The rich underwater world of the Red Sea - photos with names of fish. Dangerous fish of the red sea The underwater world of the red sea
Sea snake
Source: www.divefoto.ru
Encountering a sea snake is a rare occurrence for a swimmer. These creatures usually avoid people, and if they attack, it is only in self-defense. The greatest risk of being attacked by a snake is in dense marine vegetation, where it may not be noticed in time.
Moray eels or other sea eels are often confused with snakes. To understand for sure who is in front of you, look at the creature’s tail: if it is flattened on the sides and looks like a belt, then it is a sea snake.
The sea snake has a flattened tail
Source: dic.academic.ru
Sea snakes are small, up to 1 m long. They swim at a depth of up to five meters and feed on mollusks, crustaceans and fish.
Sea snakes are the most poisonous in the world. Their poison is similar in effect to poison, but is 10 times stronger than it. The bite of a baby snake is just as toxic as that of an adult. Symptoms of poisoning appear slowly: several hours pass from the bite to the first spasms of the jaw muscles.
First aid in case of a sea snake bite is to immobilize the victim. After this, you need to urgently transport the bitten person to a doctor, otherwise there is a risk of death.
Source: samiedem.blogspot.com
Sea urchins live mainly in coral reefs, underwater rocks and between stones. The needles of these creatures are so sharp that they can easily pierce rubber slippers and wetsuits.
Several species of sea urchins can be found in the Red Sea. Near the shore, red and gray-black Toxopneustes pileolus like to soak up the warm water. Their needles are very short, up to 2 cm in length, but no less dangerous than those of their relatives.
Diadema sea urchins live a little deeper in the sea. This subspecies has very long needles, up to 30-40 cm. In addition, the diadem hedgehog distinguishes between light and shadow with the help of special organs, and when it sees an object that suddenly appears in front of it, it instantly directs its spines at it.
The needles of sea urchins are very fragile; when they enter the human body, they break, and the debris causes inflammation. The hedgehog's venom is not fatal. In addition to burning pain at the injection site, the victim begins to experience shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and temporary paralysis may occur. First aid usually involves removing needles from the wound and treating it with disinfectants. You can treat the wound with lemon juice - it dissolves needle fragments. After this, you need to immerse the affected limb in very hot water for 30 minutes, and then consult a doctor.
Cone or conical snail
Source: animalreader.ru
The cone snail can reach a length of 50 cm and weigh several kilograms. However, large individuals are not as dangerous as small ones - which can be easily lifted from the bottom. Every third person who picks up a cone shell can die from the poisonous bite of this snail. The mollusk instantly plunges into the disturbed one one of the spikes, which replace its teeth, and are located in the narrow edge of the shell. The pain from the bite is so severe that the person may lose consciousness. In addition, his limbs become numb, and paralysis of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems may occur. Death can occur within minutes of the bite. Dozens of deaths from cone bites are reported every year. In the Pacific Ocean, up to three people die every year because of this mollusk, while only one is killed due to shark attacks.
Not all cones are dangerous. From the poison of some non-dangerous species of these mollusks, an anesthetic is made, to which there is no drug addiction.
Crown of thorns starfish
Source: livejournal.com
Starfish live on the bottom, moving along it with the help of numerous legs. These creatures come in all colors of the rainbow - from red to purple, and can reach one meter in diameter. The starfish is a predator and orderly of the sea; it feeds on plankton, mollusks and carrion. Some species are able to turn their stomach outward, envelop food in it and digest it in this way.
There are hundreds of species of starfish in the Red Sea, of which only the “crown of thorns” are dangerous. The spines of this creature are poisonous, but not fatal: if you touch them, you will get severe swelling. The pain is not very severe, but the burn requires a visit to the doctor.
Fire coral
Source: livejournal.com
Fire corals are not real corals, but pseudocorals. They are branched colonies of polyps - invertebrate animals 1-2 mm in size. Polyps create cell-like houses for themselves, in which they live their entire lives. Fire corals grow up to five meters in height, and colonies settle not far from the shore. Such an organism feeds on plankton, which it hunts by extending its tentacles outward and paralyzing the prey with poison from miniature harpoons.
