitudes creates favorable climatic and hydrological conditions for the development of a diverse organic world here. The ocean as a whole is characterized by low bioproductivity - 35-40 kg / km 2.

In the Indian Ocean, two biogeographic regions are distinguished - tropical and temperate. The tropical region is characterized by an exceptional abundance of plankton. The "flowering" of the unicellular alga Trichodesmium is especially abundant. During the period of mass development, this alga acquires a red tint. Some blue-green algae belong to the group of drilling algae. They are so small that they are barely visible to the naked eye. Boring algae secrete caustic acids that dissolve lime. They settle on limestone surfaces: on rocks, stones, shells of mollusks and worm houses, turning a dense network of thin channels into them. Such algae live at different depths, up to 40 m from the sea surface. They can live on coastal rocks in the surf, where they are content with splashing waves. Drilling also includes certain types of green algae.

The calcareous algae of lithotamnia and chalimed also flourish, which, together with corals, participate in the construction of reef structures. In the process of activity of rift-forming organisms, coral platforms are created, sometimes reaching a width of several kilometers. The methods of lime extraction are different: in the biochemical method, due to the vital activity of organisms, the pH of the surrounding water changes and lime precipitates in the form of chemical. sediment outside the cells (blue-green algae, stromatolites and oncolites). With the physiological method, the body absorbs a solution of lime in one part of the thallus and releases a hard calcareous cover on the surface of the thallus in others (siphon, some blue-green algae and vegetative parts of charophytes). When org. way algae deposits lime inside the cell, often in conjunction with org. substance (crimson algae, coccolithophorides and fruiting organs in characeae). As a result of the vital activity of lime-producing algae and the accumulation of their solid mineral residues, powerful calcareous deposits are formed, known from the Proterozoic.

Phytobenthos is represented by red and brown algae (Sargassum, Turbinaria) from green algae, Caulerpa is abundant.

Despite their microscopic size, the phytoplankton that swim in surface water ah, makes up about 90% of the mass of ocean plants. The remaining 10% is made up of much larger non-floating algae and another floating plant that can grow in sea ​​water, - sea grass. Seaweeds vary in color. Brown and most green algae need direct sunshine and grow in shallow water. Many red algae and a few green algae require little light and can therefore be found at greater depths or in underwater caves. Like land plants, algae are often seasonal, growing profusely in spring and summer, and withering in winter. Many algae are composed of jelly-like tissues, and some have a calcareous skeleton and resemble stones.

In most cases, red algae, or, as they are also called, purple algae, are the inhabitants of the sea. They are attached to various substrates (stones, shells, thalli of other algae) and, together with brown algae, form the largest group of marine benthos plants. Many crimson live at great depths, up to 100 meters. Deep-sea forms are distinguished by a particularly bright red or crimson color. external structure red algae are very diverse. These are filiform, cord-like, lamellar, crust-like, bushy, and other forms. Most have sizes from a few centimeters to 1 m or more.

Exclusively multicellular plants. All representatives have a yellowish-brown color, due to the presence of special pigments. One of the most common representatives brown algae is kelp. Lives in the Far East and northern seas. The thallus of the alga is attached to the substrate with the help of rhizoids. A cylindrical stem (up to 50 cm long) departs upward from the rhizoids, it passes into a solid or dissected plate 4-5 m long. There are cases when the thallus of kelp reached a length of 40 meters or more. Laminaria is an inhabitant of relatively shallow depths and mainly settles in the coastal-surf zone, forming dense thickets.

They are actually bacteria. They can be of various colors (usually dark). Distinctive characteristics their is that they are slippery to the touch and smell of the unpleasant smell of a rotting swamp. They are easily separated from the objects on which they grow. These algae can absorb nitrogen from the air, so low level nitrates are not a hindrance for them.

Caulerpa are creeping, prostrate on the ground, parts of the thallus of which look like branching cylinders, reaching a length of several tens of centimeters. At certain intervals, abundantly branching rhizoids extend down from them, fixing the plant in the ground, and up - flat, leaf-like vertical shoots in which chloroplasts are concentrated.

