Fast living organisms can be found not only in the air and on land. Fish are capable of developing tremendous speeds, which allow them to successfully hunt and evade enemies. Creatures living in the underwater world can swim a long distance in a short period of time. If you have long wanted to know which fish swims the fastest in the ocean, we will tell you about it.
The fastest fish
In the ocean, sailboats are distinguished by tremendous speed. This is the fastest underwater creature of all. It can be found in warm oceans, it is found even in the Black Sea. This fish is in the Guinness Book of Records, as it has a unique structure that allows it to develop a tremendous speed, which is 110 kilometers per hour.
The length of the sailboat reaches 3.5 meters; it is believed that there are also larger individuals.
The peculiarity of this fish is in a kind of sail-fin located on the back. When driving fast, it folds up to increase top speed. Its body has special grooves that reduce friction and allow you to move faster. The ability to swim quickly is not always useful for a sailboat; it often falls into the hands of anglers. The writer Ernest Hemingway is famous for catching this fish.
In second place is the blue marlin from the Atlantic Ocean.
The amazing giant (up to 4-5 meters in length) lacks a large dorsal fin, with which it could overtake a sailboat. But even without it, a creature weighing several hundredweight is capable of moving at a speed of 85 kilometers per hour. Marlin eats plankton, squid, small fish, and leads a solitary lifestyle. He has no enemies at all, scientists believe that the reason for this is a sharp bone process in the front of the body.
This is followed by Atlantic mackerel
A game fish that swims very quickly. It lives in warm water, is able to swim at a speed of 80 km / h while spawning.
Bluefin tuna - fast, large and rare
This beautiful fish is on the verge of extinction, it's all the fault of the poachers. It is warm-blooded, grows to a very large size, the length of an adult can be four meters. Bluefin tuna can swim at a speed of 75 km / h. This is a very good indicator, especially considering the average weight of 4-5 centners.
Its yellow-finned brother is also distinguished by its high speed.
Such tuna is smaller - about 2.5 meters in length, also weighs less, but is capable of swimming 70 km / h. They hunt less for him, although the fish is also beautiful.
Blue shark swims fast.
This is the most common species of all sharks and is large in size. Four meters in length make it a terrible predator. The maximum speed is 67 km / h. The shark eats small fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, and if you're lucky, even birds. Often falls into the networks of poachers, who are not at all happy with such a catch. Lives in captivity very poorly, the best result is 7 months.
The porpoise is a dangerous predatory creature that also swims smartly.
Such fish live in groups of 20-30 individuals. If desired, they can accelerate to 60 kilometers per hour. They perfectly tolerate great depths, they are able to descend up to 500 meters. They lead an active nocturnal lifestyle, hunting in the dark.
Atlantic tarpon is a large fish that looks like a common herring.
However, the difference between them is large, a member of our list is not a commercial species, but it is quite suitable for food. It is capable of swimming at a speed of 55 km / h, but it is believed that this is far from the limit value. Often such creatures jump out of the water, surprising people.
The killer whale is a large mammal that we considered it necessary to also include in our list, since it lives in the ocean. This is a well-known small animal hunter who is also endowed with good intelligence.
The tiger shark rounds out our list.
A terrible creature that is capable of gnawing a turtle shell with its teeth. The diet of this creature, capable of developing 55 km / h, is very unbalanced, it includes crabs, crayfish, mammals, she will not refuse to attack humans. It is noteworthy that cannibalism is inherent in this species.
Fish are not only a food source. These are fascinating and amazing creatures of nature that you can admire endlessly. The world's most exciting fish is the ability of some of them to swim at incredible speeds.
The answer to the question of which fish swims the fastest in the ocean is of interest to many. This article will provide a brief overview of fish swimming at tremendous speeds. Such an opportunity was given to them by nature in order to run away from danger and catch up with food. The ability to swim quickly is a way of survival in the wild, sometimes cruel, nature, or rather, in its waters.
To find out which fish swims the fastest in the ocean, for comparison, we will briefly present several of the fastest fish in the article.
Southern bluefin tuna
Based on the name, it can be understood that this species of tuna lives in the southern hemisphere. They grow in length up to 2.5 meters and weigh up to 400 kilograms (they have rather large bones).
Despite such a huge size, the fish can swim 74 kilometers in an hour.
Yellow tuna
This fish differs from the aforementioned related species by two yellow and long fins. The relatively small size (length within 2-2.5 m, weight - up to 200 kg) of yellowfin tuna allows it to maneuver well and move quickly in the water.
The maximum speed that he can develop is 75 km per hour.
Which fish swims the fastest in the ocean? The three fastest include a representative whose habitat is the Pacific Ocean. This striped marlin loves to swim close to the water surface.