Corals of any kind can cause painful cuts, and fire corals are also poisonous. The number of burns caused by this living organism is more than one and a half thousand per year. The main danger with such a wound is pain shock, which can cause a person to choke. In addition, contact with fire coral causes ulcers that do not heal for a very long time.
First medical aid after contact with coral is to treat the wound with lemon juice or vinegar - this should neutralize the poison. Then you need to see a doctor.
Fire sponge and red beard sponge
The Red Sea is an amazing place of extraordinary beauty. It attracts millions of tourists with its azure water, magnificent corals and unusual inhabitants of the deep sea. To get to know the underwater inhabitants better, we bring to your attention a selection of Red Sea fish.
Diversity of fauna of the reservoir
The Red Sea is the only one among similar bodies of water into which not a single river flows. The natural process of water circulation occurs only in the southern part of the natural reservoir through the Bab-El-Mandeb Strait. This natural isolation has contributed to the diversity of fauna.
Its sea waters are home to thousands of amazing animals. Moreover, a quarter of them can be found only in this part of the world. Those who visit this paradise for the first time and watch the fish living in the Red Sea are amazed by the transparency of the water and the countless number of nimble, colorful underwater inhabitants scurrying around.
The lack of flowing rivers has caused the water in the sea to be unusually salty. The concentration of the crystalline substance is so high that it is impossible for a person to drown in its waters. The fish that live in the sea have highly developed muscles, and their meat is famous for its minimal fat content. It is no coincidence that seafood delivered from this piece of paradise is included in the dietary list.
There is a version that the Red Sea got its name due to the numerous colonies of corals, as well as algae, which have the ability to change the color of the water from azure to reddish at a certain period.
Harmless inhabitants of the Red Sea
The underwater world of the Red Sea is incredibly beautiful and diverse. Here you can meet the most intellectually developed animals - bottlenose dolphins. Agile and agile animals live in large families and hunt crustaceans and fish. Places most favored by dolphins:
- St. John Reef near Zabargad Island;
- in the lagoon of the Shaab Sharm reef;
- Shaab Sataya Lagoon;
- Samadi reef complex.
Photo taken underwater in Shaab Sataya Lagoon
Dolphins differ from other underwater inhabitants in their reverent attitude towards their fellow creatures. They never leave a family member in trouble.
Among the widest variety of fish species in the Red Sea, the most interesting are:
Near the coral reefs you can find many more species of interesting fish. This is a cube body with an unusual square body shape, the appearance of which certainly makes you smile, and a blue surgeon, known to many from the cartoon “Finding Nemo,” and an elegant, beautiful flute fish.
Poisonous inhabitants of the depths
The inhabitants of the Red Sea are amazingly beautiful, but meeting many of them can be dangerous for humans. Even coral fish can be poisonous. The threat lies in the fins and colorful plumage with which they kill their victims.
It is better to know the enemy by sight! Which of them pose a threat to swimmers?
Anyone who has ever snorkeled or dived in the waters of the Red Sea will confirm that among the fish that live there, moray eels are the most terrifying looking ones. The opening mouth is terrifying. In fact, it’s moray eels that breathe like that.
But you shouldn’t relax! Moray eel, although a peace-loving fish, shows a violent and even aggressive disposition in case of danger. In an effort to protect her home from curious swimmers, she is ready to attack.
Its fearlessness in front of humans and the presence of sharp teeth make the fish especially dangerous. Moray eels feed mainly on shrimp, crabs and small fish, but can covet octopus and squid.
The skin of these colorful beauties has no scales. But the thick mucus covering the body, which protects the moray eel from large predators, can cause severe burns.
Stone fish
The wart, which lives near coral reefs, is considered one of the most poisonous fish in the world. Thanks to its ability to mimic, the predator is quite difficult to detect. The mottled-brown coloring helps her with this. A wart buried in silt or sand, the size of which does not exceed 30-50 cm, can easily be confused with a stone or plant.
