The entire water area of ​​the Indian Ocean lies within the tropical and southern small belts. For the shallow waters of the tropical zone, countless 6- and 8-ray corals, hydrocorals, capable of creating islands and atolls together with calcareous reddish algae, are distinctive. Among the massive coral buildings, there is a rich fauna of various invertebrates (lips, worms, crabs, mollusks, sea ​​urchins, ophiuras and starry sea skies), small but clearly colored coral fishes. Coarse fraction the coasts are occupied by mangroves, in which the mud hopper is different - a fish that is capable of long time be in a weightless environment. The fauna and flora of beaches and rocks drying out at low tide are quantitatively depleted as a result of a depressing act sun rays... V temperate life on such coastal areas is much richer; develop here dense thickets bard and brown algae (kelp, fucus, reaching large volumes of macrocystis), various invertebrates are abundant. For the open areas of the Indian Ocean, especially for the surface layer of the water column (100 m each), the rich flora is still distinctive. Of unicellular planktonic algae, a certain number of species of anterior and diatom algae dominate, and in the Arabian Sea - blue-green algae, often causing global development so-called water bloom.

The main mass of ocean animals is composed of copepod crustaceans (more than 100 species), then wing-footed mollusks, jellyfish, siphonophores and other invertebrates follow in the footsteps. Of unicellular organisms, radiolarians are distinguished; squid are numerous. Of the fish, a certain number of species are more abundant. flying fish, glowing anchovies - myctophids, coryphans, big and small tuna, sailfish and various sharks, toxic sea snakes. Sea turtles and large marine mammals (dugongs, toothed and toothless whales, pinnipeds) are widespread. Among birds, albatrosses and frigates are more distinctive, as well as a number of penguin species inhabiting the coasts of South Africa, Antarctica and islands lying in the temperate zone of the ocean.

The history of the Indian Ocean exploration has the ability to exist divided into 3 periods: from the old voyages to 1772; from 1772 to 1873 and from 1873 to real time.

The 1st period is characterized by the study of the distribution of ocean and land waters in a given share the globe... It started with the first voyages of Indian, Egyptian and Phoenician seafarers, who, for 3000-1000 years in our era, wandered along the northern part of the Indian Ocean, and ended with the bathing of James Cook.

In 1772-75, it penetrated South at 71 ° south latitude. The second period was marked by the origin of deep-sea studies, first carried out by Cook in 1772 and continued by Russian and foreign expeditions. The main Russian expeditions were - O. Kotzebue on "Rurik" (1818) and Pallena on "Cyclone" (1858-59). The third period is characterized by group oceanographic surveys. Economic-geographical and political-geographical sketch. The penetration of Europeans (Portuguese, then Dutch, French and British) into the reservoir of the Indian Ocean dates back to the 16-17 centuries, and more closely to the middle of the 19th century most of its shores and islands were fixed by England, which exported raw materials and foodstuffs important for its economy. At all the entrances to the Indian Ocean, naval (and later military-weightless) bases were made: in the Atlantic Ocean - Simonstown, in the Windless Ocean - Singapore, in the Reddish Sea - Aden, and on the way to India - Trincomalee. In the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, there were colonies of France, the Netherlands (Netherlands India), Portugal.

After the end of World War II 1939-1945 disintegration colonial system imperialism made fundamental amendments to political map basin of the Indian Ocean.

Fishing is developed insignificantly (catch does not exceed 5% of the world catch) and is limited to local coastal zone... Near the equator (Japan) is fishing for tuna, and in Antarctic waters - whale fishing. Pearls and mother-of-pearl are mined in Sri Lanka, the Bahrain Islands and the northwest coast of Australia.

There are rich oil fields in the Persian Gulf basin. Production is carried out both onshore and offshore fields within the shelf. The countries of the Indian Ocean also have significant resources of other valuable types of mineral raw materials (tin, iron and manganese ores, natural gas, diamonds, phosphorites, and others).

Features of the organic world of the Indian Ocean.

