The tortoise is an animal of the chordate type, reptile class, of the order of the tortoise (Testudines). These animals have existed on planet Earth for over 220 million years.
The turtle got its Latin name from the word "testa", meaning "brick", "tile" or "earthen vessel". The Russian analogue came from the Proto-Slavic word čerpaxa, which in turn came from the modified Old Slavic word čerpъ, “crock”.
Turtle - description, characteristics and photos
Tortoise shell
A characteristic feature of turtles is the presence of a shell, which is designed to protect the animal from natural enemies. Tortoise shell consists of a dorsal (carapace) and an abdominal (plastron) part. The strength of this protective cover is such that it can easily withstand a load exceeding the weight of a turtle 200 times. The carapace consists of two parts: the inner armor, made of bone plates, and the outer one, made of horny shields. In some species of turtles, the bony plates are covered with dense skin. Plastron was formed due to accrete and ossified sternum, collarbones and abdominal ribs.
Depending on the species, the size and weight of the turtle varies significantly.
Among these animals there are giants weighing more than 900 kg with a carapace size of 2.5 meters or more, but there are small turtles, whose body weight does not exceed 125 grams, and the shell length is only 9.7-10 cm.
Turtle head and eyes
Turtle head has a streamlined shape and medium size, which allows you to quickly hide it inside a safe shelter. However, there are species with large heads that do not fit well or at all in the shell. In some representatives of the genus, the tip of the muzzle looks like a kind of "proboscis" ending in nostrils.
Due to the peculiarities of the way of life on land, the eyes of the turtle look at the ground. In aquatic representatives of the detachment, they are located closer to the top of the head and are directed forward and upward.
The neck of most turtles is short, however, in some species it can be comparable to the length of a carapace.
Does a turtle have teeth? How many teeth does a turtle have?
To bite off and grind food, turtles use a hard and powerful beak, the surface of which is covered with rough bulges that replace teeth. Depending on the type of food they eat, they can be razor-sharp (for carnivores) or jagged edges (for herbivores). The ancient turtles that lived 200 million years ago, unlike modern individuals, had real teeth. The tongue of turtles is short and serves only for swallowing, and not for capturing food, so it does not protrude outward.
Turtle limbs and tail
The turtle has 4 legs in total. The structure and function of the limbs depend on the lifestyle of the animal. Land-dwelling species have flattened forelimbs adapted for digging and powerful hind legs. Freshwater turtles are characterized by the presence of leathery membranes facilitating swimming between the toes on all four paws. In sea turtles, the limbs in the process of evolution have transformed into a kind of flippers, and the size of the front ones is much larger than the hind ones.
Almost all turtles have a tail, which, like the head, hides inside the shell. In some species, it ends with a nail-like or pointed thorn.
Turtles have well-developed color vision, which helps them find food, and excellent hearing, allowing them to hear enemies at a considerable distance.
Turtles molt, like many reptiles. In terrestrial species, molting affects the skin in a small amount; in aquatic turtles, molting occurs imperceptibly.
During molting, transparent shields peel off from the shell, and the skin from the paws and neck comes off in rags.
The life span of a turtle in natural conditions can reach 180-250 years. With the onset of winter cold or summer drought, the turtles go into hibernation, the duration of which can exceed six months.
Because of the poorly expressed sexual characteristics of turtles, it is very difficult to determine which animal is "boy" and who is "girl". Nevertheless, if you approach the issue with care, having studied some of the external and behavioral characteristics of these exotic and interesting reptiles, then finding out their gender will not seem so difficult.
- Carapace
In the female, it usually has a more elongated, elongated shape compared to the male.
- Plastron (lower part of the shell)
Turn the turtle over and take a close look at it - the shell from the abdominal side closer to the anus is flat in females, slightly concave in males (by the way, such a nuance facilitates the mating process).
- Tail
In male turtles, the tail is slightly longer, wider and thicker at the base, most often bent downward. The tail of the "young ladies" is short and straight.
- Anal opening (cloaca)
In females, it is located somewhat closer to the tip of the tail, in shape it resembles an asterisk or a circle compressed at the sides. In male turtles, the anus has a narrow oblong or slit shape.
- Claws
In almost all species, except for the leopard tortoise, the claws of males on the forelimbs are longer than those of females.
- Notch at the tail
Males have a V-shaped notch at the back of their shells for turtles to mate.