The main weapon of the predator is the pectoral fins, which are 12 thick spines with glands that secrete poison. It contains a neurotoxin that causes severe pain followed by paralysis and tissue death. The fin needles are so sharp that they can easily pierce even the sole of a shoe.
The outcome of an unsuccessful “contact” depends on the degree of damage. With deep penetration, the injection can be fatal; with minor penetration, it can cause swelling that will subside over several months.
The motley beauty lionfish got its name thanks to its developed pectoral fins, which look similar to wings. Due to its striped coloring it is often called a zebra fish. The lionfish leads a sedentary lifestyle: during the day it hides among the stones in caves, and at night it hunts for mollusks.
The main decoration of the lionfish is its luxurious dorsal and pectoral fins. But it is precisely in them that danger lurks. They contain sharp needles that release poison.
Beginner scuba divers often get caught by the colors. Wanting to take a photo with the motley fish, they try to get as close to it as possible and pick it up. At this moment, the “zebra” releases a terrible injection with a portion of poison, which can cause convulsions and heart rhythm disturbances. Experiencing sharp pain, a person can lose consciousness and fall into a state of shock.
Representatives of echinoderms are among the most common inhabitants of the Red Sea. Urchins settle near the shores and feed on plankton.
The body diameter of these creatures does not exceed 10 centimeters; the “volume” is determined by long needles sticking out in all directions. It is in them that the main danger lies. The sharp ends of the needle are surrounded by bags of poisonous liquid. For humans, this poison is not fatal, but quite painful. In some cases, it can cause palpitations and numbness.
Contact with a hedgehog is also fraught with the fact that its sharp spines have a fragile structure. Having penetrated deep under the skin, they often break off. Getting them out is extremely problematic.
Elasmobranch cartilaginous fish stand out from their fellow fish with their unusual body shape. The flattened body is framed by large pectoral fins that smoothly merge with the head. The color of the upper side of the fish, adapting to the living space, varies from black to light sand.
In the waters of the Red Sea there are large specimens of fish, the main weapon of which is the ability to cause an electric shock. From transformed muscles, with the help of a special organ located in the tail, they can paralyze prey by generating electrical discharges in the range from 60 to 230 volts. For humans, an electric shock is not very dangerous, although there are cases where it caused paralytic shock.
In addition to electric stingrays, stingrays, which wield poisonous spines, are also found in the waters of the Red Sea. The wounds received from the injection are very painful and take a long time to heal.
Agile and voracious predators with huge mouths and large knife-like teeth, they mainly feed on fish. But large individuals are capable of attacking people.
Sea pikes live at shallow depths. They live in packs, but prefer to hunt alone. Magnificent hunters are able to remain motionless for a long time and sneak up unnoticed. Camouflage coloring helps them with this.
Barracudas are aggressive towards people. They attack with lightning speed, inflicting lacerated wounds with their sharp small teeth. Up to a hundred people suffer from these creatures every year. Half of the cases are fatal.
5 / 5 ( 1 vote)
Very rich in different inhabitants, it contains a very large number of varieties of fish. The water in it is clean and clear, very salty, and it is very easy to learn to swim in it.
Swimming in it is a pleasure; the water keeps your body afloat well.
I liked this sea very much, much better than the Black and Azov Seas.
But you need to be careful, the Red Sea hides some dangers, it has a very large variety of poisonous fish.
The brighter the color of the fish, the more poisonous it is; you should not catch them with your hands, as you may get burns due to their poison.
Here are the most dangerous inhabitants of the Red Sea:
Shark- the largest and most dangerous predator of the Red Sea, in this sea there are about 30 species of sharks, the 2 most dangerous are the tiger shark, which attacks people, and the long-winged shark. Some people claim that there is even a white shark, the most dangerous shark in the world, but there is no evidence of this yet. Maybe someone deliberately started such gossip to scare people. There is no need to be too scared, these sharks are active in the open sea, but they do not swim near the shore.
Look how many people vacation in Egypt every day and are not attacked by sharks. True, in 2010 there was a case when sharks attacked 4 tourists, but these sharks were caught and killed (as the Egyptian authorities say). Why did it happen so? The explanation was that some ship dumped a batch of spoiled meat into the sea, and the sharks, having eaten it, swam to the shore, smelling the smell from this ship.