Ocean - big water body. Today, four oceans are located between the continents, which are combined with each other, connected with the atmosphere and are in constant motion. The oceans cover about 3/4 of the planet's surface. All oceans are home to a huge number of plants and animals, from microscopic plankton to whales reaching tens of meters in length. ocean life forms various characteristics depending on the temperature and depth of the water layer in which they live, and food sources. Many species have only recently been discovered by scientists. Even today, most of the oceans have not yet been explored.

Inhabitants of the Arctic Ocean

In comparison with other oceans, the fauna of this smallest ocean is very poor. Among the major marine mammals here you can meet beluga whales, narwhals, various cetaceans, including the rare bowhead whale. As well as several types of seals: bearded seal, elephant seal, harp and leopard, ringed seal.

Beluga whale- a five-meter toothed whale. In the summer, these amazing white animals feed on fish and crustaceans near the seabed under the ocean ice cap.

Narwhal- the most northern species of all toothed cetaceans. The only member of the genus and close relative belugas. The sizes are large: the body is up to 6 m long, the weight is 1-1.5 tons. It spends the whole year in this region, unlike other whales that migrate south for the winter. It hibernates in the hole among the ice floes. They feed on fish, shrimp and squid. The female gives birth to one cub. In males and very rarely in females, one twisted tusk, up to three meters long, develops in the left upper jaw. There are no other teeth in the narwhal. Hence the second name of this animal is the unicorn.

bowhead whale- a large dark whale that feeds on zooplankton. Zooplankton are tiny animals that feed on phytoplankton (microscopic plants). These include fish larvae and the tiny relatives of shrimp and crabs, the copepods.

In the cold waters of this ocean lives amazing jellyfish- a giant cyanide, as well as a unique ice fish.

Cyanea, Arctic Cyanoea or lion's mane – the most big jellyfish in the world. It grows tentacles over 50 m long, and its "umbrella" reaches a diameter of 2 m. Surprisingly, this large jellyfish in adulthood exists only for one summer season. In the spring, young jellyfish appear, which grow rapidly, reaching gigantic sizes at the end of summer, and die in the fall. They feed on zooplankton, including small fish.

ice fish- translucent small fish. Thanks to the natural “antifreeze”, the blood of this fish does not freeze even in ice.

Inhabitants of the Indian Ocean

Animal world The Indian Ocean is amazing and very diverse. Among the animals, a large number of crabs can be distinguished and interesting fish- the mudskipper that inhabits almost all the mangroves (a form of coastal vegetation) of the ocean.

Mudskippers These are fish no larger than 20 cm, which deftly jump along the shore and climb the roots and brushwood of mangroves. Here they hunt insects and small crabs. They can jump to a height of up to 30 cm, or even higher. Thanks to their excellent eyesight and dexterity, they catch flies on the fly. They also have the unique ability for fish to look at any object with both eyes at the same time. On land, they breathe through moist, mucus-covered skin. They can stay out of water for a long time. It is enough for them to dive into at least some kind of puddle from time to time. In addition, they often sit on land for a long time, lowering their tail into the water. Despite well-developed gills, they die quickly if they are forcibly kept in deep water.

You can talk about sharks living in the waters of the Indian Ocean for a long time and in detail. There are a lot of them here. mako shark‒ the fastest shark in the world, can reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. It has a powerful streamlined body of deep of blue color It can be up to 4m long. Great blue shark- a four-meter shark with a dark blue back and a white belly.

But the main mistress of these waters, undoubtedly, is the white shark or, as it is sometimes called, the carcharodon. Great white shark- a six-meter shark with a gray back and a white belly. It mainly feeds on seals and fur seals, but sometimes it also attacks people. From 50 to 70 shark attacks per person are recorded annually. Fewer than 4 attacks are fatal each year.