Its length is 4.2 m with a weight of 190 kg. The giant's favorite food is sardines. It should be noted that due to the difficulty of its catch, marlin is included in the list of sport fishing.
The striped marlin swims at a speed of 77 km / h.
Horse mackerel
The most delicious marine predatory schooling is very difficult to catch, it is smaller in size than the giants presented above. In length, it reaches 30-50 centimeters with a mass of up to 400 grams. Some individuals weigh more than 1 kg. It should be noted that the largest horse mackerel was caught weighing 2 kg.
The fish reaches a maximum speed of 80 km / h.
The sailboat is the fastest fish in the world. Length - 3.5 meters, weight - 90 kg.
Its speed is similar to that of the cheetah, which is considered the fastest animal on earth. The sailboat has a maximum speed of 112 kilometers per hour.
The fish has this name due to its amazing dorsal fin, similar to a sail. Inhabits subtropical and tropical seas and oceans. You can also meet this fish in the waters of the Black Sea, where it comes from the Indian Ocean through the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean Sea and the Dardanelles.
The sailboat is an industrial fish predator. It is caught by the longline method along with swordfish and tuna.
Swordfish
The maximum speed of the swordfish (perch-like order) is 109 km / h. This is the recorded value. But there are also unofficial measurements. The value is 130 km per hour, which is more than that of a sailboat. The fish weighs approximately 500 kg and is up to 5 meters long.
The main distinguishing feature of the huge swordfish is that instead of the upper jaw, it has a long process (rostrum), similar in shape to a sword. Its length is 2/3 of the total body length. Mostly, this sword is convenient for hunting - it breaks
Swordfish are found in tropical and subtropical waters. High speed is achieved due to the structure of the body. An important role in this is played by the rostrum, which reduces drag.
Conclusion
When asked which fish swims the fastest in the ocean, the answer turned out to be a little controversial. But one should proceed from the facts that have ever been registered. Therefore, the fastest fish in the world can be safely considered a sailboat.
Many species and seas have an incredibly high speed of movement. These include albula, tiger shark, tarpon and others, whose speed in the water develops within the range of 50-69 km / h.
The fastest fish in the ocean was once considered a dolphin. He has all the data are conducive to this and even studied this phenomenon. But then it turned out that this was not so.
Swordfish is the record holder today. Its speed has been recorded so far at a record 130 km / h. This fool is also aggressive. A case was recorded when this reckless woman broke through the iron side of the ship, 2.5 cm thick. They calculated and realized that the speed should not be lower than the indicated one.
BUT! The Indian Ocean is home to a competitor. Sailboat fish. So far, this 4-meter starer with a body weight of 100 kg has shown 112 km / h. They suspect that he can do more, but the subject does not want to give all his best.
At full speed, its fin is hidden in a special section in the back, and, if necessary, is exposed and acts as a steering wheel. This is used by her when hunting small fish. The sailboat is covered with grooves where water is retained. It comes into contact with sea water, as a result there is no friction between the body and the water. It is believed that 112 km / h is not the limit for her.
When I was studying at the Agricultural Institute, we had a whole course of lectures on fish living in the ocean. I loved to attend these lectures, as I was always interested in how our ocean friends live.
The fastest fish in the ocean
Ichthyologists have carried out numerous experiments, thanks to which it was possible to measure the speed of movement of fish. So, the most nimble and fast turned out to be:
- swordfish(develops a speed of up to 130 km / h);
- sailfish(109 km / h);
- yellowfin tuna(up to 70 km / h).
I will focus on the first two fish. The championship was awarded to both of them at the same time, because they are the only fish moving at such a speed. But they have some peculiarities.
Swordfish develops maximum speed (and this 130 km / h) gradually and only at the moment of danger, and sailfish reach 109 km / h, but in 10 seconds. It's incredibly fast. That is, the swordfish moves faster than all other ocean inhabitants, but only at certain moments, and the sailfish is always at this speed. Besides, sailfish not only swims, but also flies... Sometimes, in order to accelerate, it jumps out of the water and flies a certain distance over the water. It's very interesting to watch.
Unusual swordfish
What kind of fish does not live in the ocean! They are all different sizes, colors, and look different. But the swordfish deserves special attention because of its appearance. After all, she really has so much lengthened upper jaw that it seems that the fish is swimming with a sword in its teeth. It's not hard to guess that with this sword fish defend and catches prey.
There were times when swordsmen pierced the bottom of small ships. This happened, most likely, by accident. At the moment of his speed swim, swordfish I just didn’t have time to react to the passing ship and bypass it.
Natural enemies of the sword-bearers are:
- killer whales;
- sharks;
- people.