In 2011, everything was calm and there was not a single attack on humans, so sharks in the Red Sea are not that dangerous, many species do not pose a threat to humans at all.
Stingrays - another inhabitants of the red sea They come in two types: electric stingray and stingray. The first type has the property of releasing an electric discharge, it is dangerous because it is painful, and paralytic shock is also possible. And the second type has a spike with poison at the end of its tail. This injection is very painful and the wound takes a long time to heal after the injection.
Sea urchins- I think you’ve heard about them more than once, if you’ve been to Egypt at least once, you’ve heard how the guide immediately warns people to be careful and not step on him in the water. On the hotel premises or at the market you can buy special slippers in which you will swim in the sea. I swam without them, the first rule is not to walk on the bottom of the sea, since it is at the bottom that they lie and rest. There are practically no them on sandy beaches, but on reef beaches this is their favorite place.
Why are sea urchins dangerous?, firstly, they are prickly when you step on it, it hurts, and secondly, its needles are poisonous. If you step on it, you will feel paralysis of a limb of the body, severe burning pain, and after that you cannot walk for 3 days (bed rest).
And then you walk and limp for another week, because your leg hurts so much.
I talked to a woman who stepped on a hedgehog last year, she was swimming on a reef beach, or rather, she didn’t know how to swim and walked with her feet on the bottom until she stepped on it. HER words: It was a nightmare, my whole vacation was ruined, I was in no mood. They smeared my leg with some kind of ointment, and even after arriving home my leg still ached.
Barracuda fish- this fish is dangerous because it has very sharp teeth like a blade, it is considered one of the fastest fish in the sea and can instantly develop great speed. It grows up to two meters, people should not be afraid of it, it feeds on small fish. There is no need to approach them underwater because the barracuda will not like this and may begin to defend itself and attack you; it has strong jaws and sharp teeth.
Moray- the fish looks very scary, not beautiful, looks like a snake, it has neither scales nor fins. In addition, its bite is dangerous because it begins to infect the human body. The coloring can be different, the color of the camouflage depending on where it is located (lives). It has sharp teeth, length 2-2.5 m, there are also small species up to 10 cm that do not grow anymore, although their teeth are very sharp. These are nocturnal animals, during the day you will not see them in the water, they lie somewhere in the gorges and rest.
Sea snakes- these are dangerous inhabitants of the Red Sea, their poison is several times stronger than that of a cobra. But the action of the poison occurs very slowly; if you are bitten by a snake, you have time to get out of the water and call an ambulance (or you will be taken to the hospital) where you will be given an antidote.
Zebra fish or another name Lionfish- This type of fish is very poisonous. The lionfish looks like a fan of feathers; other fish are afraid to even touch this fish; you need to stay away from it. As soon as you receive the injection, severe pain and burning of the body area begins, convulsions begin, heart function deteriorates, and death is possible.
The poison of this fish is destroyed at high temperatures; when injecting it, you need to immerse part of the body in hot water and keep it for as long as possible, the hotter the better. But you also need to realistically assess the situation; you won’t be able to put your hand in boiling water at 90 degrees; you will get severe burns from the water itself. You need to choose a certain temperature, 50 -60, I think it’s still possible to stick your hand into it, then immediately go to the hospital.
Starfish- belongs to the class of invertebrates, they come in different sizes from 1 cm to 1 meter. The color can be different, depending on their type; on its rays there are thorns that are poisonous. When you step on it, it is very painful, redness and burning appears at the injection site.
Sea clam Cone very poisonous, do not pick it up under any circumstances; if it stings you, its venom immediately begins to paralyze the limb. Your breathing may stop and analophic shock may occur. Out of every 3 stings from the thorn of this mollusk, one death occurs.
Don't worry too much, yeah there are many dangerous inhabitants in the red sea, but they don’t attack that often, very rarely.