Birds are represented by albatrosses and frigatebirds. Albatross- a large sea bird, capable of not returning to land in places. Albatrosses catch squid, octopus and fish from the surface of the ocean. In the wandering albatross and the royal albatross, the wingspan can reach 3.5 m - these are the most big birds on the ground. Frigates are large black and white seabirds. In the mating season, the throat pouches of males turn red, and they inflate these pouches to attract the attention of females. Sometimes frigatebirds steal food from other birds, biting others by the tail and forcing them to release prey, which they pick up and eat.

Inhabitants of the Atlantic Ocean

The fauna of the Atlantic Ocean is very numerous and diverse. Thousands of species of animals are found in all areas of the ocean. Here you can see predators dangerous for humans: sharks, barracudas and moray eels.

Barracuda- a two-meter fish, hunts in coral reefs, with sharp teeth of the lower jaw, located both inside and outside. They hunt in packs. moray eel- three meters sea ​​eel who hides in the crevices coral reef and from this shelter attacks prey - fish or octopuses.

The world of corals is also quite peculiar here, and off the coast of Cuba there are entire “underwater forests” - thickets of soft corals. A coral reef is an underwater calcareous structure made up of the hard skeletons of tiny animals called polyps. Coral reefs lie in warm, clean, shallow waters near rocky coasts or volcanic islands. Life thrives around them. Many small animals feed on algae that grow on corals. The corals themselves serve as food for some animals, such as parrot fish and the star Crown of Thorns. Just 200 years ago, coral was considered a plant, not an animal. Many coral reefs are under threat of destruction. Water pollution, increasing it average temperature, hunting for souvenirs and deepening the fairways for shipping - all this destroys corals that have been growing for millions of years.

Sponges live in the deep ocean annelids, crustaceans, starfish and sea lilies.

Sponge- an invertebrate animal without a heart, and brain and developed parts of the body. Sponges are attached to hard surfaces. They feed by passing and filtering water through the small pores of their bodies.

Worms- a group of long, thin, soft-bodied animals. Some species live in burrows or sand.

Crustaceans- arthropods, such as crabs, lobsters, krill and barnacles, which have two sensitive receptors on their heads called antennae.

Starfish An echinoderm with five legs and a mouth on the underside of the body. Uses suction cups on its paws to open shells and eat molluscs. If, as a result of the attack of other animals, a starfish loses several limbs, then they grow back.

sea ​​lilies‒ graceful creatures that look like flowers belong to the kingdom of fauna. They are divided into two large groups: stalk and stemless. Stem lilies are attached to one place all their lives. Most often found in the deepest areas. Stemless lilies can not only crawl from place to place, but are even able to swim slowly, using tentacles like oars.

Pacific Islanders

More than half of the living matter of the entire World Ocean of the Earth is concentrated in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. A representative of toothed whales, the sperm whale, has a massive distribution, and of the toothless whales, there are several species of striped whales. The sperm whale is a large toothed whale that can reach 20 m in length. Able to hold his breath for an hour. Dives to a depth of 3 km in search of giant squid. The giant squid is a type of squid that can grow up to 13 m long. It feeds on fish that live on seabed. It can live at a depth of 200 to 1000 m, so very little is known about this species.

striped whales- flexible and fast baleen whales with pronounced furrows on the lower jaw and belly. These include the largest animal on the planet - the blue whale. which can reach over 30m in length. It feeds on a huge amount of krill. Krill- the collective name for small marine planktonic crustaceans (crustaceans), which makes up a significant part of the diet of many animals. At night, huge amounts of krill rise to the surface to feed and become food for whales and seabirds.

AT northern waters The Pacific Ocean is home to the very rare sea lion seal and walrus, which has a circumpolar range, but is now on the verge of extinction. walruses ‒ large mammals with two long tusks and powerful fins. Layer subcutaneous fat keeps them out of the cold. They are great swimmers and divers, feeling the seabed with their whiskers in search of crabs and shell mollusks. Males use tusks when fighting for a female.