- Behavior
Male turtles are most often more active, and during the mating season they are aggressive towards the rival and the “lady of the heart”, chase her, trying to bite, and nod their heads amusingly. The female at this time can calmly observe the "courtship", hiding her head in the shell.
- Some species of turtles have specific differences between females and males, for example in color, size or head shape.
Types of turtles - photo and description
The order of the turtle consists of two suborders, which are divided according to the way in which the animal puts its head into the shell:
- Hidden-neck turtles, folding their necks in the form of the Latin letter "S";
- Side-necked turtles, hiding their head towards one of the front paws.
According to the habitat of turtles, there is the following classification:
- Sea turtles (live in the seas and oceans)
- Land turtles (live on land or in freshwater bodies)
- Land turtles
- Freshwater turtles
In total, there are more than 328 species of turtles, forming 14 families.
Varieties of land turtles
- Galapagos tortoise (elephant) (Chelonoidis elephantopus)
The shells of these turtles can be up to 1.9 meters long and weigh more than 400 kg. The size of the animal and the shape of the shell depend on the climate. In arid regions, the carapace is saddle-shaped, and the limbs of the reptile are long and thin. The weight of large males rarely exceeds 50 kg. In humid climates, the shape of the dorsal shell becomes domed, and the size of the animal increases significantly. The elephant turtle lives in the Galapagos Islands.
- Egyptian turtle (Testudo kleinmanni)
small representative of land turtles. The size of the carapace of males barely reaches 10 cm, females are slightly larger. The color of the shell of this species of turtles is brown-yellow with a small border along the edges of the horny scutes. The Egyptian turtle lives in northern Africa and the Middle East.
- Central Asian turtle (Testudo (Agrionemys) horsfieldii)
a small reptile with a shell up to 20 cm. Carapax has a rounded shape and is painted in yellowish-brown tones with darker spots of indeterminate shape. These turtles have 4 fingers on the forelimbs. The most popular type of turtles for home keeping, lives about 40-50 years. Lives in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria, north-eastern part of Iran, north-west Pakistan and India.
- Leopard turtle (panther turtle) (Geochelone pardalis)
The length of the carapace of this turtle exceeds 0.7 m, and the weight can reach 50 kg. The shell of this species of turtles is tall and domed. Its color has sandy-yellow tones, on which a spotted pattern of black or dark brown color is clearly visible in young individuals, which disappears as they mature. This type of turtle lives in African countries.
- Cape speckled turtle ( Homopus Signatus)
the smallest turtle in the world. The length of its carapace does not exceed 10 cm, and its weight reaches 95-165 grams. Lives in South Africa and southern Namibia.
Types of freshwater turtles
- Painted turtle (decorated turtle) (Chrysemys picta)
Quite a small species of turtles with individual sizes from 10 to 25 cm. The upper part of the oval dorsal shell has a smooth surface, and its color can be either olive green or black. The skin is the same color, but with different stripes of red or yellow tone. They have leathery membranes between their toes. Lives in Canada and the USA.
- European swamp turtle (Emys orbicularis)
The sizes of individuals can reach up to 35 cm, and the weight is 1.5 kg. The smooth, oval carapace is movably connected to the plastron and has a slightly convex shape. Representatives of this species have a very long tail (up to 20 cm). The color of the upper carapace is brown-brown or olive. The skin color is dark with yellow spots. The turtle lives in the countries of Europe, in the Caucasus, in the countries of Asia.
- Red-eared turtle (yellow-bellied turtle) (Trachemys scripta)
The shell of these turtles can be up to 30 cm long. Its color is bright green in young individuals, over time, it turns into yellow-brown or olive. There are two yellow, orange or red spots on the head near the eyes. This feature gave the name to the species. lives in the USA, Canada, in the northwest of South America (in the north of Venezuela and Colombia).
- Snapping turtle (biting) (Chelydra serpentina)
The turtle is characterized by a cruciform plastron and a long tail, which is covered with scales with small spines, as well as the scalp and neck. The size of the shell of these turtles can reach 35 cm, and the weight of an adult animal is 30 kg. Unfavorable conditions the snapping turtle waits in hibernation. This turtle lives in the USA and southeastern Canada.