There are also different predators in the forest: wolf, lynx, bear, but you go there anyway, and during the day it is almost impossible to meet them, also in the Red Sea, during the day these inhabitants rest in the depths or in gorges, so you don’t need to be very afraid , just be careful to follow the minimum recommendations:
1. do not swim far from the shore
2. do not swim in the open sea
3. don't swim at night
4. do not go into the water when you have a cut on part of your body (blood coming out).
If the Red Sea were so dangerous, then no one would swim in it (even local residents) and no one would go to Egypt on vacation.
What to do if you accidentally meet some inhabitant of the Red Sea from the above (this applies to everyone except sharks):
First of all, there is no need to panic, it is not a shark and it will not rush at you.
Second, keep a certain distance, don’t get close to them, why should you risk it.
More articles about Egypt.
Over millions of years of existence, the ancient sea is filled with underwater inhabitants in huge quantities. One and a half thousand fish have been studied and described by humans, but this is less than half of the inhabitants of the mysterious body of water.
Not a single river flows into the warm sea. This factor contributes to the preservation of clean water and the development of a special living world. Red Sea fish unique. Many species are not found in other bodies of water.
Popular and safe fish
A visit by tourists to popular resorts is not complete without scuba diving and sea fishing. Famous representatives of the water depths will leave a vivid impression:
Parrot fish
The name corresponds to its bright appearance: multi-colored coloring and a growth on the forehead like a bird’s beak. Blue-green, yellow, orange-red in color, large fish (up to 50 cm in length) are safe.
Fish-Napoleon
The growth on the head, similar to the emperor's cocked hat, gave the name to the species. The impressive size of the Maori wrasse (up to 2 meters long) is combined with a good nature and trusting character. The fish is so sociable that it itself swims up to the drivers to get to know each other better.
Napoleon fish is often called sponge fish
Antais
A schooling fish of very small size (7-15 cm). The inhabitants of coral reefs have bright colors of orange, green, and red. A school of up to 500 fish can gather.
Bistripe amphiprion
The bright, unusual coloring with stripes outlined in black on an orange background attracts photographers. The fish live in pairs in sea anemones and are not at all afraid of scuba divers.
The tentacles of sea anemones, which are poisonous to others, do not harm the settlers, covered with protective mucus, as if protecting them. Amphiprions are sometimes called. They behave bravely near their shelter.
Clown fish seek protection in sea anemones, which are poisonous to other aquatic life.
Butterfly fish
The beauty is easy to recognize by its tall, strongly flattened oval body with a long dorsal fin and bright black and yellow color. Due to their diurnal lifestyle at shallow depths, they have been well studied by masked divers.
They live with small flocks and pairs. There are color options of blue-orange, black-silver, red-yellow.
Black-spotted Grunt
For her wide lips she is nicknamed sweetlip. Names of Red Sea fish often spoken, therefore the color of the fish and the grinding sound when biting through corals determined the name of the inhabitant.
Lethrina
Inhabitants of the sea coastline. They feel great among rocks, reefs, rich in vegetation. Greenish-brown in color with dark spots on the sides. The fins and interorbital space are red-pink. Body length up to 50 cm.
Imperial Angel
It’s hard not to notice the fish even among other beauties of the warm sea. Decorated with frontal and ocular stripes. Color from yellow-blue-white range in variations of shades and patterns. A variety of solid and interrupted stripes, spots, specks, transitions and mergers.
The directions of the pattern are also varied: circular, diagonal, vertical, transverse, wavy. Despite all the individuality of the fish's outfits, they are recognizable in their grace.
The imperial angel has a variety of colors
Plataxes
Young sickle-shaped fish grow up to 70 cm in length. The body is flattened on the sides. The color is bright orange or yellow with three black stripes. Curious by nature, not shy, they swim quite close to the drivers. Stay in groups. With age, the color becomes uniformly silvery as the stripes blur. The size of the fins decreases.
Lantern fish
The luminous organs most often are the eyes. The emission of greenish light comes from the lower eyelid, sometimes from the tail or abdominal part. Small fish, up to 11 cm, live in caves at depths of up to 25 m. They hide from divers. Light attracts prey to them and serves as a contact for their species.