Pacific Ocean, thanks to high temperatures its surface waters in tropical latitudes is especially rich in various types of corals, including those with a calcareous skeleton. Coral- hard calcareous material from the skeletons of a colony of polyps. Different kinds polyps form corals various shapes. polyps They are tiny animals whose body consists of a stomach, mouth and tentacles. The soft body is protected by the skeleton. When a polyp dies, it becomes a hard, dead piece of coral and a new polyp grows in its place. Corals can look like plant branches, tubes, or even human brains.

The permanent inhabitants of coral reefs are a large number of fish. Butterflyfish are small, brightly colored fish, often with eye-like markings on the tail. This coloration allows them to deceive a predator that attacks the fish from behind, giving it a chance to escape. They feed on small crustaceans and coral polyps. Clownfish - a small fish that has an orange-white striped color, lives between poisonous tentacles sea ​​anemones. The fish themselves protect themselves from the poison with a layer of mucus, but predators can be burned to death by poison. Anemones ‒ marine organisms similar to flowers. Relatives of jellyfish and polyps. They attach themselves to rocks and stones and use their tentacles to catch their prey. Parrotfish are brightly colored fish with a tough beak. With this beak, they scrape algae from the coral reef, often biting off pieces of coral. In the mouth of parrot fish there are horny plates, with which they crumble coral and get to prey.

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The underwater world of the Indian Ocean is no less fascinating, diverse and vibrant than the nature of coastal areas. His warm waters abound large quantity exotic plants and animals, which made it possible to call the third largest ocean the most populated expanse of water.

Animal world

In the waters of the Indian Ocean, among the incredible beauty of coral structures, there is a huge number of brightly colored fish, sponges, mollusks, crustaceans, crabs, worms, starfish, hedgehogs, turtles, luminous anchovies, sailfish.

There are also species dangerous to humans: octopuses, jellyfish, poisonous sea snakes and sharks. A large amount of plankton is the main food for such big fish like sharks and tuna.

The spiny jumper lives in the mangroves - a fish that can stay on land for quite a long time, thanks to the special structure of the body. Sardinella, mullet, horse mackerel, sea catfish are found in coastal waters. White-blooded fish live in the southern part.

AT tropical zones you can meet rare and unusual representatives of the genus of sirens - dugongs, and, of course, dolphins and whales.

The most common birds are frigatebirds and albatrosses. Endemic species include the paradise flycatcher and the shepherd's partridge. On the south coast Penguins live in Africa and Antarctica.

Vegetable world

The flora of the coastal zones of the Indian Ocean is represented by dense thickets brown and red algae (fucus, kelp, macrocystis). Of the green algae, caulerpa is the most common. Calcareous algae are represented by lithotamnia and Halimeda, which together with corals form reefs. From higher plants the most common thickets of poseidonia - sea grass.

Among the animals living in the Indian Ocean, most of all are rhizopods, of which there are over 100 species. If we weigh all the rootpods in the waters of the ocean, then their total mass will exceed the mass of all its other inhabitants.

Invertebrates animals are represented by various mollusks (pteropods, cephalopods, scallops, etc.). A lot of jellyfish and siphonophores. In the waters of the open ocean, as in the Pacific Ocean, flying fish, tuna, dolphins, sailboats and luminous anchovies are numerous. Many sea snakes, including poisonous ones, are even found combed crocodile prone to attack people.

mammals represented by a large number and variety. There are whales here too. different types, and dolphins, and killer whales, and sperm whales. Many pinnipeds ( seals, seals, dugongs). Cetaceans are especially abundant in the cold southern waters of the ocean, where krill feeding grounds are found.

Among those living here sea ​​birds frigatebirds and albatrosses can be noted, and in cold and temperate waters - penguins.