The fauna and flora of the Indian Ocean are similar to the organic world of the Pacific Ocean, which is explained by the wide exchange between these oceans through the seas and straits of the Indonesian archipelago.

Especially rich in organic life tropical part Indian Ocean, mainly coastal areas and shallow waters of the marginal and inland seas the northern and northeastern part of the ocean, as well as off the northeastern coast of Africa. At the same time, the tropical "oceanic desert" in the southern hemisphere stands out sharply for its minimum productivity.

In constantly warm waters coral polyp colonies and coral structures are widespread different types... On low-lying coasts and in river estuaries, mangroves with their distinctive flora and fauna are ubiquitous - very characteristic communities for the tidal zones of the Indian Ocean. The exceptionally rich plankton of the tropical ocean (unicellular algae, molluscs, jellyfish, some crustaceans) serves as food for fish (tuna, sharks) and marine reptiles (sea snakes, giant turtles, etc.).

Due to the intensive vertical mixing of waters, areas located in the temperate zone of the southern hemisphere are also rich in plankton, but somewhat differently. species composition... Their fauna also includes some large mammals (pinnipeds, cetaceans), the number of which has greatly decreased over the long years of intensive fishing. At present, fishing in the Indian Ocean is much less developed than in others, and is mainly of a consumer nature, especially in coastal areas... Whaling in the southern part of the Indian Ocean has practically ceased, the surviving species of whales - sperm whales and sei whales - have been taken under international protection.

In the Indian Ocean, especially in the tropical part, the waters are inhabited by a large variety of living organisms - from plankton to mammals. Phytoplankton is distinguished by the abundance of the unicellular alga Trichodesmia, while zooplankton is represented by copepods, euphausids and diatoms. Molluscs (pterygopods, valvates, cephalopods, etc.) are widespread. Zoobenthos is also represented by echinoderms (starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and ophiuras), flint and lime sponges, bryozoans and crustaceans, and in the tropics and coral polyps.

At night, various luminous organisms are clearly visible in the water - peridineas, some types of jellyfish, ctenophores and tunicates. Brightly colored representatives of the hydroid class are very common, including such a poisonous representative of them as physalia.

The most numerous types fishes - the mackerel family (tuna, mackerel, mackerel), the coryphane family, glowing anchovies - myctophids, Antarctic fish of the suborder nototheniaceae, flying fish, sailfish and many species of sharks. TO dangerous inhabitants Indian Ocean include barracuda, moray eels and blue-ringed octopus.

Reptiles are represented by gigantic sea ​​turtles and sea snakes, whose venom is more toxic than that of their land cousins. The circumpolar and temperate regions are inhabited by cetaceans - dolphins, whales (blue and toothless), killer whales and sperm whales. There are also mammals such as elephant seals and seals.

The islands of the Indian Ocean, as well as the Antarctic and South African coasts are inhabited by penguins, frigates and albatrosses. There are also small endemic species on some islands - frigate bird, Seychelles scoop, paradise flycatcher, shepherd partridge, etc.

The island of Madagascar, which is a shard ancient continent, is distinguished by the uniqueness and originality of flora and fauna. Lush green vegetation looks like bright spots on the red laterite lands, and ...

Fossa is predatory mammal, which belongs to the family of Madagascar civets. It is the only member of the genus Cryptoprocta and has a separate subfamily Cryptoproctinae. This animal is the most ...

Fanaluca is a carnivorous mammal from the family of carnivorous Madagascar placentals. Outwardly, the fan-bow resembles an ermine, but it has more long legs and dark color. The body is moderate ...

Madagascar is known for its unique ecosystem. More than 80% of all animals become endemic, that is, they live only on this island. One of these representatives of the fauna is the mungo ...

The blue whale is a huge mammal and the largest animal on the planet that lives in the waters of the oceans, and is also called the blue whale or vomited. Animals...