Aggressive inhabitants
The depths of the sea can be dangerous. The inhabitants of the sea do not all attack when they meet, but you should not provoke their attack. For example, an open wound and the smell of blood always attract predators. Following simple rules can ensure safe exploration of the Red Sea:
- do not touch fish with your hands;
- avoid night bathing.
Insidious behavior when meeting or an unexpected attack by fish can result in serious injuries and risk to human life.
Poisonous fish
Surgeon fish
The tail fins have sharp spines for protection. In the normal state they are hidden in special recesses. When danger arises, the spikes move apart like cutting scalpels.
The length of the fish reaches 1 meter. An attempt to pet a bright beauty, blue, pink-brown or lemon, can result in a retaliatory strike and a deep wound.
Stone fish
Deceit lies in the inconspicuous appearance. Warty growths and gray coloring give a repulsive appearance. Buried in the seabed, the fish blend in with the surface in color and shape. An unexpected prick from the spines of the dorsal fin is so dangerous that without medical help a person dies within a few hours.
Excruciating pain, clouding of consciousness, vascular disorders, and irregular heart rhythms follow after a poisonous lesion. Treatment is possible, but it is difficult and long.
Stone fish perfectly camouflages itself as the seabed
Lionfish or zebra fish
It is notable for its exotic-looking ribbon-shaped fins with poisonous spines. Infection with thorns causes a convulsive reaction, loss of consciousness, and respiratory spasms. Brownish-red scales with alternating stripes resemble a fan. Many marine inhabitants cautiously keep their distance.
There is a strong poison on the edges of the lionfish's fins.
Stingrays (electric and stingray)
Despite their strong damaging effect, stingrays are not aggressive. Careless handling of occupants may result in
- to an electrical discharge, which can result in paralysis or cardiac arrest;
- pricked by a poisonous thorn - the wound is very painful and difficult to heal.
No deaths have been recorded after meeting with a stingray, but no one wants to step on a stingray.
Sea Dragon
By its appearance, the inhabitant can be confused with the famous bull. But dark spots and stripes reveal one of the most unpredictable predators. It hunts prey both at depths of up to 20 m and in shallow coastal waters. There have been cases when people simply stepped on a dragon buried in the sand.
An inconspicuous fish, up to 50 cm long with an elongated body, attacks with lightning speed. The eyes are set high - this helps in hunting. The spread fan of the dorsal fin is a warning, but it is not always noticed. All needles are toxic. Additional spines are located on the gill covers.
Even dead fish can poison with a poisonous injection within 2-3 hours. Therefore, it poses a particular danger to fishermen. In a fish caught with a fishing rod, the spines are pressed down, but in the hands it will show its cunning. As a result of the poisonous injection, edema and paralysis develop, and there is a risk of death due to heart failure.
Arotron stellata
Large fish, growing up to 1.5 m, can be invisible in the water surface due to their small dot color and slow movement. The main feature is the ability to inflate into a ball.
This is facilitated by a special chamber near the stomach, where water is collected at the moment of danger. Skin without elasticity. The bloated appearance scares off enemies.
The poison tetradotoxin accumulates in the body of the arotron, so consumption is not recommended. The bites are painful. Durable tooth plates grind shellfish and coral.
Poisonous fish of the Red Sea often exceed the paralyzing power of terrestrial reptiles.
Dangerous fish
Needlefish
The body of a narrow hexagonal shape is elongated up to 1 meter in length. The color varies from light green, gray to reddish-brown. With its long jaws, the fish can easily bite through a human body. Meeting her is dangerous.
Tiger shark
The cunning of the species is the unpredictable appearance of man-eating fish in the port, on the beach area, in the bay. Large predators, from two to seven meters long, are decorated with tiger stripes on the sides. The color on a gray background disappears with age. The peculiarity is the ability to hunt even in complete darkness.
The tiger shark is one of the first places in attacks on people
Barracuda
In appearance it resembles a river fish with small scales, up to 2 meters long. The barracuda's large mouth with knife-like teeth grabs prey tightly and can cripple a person's limbs, mistaking them for fish in muddy water.