Medusa Irukandji

Irukandji jellyfish - very poisonous jellyfish, named after the Australian Irukandji tribe. Lives off the coast of Australia.
The Irukandji jellyfish is found mainly off the northern coast of Australia, especially in Queensland. It is known to man relatively recently - in 1961, the Australian doctor Jack Barnes described the jellyfish, and also allowed her to sting himself to demonstrate the effect of poison on humans.

This jellyfish is very small. The diameter of its dome is 2-3 cm. Four tentacles depart from it, each can be up to 1 m long. Stinging cells cover the entire length of the tentacle, so even a careful touch causes a burn. It is noteworthy that adults have more stinging cells on the tentacles, while in juveniles they are concentrated on the dome.

Scientists could observe only adults and young specimens of the Ikuranji jellyfish. Nothing is known about how these animals reproduce. In captivity, jellyfish do not breed, and generally do not tolerate imprisonment. It is also not clear who makes up their main diet. In a scientific laboratory, it was experimentally determined that jellyfish can attack small shrimp and fish larvae. Moreover, the results of the experiment are as follows - adult ikuranji prefer larvae, and juveniles prefer small shrimps. Adult jellyfish have small dark spots, which, apparently, attract fish fry, making it easier to hunt for them. Young ones do not have spots, so it is easier for them to quietly sneak up on an unsuspecting shrimp.
The effects of the jellyfish venom on the human body were first described by Jack Barnes, who discovered the jellyfish. A stung person experiences muscle pain, nausea and dizziness, severe headache. At severe burns possible pulmonary edema. These symptoms have been termed "Ikuranji Syndrome".

The venom of the ikuranji jellyfish has not been studied well enough to create an effective antidote. Moreover, the venom from the stinging cells on the dome of the jellyfish is different from the venom of the tentacles. Despite its tiny size, the animal is very dangerous for humans. The burn is almost painless, and Ikuranji syndrome begins only after 30 to 60 minutes. Since no antidote has been invented, those stung are kept alive until the poison comes out naturally. As an urgent measure, burns are treated with vinegar.

The beaches of Australia are surrounded by special protective nets that prevent jellyfish from entering the bathing areas. But these nets are effective against large jellyfish, such as the Australian sea wasp, but do not help against the Ikuranji. During the summer months, when both species are migratory, swimming in northern Australia is highly discouraged.

Australian sea wasp

The sea wasp is the most poisonous jellyfish in the world's oceans. Its poison is so strong that an adult can die in less than 4 minutes after being burned.
The sea wasp, or scientifically, Chironex fleckeri, lives in the waters of the northern coast of Australia (Indian Ocean). Over the past century, this animal has killed at least 100 people, some of whom died before they were given any kind of health care. This jellyfish can rightfully take the place of the most dangerous marine life.

The animal has a nondescript appearance. In diameter, its dome can reach 30-40 cm. From 4 corners of the dome, 15 thin tentacles depart, which are dotted with nematocytes (stinging cells). These cells contain a special flagellum that shoots out of the pore when the cell is disturbed. This flagellum carries a highly toxic venom that enters the victim's body, causing burning pain. The poison simultaneously affects nervous system, skin and heart, causing a strong burning sensation. If the antidote is not administered in time, then a fatal outcome is also possible.

The length of the tentacles can vary greatly, depending on what the jellyfish is currently doing. When she is calm, or somewhere she swims, then their length is 10-20 cm. When the sea wasp goes hunting, it stretches its tentacles by 3 meters, trying to cover as much space as possible.

The body of the jellyfish has a slightly bluish tint, almost transparent. This makes it even more dangerous, since it is not so easy to see it under water. Plus, a person who is not familiar with the sea wasp may not even suspect that he is facing one of the most dangerous creatures not only in the ocean, but all over the planet. People are used to the fact that poisonous animals are brightly colored, as if signaling to potential offenders that it is better not to mess with them. The sea wasp, on the contrary, tries not to stand out.

