Who is heavier, an elephant or a shark? Who is the biggest on Earth? African elephant - king of the pampas

You stand on the ocean shore, look at the endless expanses, and the thought involuntarily creeps in, what kind of inhabitants are hidden by the thickness of the water?

Animal world People primarily associate the seas and oceans with whales and sharks, so quite often you can hear the question, what are the largest animals in the world?

Let's try to deal with giant water monsters and identify the tallest inhabitants of the oceans and seas.

Everyone knows from childhood that the largest animal on the planet is the whale. If you believe distant ancestors, then three such animals held the Earth on their backs. Well, if we turn to science, it turns out that the largest (of those who were measured) specimen of the blue (blue) whale grew to 33.58 meters, and it was a female. The heaviest blue whale(of those caught) weighed more than 190 tons. And then, the specialists had to weigh the record holder in parts, so the error was huge. One way or another, the result is impressive. Because 190 tons is the mass of two dozen elephants.

By the way, the blue whale is also considered the most vocal animal in the world. It can make sounds that can be heard 800 kilometers and further.

However, it is not easy for a whale to win the palm in the race for the title of the largest animal on the planet. Some other inhabitants of the planet are also involved in the dispute, which, by the way, continues now. And all of them, oddly enough, sea ​​creatures. There are even semi-mythical ones on the list, the existence of which is only guessed at. For example, megalodon. Many fans of sensations are trying to question the fact of its extinction to this day. There are even witnesses who watched giant sharks, and they say that it was not a whale or even whale shark. But it is worth noting the real representatives of the fauna who are fighting for the title of the largest animal on Earth. More precisely, to say the longest. This is a giant lion's mane jellyfish or cyanea. The broad-banded giant of the aquatic world can grow up to 37 meters (including tentacles). The diameter of the umbrella of this living creature is approximately 250 centimeters. And if we objectively evaluate these facts, then the jellyfish is longer and larger than the whale.

Another representative of the fauna of the sea does not lag behind the jellyfish. It's gigantic sea ​​worm bootlace. In the 19th century, a worm about 55 meters long was discovered on the coast of Scotland near St. Andrews after a storm. Its width was only 10 centimeters. However, scientists did not recognize the giant as a giant. This is because worms can stretch and contract. Whale shark However, sharks also compete for the title of the largest. And which one can call itself the largest and most big fish in the World Ocean?

Now scientists assign leadership in body size to the whale shark. Experts believe that it is the largest of known to science fish However, debates on the topic of the maximum size of fish continue among scientists to this day.

The documented record is 14 meters. But it is not uncommon for information to appear about the capture of a larger representative of the species. Some sharks grow up to 20 and more meters. For example, in 2002, near Chinese Taiwan, fishermen caught a female weighing 34 tons and 20 meters long.

Scientists note that the difficulty in installing size limits The whale shark is not only that large specimens are quite rare in nature. In fact, this fish is listed on the IUCN Red List and fishing is prohibited. Catching an animal is punishable by law.

But this fact rarely stops poachers, since the fins of this individual alone cost tens of thousands of dollars in Asian markets. And if fishermen manage to catch a whale shark, then, of course, the catch is hidden from prying eyes and ears, especially scientists. The fish are usually cut on site, the fins and the most valuable parts of the body are trimmed, and the rest is returned to the sea.

Despite the disputes among scientists, no one denies that the whale shark is the largest modern fish known to science. By the way, almost nothing is known about their method of reproduction. Until recently, it was believed that sharks lay eggs. This conclusion was made after a huge egg 36 centimeters long was found at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico in 1953. And he was mistaken for the future baby whale shark. But at the end of the last century, a pregnant female was caught, inside of which there were embryos that had already hatched. Therefore, it became clear that sharks reproduce by ovoviviparity. Small sharks are already appearing with a length of 60 centimeters.