It does not show aggression towards humans, but hunts together with sharks, which creates an additional threat. Connoisseurs classify certain species as edible fish with valuable meat.
The risk of eating the “unknown” barracuda delicacy is severe poisoning with many symptoms, which complicates diagnosis. Disruption of the body's systems: respiratory, nervous, circulatory - leads to death.
Moray
Varieties can be from 15 cm to 3 m long. A serpentine body without scales gracefully moves at the very bottom among stones and crevices. The dorsal fin extends from the head to the tail.
The color is varied. There are individuals both plain and spotted, striped in yellowish-gray tones. Huge mouth with two jaws. After an attack, the teeth of a moray eel can only be unclenched with outside help. A torn bite does not heal for a long time, although the fish is not poisonous.
Bluefin ballistode
It is especially dangerous in the summer months, when nesting season begins. A meeting with a person will certainly end in an attack by a predator. At other times, the ballistod is calm and does not react to large objects. Stays near coral reefs.
The color is spotted or striped, with bright streaks on a dark greenish background. Powerful teeth, up to 7 cm in size, split the shells of crustaceans and grind limestones. The bites are not poisonous, but the wounds inflicted are always very severe. The fish is considered unpredictable and one of the most dangerous on the reefs.
Spotted flathead (crocodile fish)
Favorite habitats are in coral reefs. The size of the fish reaches 70-90 cm. The large head with a wide mouth gives it a resemblance to a crocodile. The body is covered with sandy or dirty green scales.
It swims little, mostly buries itself in the bottom sand and remains motionless for several hours. With sudden jerks he catches unwary fish. The mouth is small, so it hunts only small prey.
The flathead is a fearsome species, covered with spines that protect it from other predators. When meeting a person, he does not show aggression. Spotted flathead should not be touched. The danger is in causing accidental wounds from the dirty spines of a bottom-dwelling crocodile. They lead to inflammation if the affected area is not thoroughly treated.
Red Sea Tylosur
The predator can be seen at shallow depths while hunting for small fish. Large individuals, up to 1.5 meters, are similar to barracudas, but their jaws are longer. A special feature of tylosurs is the ability to jump out of the water and, bending, fly over the waves for a considerable distance.
With their tail they seem to push off the water, accelerating to jump into a school of fish that cannot see the hunter. Fishermen have often become victims when they fall under the toothy snout of a powerful tylosur.
Dangerous fish of the Red Sea have not been fully studied. The unique qualities of the inhabitants, who have survived in the natural reserve for millions of years, fascinate with the diversity and unpredictability of their manifestations. The richness of the underwater world continues to amaze tourists and researchers with its evolutionary beauty.
A large number of countries washed by warm seas have species of animals that are exotic in our area. The Red Sea is especially replete with unusual creatures and colorful fish. One of the countries located near this sea is Egypt. The country has affordable prices for an ordinary tourist with an average income, which is why many people flock there to not only relax under the palm trees, but also snorkel deep into the Red Sea - the marine life in these parts is so unusual that there is a great desire to see them for yourself , and show people. The fish of the Red Sea can be completely harmless and very dangerous.
The Red Sea is especially replete with unusual creatures and colorful fish
general information
The Red Sea divides Eurasia and Africa, extending deep into the continent. The sea is connected to the Indian Ocean by the Bab El Mabdeb Strait, and to the Mediterranean Sea thanks to the artificially created Suez Canal.
The climate in these parts is very hot and dry, which means the evaporation of water here is intense. Due to climatic conditions, the salt concentration here exceeds all permissible standards, second only to the Dead Sea, where almost no one lives.
In the Red Sea, unlike the Dead Sea, the underwater world is rich in diversity of life: more than half of the inhabitants of the Indian Ocean live here. Many species have adapted to high salt levels, and even new fauna have appeared that live only in the Red Sea.
Dangerous sharks
The waters of the southern seas are home to at least 30 species of sharks, which can be encountered at any time of the day. Of course, the likelihood of an encounter increases when the fish is in search of food. For example, sharks of the coastal zone are active at night, and representatives of open waters - during the day. Although there are those who do not care about the time of day - this is the tiger shark.