There are cases when a swordfish fought to the last blood with a shark. In this battle, the shark lost an eye and received a stab wound with a sword in the stomach.
Sword-bearers do not deliberately attack people. But people are constantly hunt for valuable fish... Swordfish meat is tender, without a special fishy smell, therefore it is considered a delicacy.
Fortunately, swordfish is very prolific(a female can lay up to 20 million eggs at a time), so they are not yet threatened with extinction. In many supermarkets you can buy a frozen carcass of this fish, and in the restaurant you can try ready-made swordfish dishes.
Ecology
The animal world has its own champions.
Find out the answers to the questions of who in the world of animals flies, swims, runs or crawls the fastest.
Here you can learn about the fastest of their kind representatives of the animal world.
The fastest bird is the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
This bird of prey from the falcon family can be seen on almost all continents, with the exception of Antarctica.
In nature, there are about 17 subspecies of peregrine falcons.
On our planet, this is not only the fastest bird, but also the fastest living creature.
© Fernando Cortes
According to experts, in a fast dive flight, the peregrine falcon can reach speeds of up to 322 km / h.
But it is worth noting that in horizontal flight the peregrine falcon yields first place to the swift, whose horizontal flight speed can reach 111 km / h.
Fastest horse - English racehorses
At the moment, these purebred riding horses are considered the fastest. If you choose a specific representative, then here the fastest is the thoroughbred stallion Beach Rakit.
© Edoma / Getty Images
He was able to set an absolute record among domestic breeds. During the 409.26 meter race in Mexico, Beach reached a top speed of 69.69 km / h. In general, the average speed of English racehorses is 60 km / h.
Fastest fish - sailboat (Istiophorus platypterus)
This marine fish from the order of perchiformes lives in all oceans of the Earth, preferring tropical, subtropical and temperate waters.
© Marco_Zucchini / Getty Images
It should be noted that the sailboat is an active predator and is capable of speeds up to 100 km / h.
During experiments at the Long Key Fishing Camp, Florida, USA, this fish was able to swim 91 meters in 3 seconds, which is equal to a speed of 109 km / h.
The fastest animal (land animal) - cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
The cheetah is the fastest land animal. It differs from other felines in that it does not hunt for prey, sitting in ambush, preferring to chase it.
© Hemera Technologies / Photo Images
First, the cheetah approaches its prey at a distance of about 10 meters, not particularly trying to be secretive, and then tries to catch potential prey in a short run. During the race, he can reach speeds of up to 110-115 km / h, while he develops a speed of 75 km / h in 2 seconds. It is also worth noting that the cheetah runs in jumps of 6-8 meters.
Fastest dog - Greyhound
In general, opinions about which dog is the fastest are divided. Some say it is a hunting English greyhound that boasts a very fast sprint, which gives them the ability to catch a hare.
© Fredt / Getty Images
If we talk about a hyena dog, then it capable of speeds up to 55 km / h and chasing its victim to the point of complete exhaustion.
© herbertlewald / Getty Images
And yet officially, the highest speed among dogs was recorded on March 5, 1994 in Australia, when a Greyhound named Star Title was able to accelerate to 67.32 km / h.
The fastest cat - Egyptian Mau
This medium-sized shorthaired cat breed boasts an energetic breed that loves movement and play. Therefore, the Egyptian Mau has a flexible and muscular shape.
© nature picture / Getty Images
From the Egyptian language "mau" means "cat". This cat can reach speeds of up to 58 km / h. In addition, Mau have excellent eyesight, hearing and smell.
The fastest snake - mamba
The officially registered speed of this snake is 11.3 km / h, and it's on the ground. In the branches, the mamba is even faster.
© makasana / Getty Images
In addition, she is one of the most venomous snakes on Earth, and in Africa there is no other snake that is feared as much as the mamba.
Fastest turtle - leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
Among reptiles, this is the fastest - in the water it is able to reach a speed of 35 km / h.
© irin717 / Getty Images
Such a turtle weighs 450 kg, and its body length can vary from 1.8 to 2.1 meters.
However, in 1988, a male leatherback turtle was found in Harleck, UK, with a body length of 2.91 meters and a weight of 961.1 kg.
The fastest insect
In this case, it should be divided by the speed on the ground and in the air. The fastest insect on earth is the American cockroach. Its speed reaches 5.4 km / h. It is worth noting that in 1 second he is able to run a distance that is 50 times the length of his own body. Compared to a human, this corresponds to a speed of about 330 km / h.
© chenlei / Getty Images
The insect that holds the record in the air is the dragonfly, Austrophlebia costalis, which can reach speeds of up to 52 km / h in flight. Since there are different ways to measure speed, experts cannot say for sure who is faster, dividing between dragonflies, hawk moths and horseflies.