Types of sea turtles
- Bissa turtle (real caretta) (Eretmochelys imbricata)
The carapace of these turtles has a heart shape up to 0.9 m in size. The upper layer of the shell is colored brown with a pattern in the form of multi-colored spots. In young individuals, the horny plates overlap each other like a tile, but as it grows, the overlap disappears. The front flippers of the animal are equipped with two claws. Bissa lives both in the latitudes of the northern hemisphere and in southern countries.
- Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
it is the largest turtle in the world. The span of its front flipper-like limbs reaches 2.5 meters, the mass of reptiles is more than 900 kg, and the size of the shell exceeds 2.6 m. The surface of the upper shell is covered not with keratinized plates, but with dense skin, for which the species got its name. The turtle lives in the tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans.
- Green turtle (soup turtle) (Chelonia mydas)
The weight of the turtle ranges from 70 to 450 kg, and the size of the shell is from 80 to 150 cm. The color of the skin and carapace can be either olive with a green tint or dark brown with various spots and stripes of white or yellow. The tortoise shell is low in height and oval in shape, and its surface is covered with large horny scutes. Due to the large size of the head, these reptiles do not hide it inside. The green turtle lives in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Novice animal lovers incorrectly believe that aquarium turtles can withstand any conditions, making a lot of mistakes when arranging their habitat. Dividing into land, sea and freshwater creatures, these reptiles have completely different habits; before buying an exotic pet, you need to study all the nuances of its behavior.
Homes for giant reptiles that live in ocean waters is problematic. It is advisable to keep in the apartment terrestrial species of creatures, their marsh cousins or small reptiles that are accustomed to the freshwater environment. Keeping turtles in an extremely difficult task cannot be called. Lovers need to know the basic rules for the selection of soil and a suitable container for pets, be able to maintain the correct water balance and purchase good food.
In order for a funny creature with a shell to please the owner with his company for ten or more years, you need to create suitable conditions for him. An ignorant approach leads to disappointment and death of the acquired reptile in a short period. Saving money and buying a low-quality container of a small size in this matter is unacceptable. For the maintenance of large land creatures, enclosures are generally required, the dimensions of which exceed 250 liters.
What kind of aquarium is needed for a turtle:
- To calculate the capacity, a formula is used where the length of the aquarium is determined by multiplying the length of the reptile by 7. The width of the tank is about half its length.
- A small or medium-sized turtle is suitable for a living space with dimensions of 60x40x50 cm, and a large creature or several medium-sized reptiles need an aquaterrarium with a minimum size of 120x50x50 cm.
- The minimum width of the aquarium should be more than 2 times the length of the carapace of the reptile.
- A capacity of 40 liters is suitable exclusively for babies, for them they acquire a vessel of an elongated horizontal shape with a height of 35 cm.
- Aquarium turtles are considered large, reaching a length of 13 cm, which require a living space of 150 liters or more.
- Amphibian species need a coastline to rest. Tanks are best suited where water occupies 75% of the total volume, and the land area optimally matches the size of the inhabitants with shells.
- Aquarium turtles should not touch the bottom while swimming. It is advisable to equip a vessel with a pool depth of 20 cm.
This device is necessary when arranging a container where aquatic species of reptiles will live. Distinguish between and. The design of the external filter resembles a pump canister outside the tank. Its body contains several compartments filled with a filtering agent. This device is connected to the aquatic environment of the aquarium by means of pipes. The advantage of external filters is that they do not occupy the usable space inside.
Internal filters are smaller and look more modest. They are equipped with pumps and a diffuser and do a good job of cleaning the liquid. Water filtration takes place using a cartridge with a sponge, carbon or other elements. The structure is attached to the wall from the inside of the container at different angles. If you are making a list of what a turtle needs in an aquarium, then the filter should be on the first lines in it.
In aquariums and terrariums, there must be soil, an artificial pool, a backlight lamp, and ultraviolet lamps. The temperature of the environment in a warm corner reaches 30-40 degrees, depending on the type of reptile. Creatures from hot countries, like the Libyan turtles, are extremely thermophilic. Ultraviolet light is important for small aquarium turtles, proper care and maintenance of which is impossible without vitamin D. UV lamps help the body to absorb this element, with a lack of it, animals suffer from curvature of the shell and rickets.
The soil is made for water creatures from gravel and fine sand. Land from the garden without impurities and chemicals, coconut substrate is suitable for land aquarium turtles. Reptiles often damage the roots of plants, you can plant them in pots or limit yourself to floating algae. Aquariums are well decorated with islets of stones and a decorative type of driftwood.
