Pokračování článku 20 of the Weirdest and Wonderful Creatures In The Ocean
Pokračování článku 20 of the Weirdest and Wonderful Creatures In The Ocean
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Pokračování článku 20 of the Weirdest and Wonderful Creatures In The Ocean
10. Coffinfish
The coffinfish is a type of sea toad which is a name given to different types of deep sea Anglerfish. It is a relatively recent discovery from the end of the 20th century as the first sighting was in 1997.
It is found in the Benthic area of the sea, which is the name given to the deep, muddy bottom. This means it is thought to be at depths of around 164 feet to 984 feet.
Typically they have been found to reside in the Pacific ocean off the coast of Australia in the continental shelf of water. They grow to around 8 inches to 9 inches in length, and in terms of appearance, they are covered in tiny spiny scales that are barely visible.
Their gills can inflate, like those of a pufferfish as a means of acting as a defense mechanism.
They are a little bit of a mystery to us humans, especially in their younger stages of life. However, what we do know is that their feeding habits involve catching prey such as small invertebrates with small lures that reside above their noses.
This lure catches the prey and the coffinfish eat them straight away. It is called the illicium and is a feature that is common with anglerfish. This illicium can be lowered back into a groove on their face.
11. Leafy Seadragon
This interesting creature belongs to the same family as the seahorse and looks as majestic as you would imagine a dragon to be.
They are often known fondly as 'leafies', thanks to the protrusions all over their body that resemble leaves or bits of seaweed.
This seaweed-like appearance acts as a form of camouflage for them, allowing them to blend in and hide from their predators. They are well loved in Australia and even feature as the emblem for Southern Australia.
This is because they are only found in the Southern seas of Australia, and can be seen by scuba divers due to them residing at depths of 160 feet. They are typically found in sand patches and amongst the kelp, perhaps because of their ability to blend in well.
This is needed when considering the risks they are subject to from natural and manmade sources. They are sometimes, cruelly, sourced for alternative medicine by humans, as well as being endangered by pollution.
They grow to around 8 or 9 inches, making them a little bigger than their seahorse relatives. However, some scientists have even reported them growing up to 13 inches or more!
They are very independent creatures from the moment they are born and are usually ready to breed at around two years old. They feed on a diet of plankton, fish in their larval stage, amphipods, and small shrimp.
They do this by sucking them up through their snout. Unlike their seahorse relatives, they can not curl their tails around seaweed, kelp, and seagrass to stay safe during a storm. For this reason, they are often found washed up on the shores if the weather has been particularly bad.
Source: https://addhelium.com/weirdest-creatures-in-the-ocean/
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