Bottom relief

Water characteristics

Vegetable and animal world

Countries on the coast

Economic significance

Research history

Problems

Geographical position

Most of the Indian Ocean lies in the southern hemisphere. In the north, it is bounded by Eurasia and has no connection with the North Arctic Ocean... The banks are weakly indented. There are few islands. Large islands are located only at the edge of the ocean. The area with seas is 76.17 million km2, the volume of water is 282.7 million km3, the average depth is 3711 m.Seas and large bays: Krasnoe m., Arabian m., Persian Gulf, Andaman m., Bengal Bay, B Australian Hall. In the north, it is bounded by Asia, in the west by the Arabian Peninsula and Africa, in the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands and Australia, in the south by the Southern Ocean. The border between the Indian and Atlantic oceans runs along the 20 ° east longitude meridian, between the Indian and Pacific oceans it passes along the 147 ° east longitude.

Bottom relief

In the area of ​​Rodrigues Island (Mascarene Archipelago), there is a triple junction where the Central Indian and West Indian ridges converge, as well as the Australian-Antarctic uplift. The ridges consist of steep mountain ranges, cut by faults perpendicular or oblique to the chain axes and divide the basalt ocean floor into three segments, and their tops are, as a rule, extinct volcanoes. The bottom of the Indian Ocean is covered with sediments of the Cretaceous and more later periods, the thickness of the layer of which ranges from several hundred meters to 2-3 km. The deepest of the many ocean trenches is Yavan (4,500 km long and 28 km wide). The rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean carry with them huge amounts of sedimentary material, especially from the territory of India, creating high alluvial rapids.

Climate

V this region there are four climatic zones elongated along the parallels. In the first, located north of 10 ° S latitude, prevails monsoon climate with frequent cyclones moving towards the coasts. In summer, the temperature over the ocean is 28-32 ° С, in winter it drops to 18-22 ° С. The second zone (trade wind) is located between 10 and 30 degrees south latitude. Southeast winds blow here throughout the year, especially strong from June to September. Average annual temperature reaches 25 ° C. The third climatic zone lies between 30 and 45 parallel, in subtropical and temperate latitudes. In summer, the temperature here reaches 10-22 ° С, and in winter - 6-17 ° С. Between 45 degrees South latitude and Antarctica lies the fourth zone of the Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic climatic zones characterized by strong winds... In winter, the temperature here ranges from -16 ° C to 6 ° C, and in summer - from -4 ° C to 10 ° C.

Water characteristics

Belt of Indian Ocean waters between 10 degrees north latitude and 10 degrees south latitude is called the thermal equator, where the surface water temperature is 28-29 ° С. To the south of this zone, the temperature decreases, reaching −1 ° C near the coast of Antarctica. In January and February, ice melts along the coast of this continent, huge ice blocks break off the ice sheet of Antarctica and drift in the direction open ocean.

To the north, the temperature characteristics of the waters are determined by the monsoon air circulation. In summer, temperature anomalies are observed here, when the Somali Current cools the surface water to a temperature of 21-23 ° C. In the eastern part of the ocean at the same latitude, the water temperature is 28 ° C, and the highest temperature mark - about 30 ° C - was recorded in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. The average salinity of ocean waters is 34.8 ppm. The most saline are the waters of the Persian Gulf, the Red and Arabian Seas: this is due to intense evaporation with a small amount fresh water brought to the seas by rivers.

Flora and fauna

Many of the tropical Indian Ocean coasts are mangroves, where special communities of plants and animals have formed, adapted to regular flooding and drainage. Among the plants of this ecosystem *, first of all, rhizophores - mangroves, should be distinguished, and among animals - various crabs and fish - the mudskipper, which inhabits almost all the mangroves of the Indian Ocean. The shallow waters of the tropical waters of the entire ocean have been chosen by reef-forming corals and their inhabiting fish and invertebrates. V temperate zones in shallow waters, red and brown algae grow in abundance, among which most are kelp, fucus and giant macrocystis. Phytoplankton are represented by peridineas in the tropics and diatoms in temperate latitudes, as well as blue-green algae, which in places form seasonal accumulations.
Among the animals living in the Indian Ocean, the largest number of crustaceans are copepods, of which there are more than 100 species. Surprisingly, if you weigh all the copepods of the Indian Ocean, then their mass will exceed the mass of all other inhabitants of this ocean. Among invertebrates there are numerous pterygopods, as well as jellyfish and squids. Among the fish of the open ocean, most of all are flying fish, tuna, coriphene, sailfish and glowing anchovies. The Indian Ocean has sheltered many animals dangerous to humans - different types of sharks and a large number of poisonous sea snakes are found here in abundance, there are even saltwater crocodiles prone to cannibalism. Among the mammals in the Indian Ocean, there are many whales, dolphins and fur seals, and dugongs are also common. Among birds, the owners of the Indian Ocean are frigates and albatrosses, and in cold and temperate waters - penguins.