In the question of what the aquarium turtles eat, they are not particularly demanding. Land creatures eat juicy and dry vegetation, pieces of vegetables, fruits, slugs, caught insects. In aquariums, they are offered leaves of fruit trees and grapes, lettuce, dandelions with alfalfa and clover. Aquatic reptile species eat shellfish, shrimp, snails, pieces of beef. In addition to live food, sea turtles need plant foods such as lettuce, cabbage and greens. Include vitamin supplements and minerals, eggshells, and bone meal in your pet's food.
Types of aquarium turtles
There are hundreds of types of reptiles of varying sizes and shells. Some have chosen sea open spaces for life and amaze the eyes with their size, others live on the continents in fresh waters, sands and swamps. Aquarium turtles are considered to be the types of creatures that are best sized for captivity. Many years of experience of most lovers of exotic animals suggests that terrestrial and freshwater reptiles require special environmental conditions least of all.
Sea turtle in the aquarium
We will not consider the species of marine reptiles living in the ocean here. Large leatherback, green and olive turtles require spacious pools with sophisticated equipment. Homes are predominantly freshwater creatures that successfully replace the huge marine aquarium turtles. For this purpose, it is possible in pet stores to find inhabitants of the aquatic environment of moderate size, which do not require large maintenance costs.
Common types of turtles for a marine aquarium:
Aquarium land turtles
It is easy to create and maintain a high-quality aquarium for a land turtle, the main condition is that the size of the tank must correspond to the size of the purchased reptile. It is advisable to buy a tank with a margin, choosing it "for growth" 2 or 6 times more spacious than is required for the baby at the moment. It is undesirable to use thermal mats for heating reptiles, the release of heat from below harms the pet's body. It is better to install a simple filament foot by adjusting the temperature by the height of the lighting device in relation to the ground.
Popular terrestrial aquarium turtles:
Marsh turtle in the aquarium
The appearance of this reptile is not too bright, but it lives well in an artificial environment, without causing big problems for its owners. The color of the shell of the Sicilian subspecies of reptiles is yellow-green, and animals from Europe and America are predominantly black in color. Breeding aquarium turtles of marsh species is not difficult. In nature, they eat wood lice, frogs, fish, various larvae, and aquatic plants. Salad, duckweed or cabbage are eaten mainly by adults.
Keeping reptiles together with fish is troublesome. Many of their species are predators, eating small animals in their habitat. In addition, reptiles require a special land area that other aquatic creatures do not need. An exception is the intelligent two-clawed (pig-nosed) turtle, which behaves normally in an aquarium with large fish. She eats plant foods, squid meat, small fish of non-fatty varieties. The pig-bore turtle does not require the arrangement of the islet.
Sea turtles- the largest representatives of the detachment. There are only seven species of them, combined into two families. They live mainly in tropical and subtropical seas and oceans. Only females come ashore and only for a few hours to lay eggs. Unlike freshwater species, the shell of sea turtles is low and flattened. In the water, they row with their front fins, which are much larger than the rear ones. Clumsy on land, in the water turtles "fly" with great speed. As they move, the turtles must rise to the surface every few minutes to breathe in air. But during rest or sleep, they can remain underwater for several hours. Sea turtles have well-developed organs of sight and smell, with the help of which they search for food, detect enemies and find a sexual partner. Like all turtles, sea turtles have no teeth. They bite off and crush food with strong horny beaks. Young turtles feed and then switch to larger food. Adult green sea turtles consume primarily sea food. But other species prefer jellyfish, squid, shrimp, etc.
Year after year sea turtles return to the same place to lay eggs. After mating in the sea, the female crawls to the beach and slowly crawls along the sand, climbing above the tide line. There she pulls out a hole with her fins, in which she lays eggs, 2-3 per minute. Each turtle can lay 50 to over 150 eggs. Then she throws sand at the nest and flattens it with fins. As a result, the female returns to the sea, leaving the eggs to incubate in the sand warmed by the sun. She does this several more times, laying eggs in different parts of the beach for about 10 days.
Depending on the temperature of the sand, sea turtle embryos take about eight weeks to hatch. Cubs get out of the shell, and then must make every effort to get out of the sand. It takes a concerted effort for the turtles to reach the surface, and sometimes it takes several days. Once on the beach, the turtles rush to the sea. Many fall prey to predators: seabirds, crabs, otters, foxes, lizards. Those who nevertheless reached the water, try to quickly go to the depth. But here they are threatened by predatory fish.