Whale shark in the waters

By the way, the largest shark that a person has caught is a whale shark. She was harpooned off the coast of Pakistan (near Baba Island) in 1949. The weight of the giant was 20 tons, and the length was almost 13 meters. The girth of the torso is also impressive - 7 meters. The fishermen immediately killed the fish, cut them into parts and sold them.

Another inhabitant of the waters is not far from the record holder - this is a giant shark. It is known that the size of such fish reaches 11 meters. And there is information about the capture of a larger individual (up to 15 meters), but it is not documented. It is worth noting that the giant shark and whale shark are almost not dangerous to humans. They feed only on zooplankton. And they are not at all interested in humans as prey.

And they are dangerous because with one movement of the tail fin they can break a person’s spine or cause other serious injury. Therefore, you need to be careful in the immediate vicinity of monster fish.

Largemouth shark

Largemouth sharks, a rather rare species of underwater predators, also grow quite large. The maximum recorded size of a largemouth shark is 7 meters. But who knows, maybe even larger individuals swim in the depths of the ocean

Bigmouth shark

White shark

In 1978, in the Azores, near the harbor of San Miguel, a 7-meter white shark was caught using dozens of harpoons. This is a record to date. White Death, as it is also called, resisted the fishermen and killed two people. She broke the spine of one and bit the other in half.

By the way, there are cases when a white shark was caught with a fishing rod. So, in 1959, the Australian Elf Dian caught a cannibal on a steel fishing line in a small motor boat in the ocean. The weight of the predator was 1207 kilograms, and the length was just over five meters.
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Is the biggest marine mammals in the world. Many species of sharks also live in the oceans. Among these species are the "Whale Shark" - biggest shark in the world.

For many years, sharks have fascinated people with their deadly power and menacing appearance. Humanity creates myths around these mammals, and then they write books or make films based on them.

From the very big shark modern world We have already introduced you briefly. But when compiling such ratings, many authors mistakenly add “Megalodon” - a huge shark that appeared on our planet about 23 million years ago and lived in the oceans until the late Pliocene (2.6 million years ago).

By the way, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest predatory shark ever living is Carcharodon Megalodon, which was about 16 meters long and possibly 2 meters wide.

Now let's move directly to the list of the most big sharks in the world that can be found in the waters of the world's oceans.

The largest sharks in the world

Great whale shark

The whale shark is the largest and heaviest existing shark, because its weight is more than 21 tons and its length is more than 12 meters. These mammals live in the open ocean and warm waters. These predators mainly feed on plankton, but sometimes they can be found while hunting for larger fish. Whale sharks are not in danger of extinction because their population is large enough.

The heaviest whale shark (that was discovered) weighed about 21,000 kg. But the longest one is 12.19 meters.

Giant shark

This shark is in second place in our ranking. They live in temperate and warm oceans of the world. These giants are quite friendly and never watch divers. Giant sharks feed on plankton and small fish. This species of mammal is the heaviest in British waters.

The average weight of this shark of this species is 14515 kg, and its length varies from 9 to 11.6 meters.

Great white shark

The great white shark is the largest predatory fish in the world, and they feed on other marine life. If you have seen the movie “Jaws”, then you are undoubtedly aware of the fact that these predators do not hesitate to eat “humans”. But in reality, this fish rarely attacks humans.

Very often, great white sharks can be found in coastal areas of all oceans. Their average weight is about 3300 kg. Yes, by the way, the white shark is also the fastest shark in the world.

Greenland shark

This huge shark lives in the cold waters of the oceans, and the largest population was found in the northern part Atlantic Ocean, near Greenland and Iceland. This deep sea fish, which is not so often seen, even while diving. Greenland shark meat is poisonous, so they are not used as food.

Its average weight is about 1020 kg. And she is in 4th place on the list of the largest sharks in the world.

Tiger shark

This is another type of dangerous and predatory shark that eats all types of marine animals. It is considered the most dangerous to humans because they often attack people. This shark was nicknamed “tiger” because of the stripes on its body, thanks to which its appearance resembles the color of tigers. It is found in all oceans and especially where there are warm waters. The average weight of tiger sharks is about 939 kilograms.