Indian Ocean countries

There are many island states in the Indian Ocean. Among them: Madagascar, Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Indonesia.

Coastal countries: Sudan, India, Somalia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Thailand, Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, and others.

Economic significance

Natural resources have not been studied sufficiently. The shelf is rich in minerals. There are huge deposits of oil and natural gas in the sedimentary rocks at the bottom of the Persian Gulf. Ilmenite, monazite, ritual, titanite and zirconium are exploited on the coasts of Mozambique, the islands of Madagascar and Ceylon. And off the coast of India and Australia there are deposits of barite and phosphorite, and in the shelf zones of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, deposits of cassiterite and ilmenite are being exploited on an industrial scale. The most important transport routes of the Indian Ocean are routes from the Persian Gulf to Europe and North America, as well as from the Gulf of Aden to India, Indonesia, Australia, Japan and China. The importance of the Indian Ocean for the world fishing industry is small: catches here account for only 5% of the total. The main commercial fish local waters - tuna, sardine, anchovy, several species of sharks, barracuda and stingrays; shrimp, lobster and lobster are also caught here.

Research history

The history of Indian Ocean exploration can be divided into 3 periods: from ancient voyages to 1772; from 1772 to 1873 and from 1873 to the present. The first period is characterized by the study of the distribution of ocean and land waters in this part of the world. It began with the first voyages of Indian, Egyptian and Phoenician seafarers, which 3000-1000 BC. NS. traveled in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, and ended with the voyage of J. Cook, who in 1772-75 penetrated the South to 71 ° S. NS. The second period was marked by the beginning of deep-sea research, first carried out by Cook in 1772 and continued by Russian and foreign expeditions. The main Russian expeditions were Kotzebue on the Rurik (1818) and Pallena on the Cyclone (1858-59). The third period is characterized by comprehensive oceanographic research. Until 1960, they were carried out on separate ships. Most major work were carried out by expeditions on ships "Challenger" (English) in 1873-74, "Vityaz" (Russian) in 1886, "Valdivia" (German) in 1898-99 and "Gauss" (German) in 1901-1903, "Discovery II "(English) in 1930-51, by the Soviet expedition to the" Ob "in 1956-58, and others. geophysics and biology I. o. This expedition was actively attended by Soviet and foreign scientists on the research ships "Vityaz", "A. I. Voeikov "," Yu. M. Shokalsky ", non-magnetic schooner" Zarya "(USSR)," Natal "(South Africa)," Diamantina "(Australia)," Kistna "and" Varuna "(India)," Zulfikvar "(Pakistan).

Problems

The main ecological problems The Indian Ocean, like other parts of the World Ocean, are primarily associated with anthropogenic impacts on marine ecosystems and severe damage to the stability of these natural systems. Oil pollution occupies a special place among the various types of pollution in the waters of the Indian Ocean. The Near and Middle East region plays the role of the main "oil crane" in the foreign world economy. It accounts for more than 2/3 of all reserves and 1/3 of oil production foreign world... The basin of the Persian Gulf is especially prominent. Oil exports from the countries of this basin are more than 500 million tons annually. The main sea freight flows of oil start from the largest ports of the Persian Gulf and go to Western Europe, North America and Japan. The largest tankers sail through the western Indian Ocean along the coast of Africa and its northern part off the coast of the South and South-East Asia, smaller oil tankers head through the Suez Canal. Therefore, it is the northern, northeastern and western waters of the ocean that are most covered with oil slick.