The huge leatherback sea turtle is named for its shell, which has a dense leathery structure supported by thin bones. They feed mainly on jellyfish, which they catch and cut with their jaws, like scissors. It is known that in search of food they can descend to a depth of 900 m. The head of the loggerhead is rather large in comparison with the rest of the body. Powerful jaw muscles allow this turtle to crush shells, crabs and lobsters.
Some species of sea turtles spend their lives without leaving the limits of a small area. But there are species that take long journeys between the territories where they feed and the place where they breed. Most green turtles belong to the second group. Some feed off in the coastal Atlantic waters of South America and then sail to the tiny Ascension Island 1,500 km away.
Byssa is the most thermophilic of the sea turtles, often found in shallow coastal waters around coral reefs and coves. It belongs to the few large animals whose food is mainly sponges.
The front fins of turtles are wide and flat. They do not row so much as flap them up and down like birds.
The Pacific Olive Turtle, which lives in the open ocean in coastal waters, is one of the smallest sea turtles. Its length does not exceed 70 cm, and its weight is 41 kg.
For a long time, turtles have suffered from human interference in their life. People hunt them and dig up their eggs. Turtle shells, mostly bises, are used as souvenirs like combs. Today turtles have lost many of their nesting territories - tourist centers have been built there. Conservation organizations are trying to preserve baby turtles by collecting them in protected nesting areas and releasing them into the sea.
The green turtle was exterminated in great numbers for its meat, shell, eggs and skin. It has become extremely rare and, along with other sea turtles, is on the official list of protected animals. Trade in products made from them is strictly controlled.
Families of turtles
Sea turtles
- 6 types
- Flat bony shells covered with horny plates
- Limbs converted to flippers
- Representatives: Green Turtle, Bissa, Olive Turtle, Loggerhead
Leatherback turtles
- 1 type
- Leathery shell
General characteristics.
Sea turtles
belong to the class of reptiles of the family of turtles (Testudines) of the superfamily (Cheloniidae). Science has proven that they appeared in nature more than 220 million years ago. Sea turtles are classified into families, subfamilies, genera and species. In total, 6 species of sea turtles are distinguished, which are combined into 4 species of one family (Cheloniidae).
Until now, zoological scientists do not have a single opinion on their classification. Some classify turtles as a subclass of parareptiles, and some even try to separate them into a separate class. That is why, in this article, we will not dwell on this topic in detail.
Habitat.
Sea turtles live mainly in tropical seas and in warm currents of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. However, there have been cases of their appearance in the cold waters of the Barents Sea and in the Far East. This is not surprising, because sea turtles are excellent swimmers and spend most of their life in the water, easily overcoming thousands of nautical miles. On land, they are selected primarily for mating and laying eggs.
Physiological features of the sea turtle.
A characteristic feature of the structure of sea turtles is their horny or bone-horny carapace, which covers the main part of their body, performing the function of passive protection.
The carapace consists of strong dorsal and abdominal shields called carapace and plastron, respectively. Unlike their land-based counterparts, sea turtles are unable to retract their heads and limbs into their shells.
In addition, life in the water element has transformed their limbs into a kind of flippers, which are pronounced in large turtles and less in small ones, and in some species, there are only swimming membranes between the toes. The forelimbs of turtles are more strongly developed than the hind ones, which allows them to maneuver well in the water and reach speeds of up to 35 km / h, which, given their rather large size, is a very good result. The jaws are completely devoid of teeth and are covered with strong horny plates resembling a beak in shape.
The main food for small sea turtles is zooplankton and nekton, and the diet of large turtles includes small jellyfish, various crustaceans, although with age they prefer to consume exclusively plant foods (sea grasses, limnophilic algae and elodea), which are mined in coastal waters at depth more than 10 meters.
Sea turtles are quite large in size. The largest in their family is the green sea turtle, whose maximum weight can reach 200 kg, and the length from head to tail is more than one and a half meters. The size of the tortoise shell of such turtles varies from 80 to 120 cm in diameter. The record holder, entered in the Guinness Book of Records, is a leatherback turtle, the length of which was about three meters, and it weighed almost a ton - 916 kg. !!!