Sea wasps in in large numbers found off the coast of Australia during the summer months. During this period, there are not many people who want to swim on the beaches. Jellyfish follow to breeding grounds and can gather in large flocks, swimming by negligence into which there is a very high probability of not returning to the shore alive. Not far from the beaches, barrier nets are installed that prevent especially large individuals from approaching the shore, but small sea wasps may well squeeze through the mesh of the net and swim to the beach. In addition, other jellyfish travel along with marine individuals - Carukia barnesi (Ikuranji jellyfish), which, although they have poison of lesser strength, have not yet been invented an antidote for them.

Sea snake Astrocia

Astrocia is a sea snake found in the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. One of the heaviest and most powerful sea snakes.
Astrocia - poisonous snake. Her fangs are long and sharp enough to pierce through any wetsuit, let alone clothing. Therefore, astrotium is potentially dangerous to humans. But, although the snake is quite aggressive, and can bite a person if it considers that it poses a threat to it, no fatal cases have been recorded.

The color of the snake varies in a wide range - from light brown cream to black. Often there are wide black stripes and rings on the body. The middle of the body is enlarged, sometimes swellings form wide tubercles. Body length can exceed 1.5 m.

Habitat - from Pakistan to Sri Lanka, the China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. It is also found in all coastal waters of Australia. It was in Australia that astrology was first described by zoologists. This happened in 1846 in the scientific work Travels in Australia by John Lorth Stokes. Currently, Astrocia is the only representative of the genus of the same name.

Seen very interesting feature this snake. Sometimes they form huge migrations of several thousand individuals. In the Mallax Strait, which connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans, clusters of snakes 100 km long are formed. and 3 km wide. This huge flock swims near the surface, forming a kind of "living cloud". It is believed that such groups of astrocia form during the breeding season. They are ovoviviparous. On average, one female gives birth to 5 young snakes.

Sea Devil

The sea devil or manta is a large animal weighing over 2 tons. It lives in tropical waters, mainly in the Indian Ocean.

The size of this harmless animal is truly amazing. The only predator that can attack the sea devil is large carnivorous sharks. Mantas have nothing as a defensive weapon. They do not have sharp spines, like stingrays, and do not produce electrical discharges like some stingrays. Therefore, the attack can end tragically for the manta.

But a person became convinced of the safety of these animals quite recently, and in the 60s of the 20th century. sea ​​Devils appeared before people in the form of bloodthirsty creatures. Feature films were even made where manta rays appeared as killers.

But getting to know them better, it becomes clear that they are not murderers. Manta rays feed on plankton, larvae and very small fish. They filter out this trifle in the likeness of whales - swimming with their mouths wide open, they filter the water, leaving food in their mouths.

The brain of the sea devil is larger than that of other rays or sharks. For their intelligence, docile nature and tameness, manta rays are well-deserved love among divers around the world who come to the islands of the Indian Ocean to swim side by side with manta rays. In addition, he is quite curious. When it appears on the surface interesting subject he emerges and drifts on the waves, watching what is happening. Maybe that's why in ancient times the meeting of a boat with a huge "carpet" that looks at you with an interested look, and gave rise to a wary attitude towards the sea devil?

Another feature of the manta is its jumping over water. It is not clear exactly what the purpose of the devil is when he jumps 1.5 m above the surface of the water. His deafening landing of a 2-ton body can be heard for several kilometers around, and it is possible that this is the purpose of the jump - to attract a partner or to silence small surface fish?

By the way, the sea devil breeds very rarely. The female gives birth to one cub, which is already born longer than 1 m. A young devil is born rolled into a tube, but, having left the mother's womb, immediately spreads its wings and begins to "fly" in circles around the adult female.

In captivity, sea devils are kept in only 5 large aquariums worldwide. Highly good news lies in the fact that, despite such a rare birth, they can be bred in captivity. In 2007, a sea devil was born in Japan. The birth of a baby was even shown on television, which emphasizes the love of a person for this truly beautiful animal. True, this love came belatedly, but people are rehabilitated before the sea devil.