The serious danger of pollution of the Indian Ocean comes from militarization, the preparation of wars and the war itself. Warships tend to evade environmental controls and cause significant damage to ocean waters. Until now, at the bottom of the seas there are many ships that were sunk during various wars, in particular, the Iran-Iraq war. The latest military conflict in the Gulf region (Iraqi-Kuwait) damaged many large tankers and drilling platforms and resulted in huge oil pollution in the Gulf. Dangerous character carries pollution of the Indian Ocean with heavy metals, primarily mercury, lead, cadmium. They enter the ocean through the atmosphere and river flows and are therefore ubiquitous. Harmful to marine organisms copper, zinc, chromium, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, contained in both industrial and agricultural waste. Unlike petroleum products, metals are not destroyed in nature, but only change the physicochemical state in a particular environment and can accumulate in marine organisms. The most dangerous pollutants include poisonous chemicals - pesticides and herbicides.

The ocean is big water body... Today, four oceans are distinguished, located between the continents, which are combined with each other, associated with the atmosphere and located in constant movement... The oceans occupy 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 have various characteristics depending on the temperature and depth of the water layer in which they live and food sources. Scientists have discovered many species only recently. Even today, most of the oceans have yet to be explored.

Inhabitants of the Arctic Ocean

In comparison with other oceans, the fauna of this very little ocean very poor. Among the large marine mammals you can find beluga whales, narwhals, various cetaceans, including the rare bowhead whale. And also several types of seals: bearded seal, sea ​​Elephant, greenland and leopard, ringed seal.

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

Narwhal- most northern view of all toothed cetaceans. The only representative of the genus and close relative beluga whales. The sizes are large: the body is up to 6 m long, the weight is 1-1.5 tons. Spends the whole year in this region, unlike other whales that migrate south for the winter. Winters in an ice-hole among ice floes. They feed on fish, shrimp and squid. The female gives birth to one cub. In males and very rarely in females, one curled 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 - unicorn.

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

In the cold waters of this ocean, there is an amazing jellyfish - giant cyanea, as well as a unique ice fish.

Cyanea, Arctic cyanea or Lion's mane - the largest jellyfish in the world. It grows tentacles more than 50 m long, and its "umbrella" reaches 2 m in diameter. Surprisingly, this large jellyfish in its adult state exists only for one summer season. In the spring, young jellyfish appear, which grow rapidly, reaching gigantic proportions at the end of summer, and die in the fall. They feed on zooplankton, including small fish.

Ice fish- a translucent little fish. Thanks to the natural "antifreeze", the blood of this fish does not freeze even in ice.

Inhabitants of the Indian Ocean

The fauna of the Indian Ocean is amazing and very diverse. Among the animals, one can distinguish a large number of crabs and an interesting fish - the mudskipper, which inhabits almost all mangroves (a form of coastal vegetation) of the ocean.

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

One 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. Shark-mako- the fastest shark in the world, can reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. She has a powerful streamlined body deep of blue color, it can be up to 4 m 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 White shark or as it is sometimes called - karcharodon. Great white shark- a six-meter shark with a gray back and a white belly. It mainly feeds on seals and fur seals, but occasionally attacks humans. 50 to 70 shark attacks per person are recorded annually. Fewer than 4 attacks are fatal each year.

The birds are represented by albatrosses and frigates. Albatross- a large seabird, capable of not returning to land in places. Albatrosses catch squid, octopus and fish from the ocean surface. In wandering albatross and royal albatross, the wingspan can reach 3.5 m - these are the most big birds on the ground. Frigates- large black and white seabirds. During mating season, males' throat sacs turn red, and they inflate these sacs to attract the attention of females. Sometimes frigates 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

Fauna Atlantic Ocean very numerous and varied. Thousands of animal species are found in all areas of the ocean. Here you can see predators dangerous to humans: sharks, barracuda and moray eels.