The smallest representative of its relatives is the Ridley olive sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). Its weight usually does not exceed 50 kg, and the diameter of the shell is 50-70 cm. By its size, all other species of sea turtles occupy a niche between the two above-mentioned species.
Sea turtles lay their eggs on the islands on which they were born. Scientists still have not come to a consensus on how they find these islands, being several thousand miles away.
According to one version, turtles navigate in space by the earth's magnetic field, but there is still no solid evidence to support this theory.
For example, the Atlantic Ridley, which lives in the water areas of western Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, constantly migrates from these along the coasts of Venezuela, Morocco, Cameroon, and young individuals are even found in the territorial waters of the Netherlands, Spain, France, Belgium, Ireland and the UK. At the same time, it has been established that it reproduces (lays eggs) only on a single beach in the Gulf of Mexico.
Female turtles reach sexual maturity at about the age of 30, after which, every 2 or 4 years, they go out on land, dig deep holes and lay in them from 150 to 200 eggs, the size of a chicken. Moreover, in order to preserve offspring from various predators, turtles make 4-7 such clutches. The incubation period from the moment of oviposition to the appearance of offspring is 50-70 days.
The average life span of sea turtles is 70-80 years.
Since ancient times, along with natural disasters, humans have been the main enemy of sea turtles. That is why, now many species are on the verge of extinction. The food used was the turtles themselves (the famous turtle soup) and turtle eggs, which are high in calories (155 calories per 100 grams) and contain various useful minerals (iodine, iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium), as well as vitamins of groups A, E , D and B.
And although the situation has recently begun to gradually change for the better, more and more often certain species of turtles are included in the Red Book and are taken under the protection of government agencies in many countries and various animal protection organizations.
If you liked our site tell your friends about us!
Deep water is the lowest level of the ocean, located more than 1800 meters from the surface. Due to the fact that only a small fraction of light reaches this level, and sometimes light does not reach at all, historically it was believed that there is no life in this layer. But in fact, it turned out that this level is simply teeming with different forms of life. It turned out that with each new dive to this depth, scientists miraculously find interesting, strange and outlandish creatures. Below are ten of the most unusual ones:
10. Polychaete Worm
The worm was caught this year from the ocean floor at a depth of 1200 meters off the northern coast of New Zealand. Yes, it can be pink, and yes, it can reflect light in the form of a rainbow - but despite this, the polychaete worm can be a ferocious predator. The "tentacles" on its head are the senses designed to detect prey. This worm can twist its throat in order to grab a smaller creature - like an Alien. Fortunately, this type of worm rarely grows more than 10cm. They also rarely come our way, but are often found near hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor.
9. Squat Lobster
These unique lobsters, which look quite intimidating and resemble the headcrabs from the Half-Life game, were discovered on the same dive in which the polychaete worm was found, but at a greater depth, about 1400 meters from the surface. Despite the fact that the squat lobster was already known to science, this species has never been encountered before. Squat lobsters live at depths of up to 5,000 meters, and are distinguished by large front pincers and tight bodies. They can be detritivores, carnivores, or algae-eating herbivores. Not much is known about individuals of this species, in addition, representatives of this species have been found only near deep-sea corals.
8. Carnivorous Coral or Carnivorous Coral
Most corals get their nutrients from photosynthetic algae that live in their tissues. This also means that they must live within 60 meters of the surface. But not this species, also known as the Harp Sponge. It was discovered 2000 meters off the coast of California, but only this year, scientists have confirmed that it is carnivorous. Chandelier-like in shape, it stretches along the bottom to increase in size. It catches small crustaceans with tiny Velcro-like hooks and then pulls a membrane over them, slowly digesting them with chemicals. In addition to all its oddities, it also reproduces in a special way - "sperm bags" - see these balls at the end of each process? Yes, these are packets of spermatophores, and from time to time they float away to find another sponge and multiply.
7. Fish of the Cynogloss family or Fish-Tongue (Tonguefish)
This handsome man is a type of tongue fish commonly found in shallow estuaries or tropical oceans. This specimen lives in deep waters and was caught from the bottom earlier this year in the western Pacific Ocean. Interestingly, some tonguefish have been spotted near hydrothermal vents spewing sulfur, but scientists have not yet figured out the mechanism that allows this species to survive in such conditions. Like all bottom tongue fish, both of its eyes are located on the same side of the head. But unlike other members of this family, his eyes are similar to sticker eyes or to the eyes of a scarecrow.