Hammerhead shark

Hammerhead sharks live off the coasts of all oceans and some big seas. Despite the fact that they are a dangerous predator, they very rarely attack people. Scientists say hammerhead sharks are on the verge of extinction.

This species of shark is famous for its beautiful fins and hammer-like head shape. Also, because of their appearance, many call hammerhead sharks the strangest sea creatures.

The average weight of these predators is about 844 kg.

Sixgill shark

The sixgill shark is also included in the list of the largest sharks in the world. These predators feed various kinds sea ​​inhabitants. Sixgill sharks are found in almost all oceans, especially in the Pacific Ocean. These predators reach a length of about 5.5 m, and their average weight is about 590 kg.

Gray sand shark

The gray sand shark is one of the few non-aggressive shark species. They live in different parts of our planet, which is why it has many names. But most often it is called the “common sand shark.” This species feeds on most marine life, as well as some other smaller sharks.

The gray sand shark is renowned for its beautiful appearance, and many people especially like to watch these predators swim in the waters of the oceans.

The average weight of sharks of this species is about 556 kg.

Mako shark

Moko sharks are number nine on our list of the largest sharks in the world. This is very rare species sharks and they are endangered. Some researchers claim that moko is one of the most intelligent marine animals.

The average weight of mocha sharks is 544 kg.

fox shark

This is the last shark species in our ranking. Fox sharks are mainly found in temperate and warm oceans, especially in the Pacific. He doesn't attack people. This is a very important species of shark because humanity uses their liver to produce medical supplies. The average weight of these predators is about 500 kg.

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July 13th, 2015

How many unusual and previously unknown things exist for me personally, even in such a popular topic as SHARKS. Well, it would seem, sharks and sharks. There is white, there is reef, tiger, whale - who doesn’t know about them. But in fact, there are many sharks that many people really don’t know about. Well, for example, offhand: but they even exist, not to mention the relict

But today I will tell you about another shark, which I only learned about now. Yes, that’s just about the one in the photo.

The ghost elephant shark (Callorhinchus milii) (or Australian callorhynchus) has a unique appearance - nature has endowed it with such an outstanding “nose” that this fish can be confused with any other inhabitant sea ​​elements it wouldn't be easy. The spectacular Elephant shark, also called the elephant fish and the Australian ghost shark, belongs to the order Chimera and is closely related to other species of sharks and seahorses.

As a habitat unusual fish has chosen the waters of the South Australian and New Zealand coasts. It rarely catches the eye of people, because it prefers solid depths - 200-500 meters. It is the ocean floor that acts as shelter and table for this extravagant representative of the underwater world.

Photo 4.

The length of the elephant shark, or ghost shark, is from 70 to 120 cm. The bottom of its body has a silver-gray color, reminiscent of the color of foil, and its back and fins are covered with brown spots and streaks, which serves as a successful camouflage for it.

The amazing organ for which the elephant shark gets its name is a growth on its chin and strangely resembles a trunk. Nature does not give out gifts just like that, especially such non-trivial ones: it is obvious that the trunk of this fish has its own purpose. And, as it turns out, very important! After all, he is directly involved in the search for mollusks, crustaceans and larvae living on the ocean floor - the favorite food of elephant sharks.

Photo 5.

Emitting a gentle silvery glow, the ghost shark slowly swims above the very bottom, moving its trunk from side to side, deftly using it both as a locator and as a shovel. The picture of a shark working to get food is reminiscent of a sketch from the everyday life of an underwater treasure hunter, who carefully examines the bottom with the help of special equipment.

Photo 6.

But how does the elephant ghost shark get out of the situation in conditions zero visibility– at night or in bad weather? After all, hunger is no big deal - it can strike even in muddy water, and in pitch darkness.