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

The world of corals is quite peculiar here, and off the coast of Cuba there are whole “underwater forests” - thickets of soft corals. A coral reef is an underwater limestone structure made up of the hard skeletons of tiny animals called polyps. Coral reefs lie in warm, clear, shallow waters off rocky coasts or volcanic islands. Life flourishes next to them. Many small animals feed on algae that grow on corals. The corals themselves serve as food for some animals, such as the parrotfish and the Crown of Thorns star. Only 200 years ago, coral was considered a plant, not an animal. Many coral reefs are threatened with destruction. Water pollution, rising average temperatures, souvenir hunting and deepening shipping lanes are destroying 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. The 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, which are called antennae.

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

Sea lilies- graceful creatures, similar to flowers, belong to the kingdom of fauna. They are divided into two large groups: stemmed and stemless. Stem lilies are attached to one place all their lives. Most often found in the deepest areas. Stalkless lilies can not only crawl from place to place, but can even swim slowly, using tentacles like oars.

Pacific inhabitants

More than half of the living matter of the entire World Ocean of the Earth is concentrated in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The representative of toothed whales, the sperm whale, is widespread, and several species of striped whales are among the toothless 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 squids. Giant squid- a kind of squid, 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 grooves on the lower jaw and belly. These include the largest animal on the planet - blue whale... Which can reach over 30m in length. It feeds on huge amounts 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 great amount krill rise to the surface to feed and become food for whales and seabirds there.

V northern waters In the Pacific Ocean, the sea lion seals and walrus, which have become very rare, are found, which have a circumpolar range, but are now on the verge of extinction. Walruses ‒ large mammals with two long tusks and powerful fins. A layer of subcutaneous fat keeps them out of the cold. They swim and dive beautifully, probing the seabed with their whiskers in search of crabs and shell molluscs. Males use their tusks during fights for the female.

The Pacific Ocean, thanks to the high temperatures of its surface waters in tropical latitudes, 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 of various shapes. Polyps- tiny animals, the body of which consists of a stomach, mouth and tentacles. The soft body is protected by the skeleton. When a polyp dies, it becomes a solid, dead part of the coral, and a new polyp grows in its place. Corals can look like plant branches, tubes, or even a human brain.

A large number of fish are permanent inhabitants of coral reefs. Butterfly fish are small, brightly colored fish, often with eye-like markings on the tail. This color 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. Clown fish - small fish, which has an orange and white striped coloration, lives between poisonous tentacles sea ​​anemones. The fish themselves are protected from the poison by a layer of mucus, but the predators can be burned to death by the poison. Anemones are marine organisms that look like flowers. Relatives of jellyfish and polyps. They attach to rocks and rocks and use their tentacles to catch prey. Parrotfish are brightly colored fish with a hard beak. With this beak, they scrape off algae from the coral reef, often biting off pieces of coral. In the mouth of parrot fish there are horn plates with which they crush coral and get to prey.

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Among the animals living in the Indian Ocean, there are most of all root crustaceans, of which there are over 100 species. If we weigh all the root crops 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 molluscs (pterygopods, cephalopods, valvates, etc.). There are a lot of jellyfish and siphonophores. In the waters of the open ocean, as in the Pacific Ocean, there are numerous flying fish, tuna, coryphans, sailboats and glowing anchovies. Many sea snakes, including poisonous ones, are even found combed crocodile prone to attacking 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 numerous in cold southern waters the ocean where krill foraging grounds are located.

Among those who live here sea ​​birds you can see frigates and albatrosses, and in cold and temperate waters - penguins.

Jellyfish irukandji

Irukandji jellyfish - very poisonous jellyfish, named after the Australian Irukandji tribe. It lives off the coast of Australia.
The irukandji jellyfish is found primarily off the northern coast of Australia, especially in the state of Queensland. She is known to humans relatively recently - in 1961, Australian doctor Jack Barnes described a jellyfish, and also allowed her to sting him in order to demonstrate the effect of the poison on humans.

This jellyfish is very small. The diameter of its dome is 2-3 cm. Four tentacles extend from it, the length of each can reach 1 m. The 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 young individuals they are concentrated on the dome.