Coastal sharks swim most often near the coastline - in bays and estuaries, near reefs. TO Red Sea fish catalog:
Pelagic species
- Longfin shark. Grows up to 4 meters in length. When meeting divers, it does not get scared, but, on the contrary, circles around. In some cases, he may fall into a food frenzy. There are many cases with sad outcomes.
- Silky shark. It also likes to stay in open waters, sometimes swimming into coastal areas. It grows up to 3.5 meters in length and is considered quite dangerous, but there are no recorded cases of attack.
- Whale shark. It is the largest shark in the world, reaching a length of 15 meters and weighing 15 tons. They are considered harmless as they feed on plankton. Currently quite rare in the Red Sea.
- Shark Mako. The fastest shark in the world, can accelerate to 60 km/h. It grows up to 4 meters and weighs half a ton.
Aggressive little fish
Fish that live in large numbers in shallow waters cause great admiration for inexperienced swimmers. Bright fish, which seem so harmless, are considered especially beautiful. Often it is small fish that are dangerous, as they can pierce the enemy’s skin or release poison. In any case, you need to be vigilant. The inhabitants of the Red Sea have an unpredictable character and deceptive appearance.
Poisonous cylinder
When in danger, the balloon fish inflates and increases in size several times. The poison of this individual is very dangerous, and although it does not attack humans, it is better not to approach it. Balloon fish are protected with needles that are filled with toxins. It is from balloon fish that the famous dish - fugu - is prepared. Only an experienced chef can prepare this dish, because with the slightest mistake, the cooked fish can kill a person.
In times of danger, the balloon fish inflates and increases in size several times.
sea butterfly
Refers to the indigenous inhabitants of this sea. Fish of the Red Sea can be migratory, which are also found in other bodies of water, but the Sea Butterfly lives only in this place; it is impossible to meet it in another body of water.
It is distinguished by an unusual manner of movement: it lowers its nose down, resembling an antenna with its fin. It has a bright yellow color and moves in a flock, living in the depths.
Clown (Amphiprion)
The fish of the Red Sea are different, for example, the clown fish combines small size and pronounced aggression. The tiny inhabitant of the pond is not afraid of anyone. At least it attacks swimmers quite often. The clown doesn't pose much danger, but he might bite your finger - it’s not a pleasant sensation.
Clown fish attacks swimmers quite often The clown fish acts as a protector, driving away opponents from the anemone. And since the anemone, the fish’s home, is located in shallow water, meeting people occurs quite often.
Parrotfish and Imperial Angel
You can often notice that the names chosen for the fish are appropriate and accurately describe their appearance. Sometimes they emphasize similarities with land-based faunal brethren. So the parrot fish got its name for its similarity in color to a feathered fish. In addition, the fish's mouth resembles a beak, with which it likes to eat corals. Very often it can be seen near reefs.
The imperial angelfish is considered the most beautiful fish in the southern seas. The unusual color, which contains yellow, blue and white shades, can have various combinations. The colors merge into stripes, which can be narrow and wide, whole and interrupted, all shades together or only part of them - such a varied and recognizable imperial angel.
Camouflage specialists
A hidden threat lies in the areas designated as beach areas. There are fish that live there and can mix with their environment. One of these inhabitants is the warty fish, or stone fish, which takes on the shape of a cobblestone and can cause serious harm to health.
Resembling a stone overgrown with algae, this predator attacks with strong poison, piercing the enemy’s skin with sharp needles. Wart venom is much stronger than cobra venom, and the particular danger lies in the fact that the fish likes to live in coastal areas. Even the most durable swimming shoes will not save you from its needles - the wart penetrates any protection.
Another master of camouflage is the devil fish. It grows only up to 35 centimeters, but blends perfectly with any surrounding landscape. A very ferocious and poisonous inhabitant of the sea, posing a threat to scuba divers, who often die from its poison.
These are the fish found in the Red Sea. The inhabitants of this reservoir are good at camouflage, so some caution should be exercised. It is especially dangerous to be near reefs where a variety of predators hide.