6. Goblin Shark
The goblin shark is a truly strange creature. In 1985, it was discovered in waters off the east coast of Australia. In 2003, over one hundred individuals were caught in northeastern Taiwan (reportedly after an earthquake). However, apart from sporadic sightings of this nature, little is known about this unique shark. It is a deep-sea, slow-moving species that can grow up to 3.8 meters in length (or even more - 3.8 is the largest that has come across a person). Like other sharks, the goblin shark can sense animals with its electro-sensitive organs, and has multiple rows of teeth. But unlike other sharks, the goblin shark has both teeth adapted for catching prey and teeth adapted for splitting crustacean shells.
If you're interested in seeing how she catches prey with her mouth, here's a video. Imagine that an almost 4-meter shark rushes at you with such jaws. Thank goodness they (usually) live so deep!
5. Flabby Whalefish
This brightly colored individual (why bold color is needed when colors are useless if you live where light cannot penetrate) is a member of the unfortunately named "soft whale fish" species. This specimen was caught off the east coast of New Zealand, at a depth of more than 2 kilometers. In the lower part of the ocean, in the near-bottom waters, they did not expect to find many fish - and in fact, it turns out that the soft-bodied whale fish does not have many neighbors. This family of fish lives at a depth of 3,500 meters, they have small eyes, which are generally completely useless given their habitat, but they have a phenomenally developed lateral line that helps them feel the vibration of the water.
This species also has no ribs, which is probably why the fish of this species look "soft-bodied".
4. Grimpoteutis (Dumbo Octopus)
The first mention of grimpoteutis appeared in 1999, and then, in 2009, it was filmed. These cute animals (for octopuses, anyway) can live about 7000 meters below the surface, making them the deepest-living octopus species known to science. This genus of animals, so named because of the flaps on both sides of the bell-shaped head of its representatives and never seeing sunlight, may number as many as 37 species. Grimpoteutis can hover above the bottom using jet propulsion based on a siphon-type device. At the bottom, grimpoteutis feeds on snails, molluscs, crustaceans and crustaceans that live there.
3. Vampire Squid
The infernal vampire (Vampyroteuthis infernalis the name literally translates as: vampire squid from hell) is more beautiful than terrible. Although this species of squid does not live at the same depth as the squid that occupies the first place on this list, it still lives quite deep, or rather, at a depth of 600-900 meters, which is much deeper than the habitat of ordinary squid. There is some sunlight in the upper layers of its habitat, so it has developed the largest eyes (in proportion to the body, of course) than any other animal in the world in order to capture as much light as possible. But what is most surprising about this animal is its defense mechanisms. In the dark depths where he lives, he releases bioluminescent "ink" that blinds and confuses other animals as he swims away. This works amazingly well when the waters are not lit. Typically, he can emit a bluish light, which, when viewed from below, helps him to disguise, but if noticed, he twists and wraps himself in his black robe ... and disappears.
2. Eastern Pacific Black Ghost Shark
Found deep off the coast of California in 2009, this mysterious shark belongs to a group of animals known as chimeras, which may be the oldest group of fish to have survived to this day. Some believe that these animals, separated from the genus of sharks about 400 million years ago, survived only because they live at such great depths. This particular species of shark uses its fins to "fly" through the water column, and males have a pointed, bat-like, retractable genital organ that protrudes from its forehead. Most likely it is used to stimulate the female or to attract her closer, but very little is known about this species, so its exact purpose is unknown.
1. Colossal Squid
The colossal squid really deserves its name, having a length of 12-14 meters, which is comparable to the length of a bus. It was first "discovered" in 1925 - but only its tentacles were found in the sperm whale's belly. The first complete specimen was found near the surface in 2003. In 2007, the largest known specimen, 10 meters long, was fished from the Antarctic waters of the Ross Sea and is currently on display at the National Museum of New Zealand. It is believed that the squid is a slow ambush predator, feeding on large fish and other squid attracted by its bioluminescence. The scariest fact known about this species is that scars were found on the sperm whales, which were left by the curved hooks of the giant squid's tentacles.
+ Bonus
Cascade Creature
A strange new species of deep sea jellyfish? Or maybe a whale's floating placenta or a piece of garbage? Until the beginning of this year, no one knew the answer to this question. Heated discussions about this creature began after this video was posted on YouTube - but marine biologists have identified this creature as a species of jellyfish known as Deepstaria enigmatica.