Scientists could only observe adults and juveniles of the Ikuranga 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 constitutes their main diet. V scientific laboratory it was experimentally determined that jellyfish can attack small shrimp and fish larvae. Moreover, the results of the experiment are as follows - adults of ikurandzhi prefer larvae, and juveniles prefer small shrimps. Adult jellyfish have small dark spots that seem to attract fish fry, making them easier to hunt. Young ones do not have spots, so it is easier for them to sneak up on an unsuspecting shrimp.
The actions of the poison of the jellyfish ikurangi on human body first described by Jack Barnes, who discovered jellyfish. The stung person experiences muscle pain, nausea and dizziness, severe headache... With severe burns, pulmonary edema is possible. These symptoms are called "Ikurangi Syndrome".

The poison of the Ikuranga 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 to humans. The burn goes away almost painlessly, and the Ikurangi syndrome begins only after 30-60 minutes. Since no antidote has been invented, the stung are kept alive until the poison is naturally released. As an immediate measure, burn sites are treated with vinegar.

Australia's beaches are fenced with special protective nets that prevent jellyfish from entering swimming places. But these nets are effective against large jellyfish such as the Australian sea wasp, but not against ikuranga. Swimming in northern Australia is highly discouraged during the summer months when both species migrate.

Australian sea wasp

The sea wasp is the most poisonous jellyfish in the world's oceans. Its venom 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 at least some 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 the 4 corners of the dome, 15 thin tentacles, which are dotted with nematocytes (stinging cells), extend. These cells contain a special flagellum that shoots out of the pore if the cell is disturbed. This flagellum contains a highly toxic poison 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 introduced in time, then a fatal outcome is possible.

The length of the tentacles can vary greatly, depending on what the jellyfish is currently doing. When it is calm, or swimming somewhere, their length is 10-20 cm. When the sea wasp goes hunting, it stretches its tentacles 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, as 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 in front of him is one of the most dangerous creatures not only in the ocean, but throughout 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 other hand, tries not to stand out.

Sea wasps are found in large numbers 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 their breeding grounds and can gather in large flocks, having inadvertently swam into which there is a very high probability of not returning to the shore alive. Not far from the beaches, protective nets are installed, which 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 - Carukia barnesi (Ikurandzhi jellyfish) travel along with sea animals, which, although they have a poison of lesser power, have not yet invented an antidote for them.

Sea snake Astrotia

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

The color of the snake ranges from a light creamy brown to black. Often there are wide black stripes and rings on the body. The middle of the body is enlarged, sometimes the 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 astrocy was first described by zoologists. This happened in 1846 in the scientific work "Travels in Australia" by John Lort Stokes. Currently, astrotia is the only representative of the same genus.

A very interesting feature of this snake has been noticed. Sometimes they form huge migrations of several thousand individuals. In the Mallax Strait, which connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans, clusters of snakes are formed 100 km long. and a width of 3 km. This huge flock floats near the surface, forming a kind of "living cloud". It is believed that such groups of astrotia 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 ray 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. As a defensive weapon, manta rays have nothing. They do not have sharp thorns like stingrayers and do not produce electrical discharges like some stingrays. Therefore, the attack can end tragically for manta.

But man 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. Were even filmed movies, where manta rays figured in the role of killers.

But getting to know them better, it becomes clear that these are not killers. Manty feed on plankton, larvae and very small fish. They filter this little thing like whales - swimming with a wide open mouth, they filter the water, leaving food in their mouth.

The sea devil has a larger brain than other rays or sharks. For their quick wit, docile nature and tameness, manta rays are well-deserved love among divers all over the world who come to the islands of the Indian Ocean to swim side by side with manta rays. Besides, he is quite curious. When an interesting object appears on the surface, it floats up and drifts on the waves, observing 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 eye, and gave rise to a wary attitude towards the sea devil?

Another feature of the manta is its jumping over the water. It is not exactly clear what purpose the devil is pursuing, jumping 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 jam small surface fish?

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

In captivity, sea devils are kept in only 5 large aquariums around the world. 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 underlines the love of man for this truly beautiful animal. True, this love came belatedly, but people are rehabilitated before the sea devil.