It turns out that even in conditions increased complexity The ghost shark is not in danger of dying from exhaustion, because the most prominent organ replaces its vision. Moreover, not only the shark’s trunk is involved in the search for food: the tail of the fish, which under normal conditions is used as a rudder, also takes part on an equal footing with it in the process of obtaining larvae and other invertebrate small fry buried in the ground. The multifunctional tail houses a set of cells capable of producing electrical impulses at a frequency of 80 times per second.

Photo 7.

The ghost shark's trunk, in turn, is equipped with other cells that are sensitive to change. electric field. By catching the distortions occurring in the field with her chin, she receives reliable information about the features of the surrounding landscape. Thus, the elephant ghost shark is a complex mechanism for efficiently obtaining food, consisting of a flashlight-tail and a sensitive camera-chin.

By the way, the picture that appears in the head of an elephant shark is distinguished by its detailed rendering of nuances and even the presence of color, so that it is much more reminiscent of a landscape than a dry drawing. Such night vision abilities allow it to easily find food at the bottom even in the dark. Biologists, inexhaustible in their invention, decided to make the shark’s task extremely difficult by burying the larvae deep in the sand - but even in this case, she coped with the job brilliantly.

If the elephant shark chooses deeper places to live, then with the approach of spring it migrates to coastal bays and to shallow waters to mate and lay eggs. Elephant shark eggs are enclosed inside yellowish-brown horny capsules about 25 cm long.

After about 8 months, fry hatch from the eggs laid in the coastal sand - no more than 10-15 cm in size. The offspring of the elephant shark grow extremely slowly - they need at least 5 years to reach maturity.

Despite the fact that in some areas of New Zealand and South Australia, where the elephant shark lives, it is hunted (its white fillet is actively used in local cooking), it is not in danger of extinction.

Perhaps the reason is that on the South Australian coast there is an almost 5-kilometer zone where fishing is strictly prohibited and where all representatives of the numerous fish kingdom can breed and reproduce without hindrance.

A team of researchers from the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Singapore, led by Byrappa Venkatesh, studied the gene sequence of the elephant shark species Callorhinchus milii, also known as the Australian ghost shark.

The study should help shed light on the evolution of vertebrates and represents the first complete analysis of the genome of a cartilaginous fish. This class includes sharks, rays and skates. Together with bony fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, they form the clade of jawed vertebrates.

The elephant shark's genome is relatively small, consisting of just under a billion base pairs of DNA (compared to three billion base pairs in the human body). However, this sequence showed scientists some intriguing details. For example, the elephant shark's genes secrete complex proteins called phosphoproteins, so their cartilage never turns into bone (as happens in other jawed vertebrates).

Also, these animals lack genes for several key cells the innate immune system and protein receptors in the adaptive immune system, the so-called “immune memory”, which can provide protection against many diseases. This discovery suggests that the adaptive immune system evolved gradually over time in jawed vertebrates.

The elephant shark's immune system contains T cells that can destroy cells infected by viruses, but they do not have auxiliary T cells that regulate the overall immune response to infection.

One of the most remarkable features of the elephant shark's genome is its incredibly slow rate of evolution—the animal currently looks almost the same as it did 420 million years ago. In fact, these creatures have changed over hundreds of millions of years even less than the “living fossils” of coelacanth. This slow pace of evolution is explained by introns in the genome C. milii. In vertebrates, these introns are contained within thousands of DNA entries and include their own splicing instructions. In most invertebrate creatures (for example, tunicates), intron evolution occurs much faster. Scientists also noted that the possibility of mutation accumulates in the genomes of invertebrates: thus, the development of “spineless” occurs faster.

According to researchers, the elephant shark genome is closest to the DNA of the first jawed vertebrate, which lived on the planet more than 450 million years ago and gave rise to many modern animals, including humans. The elephant shark is important for understanding the development and evolution of this distant ancestor, as well as all modern species.

The scientists' work is described in detail in an article published in the journal Nature.

But that's not all. It turns out that the Elephant shark is the only shark with COLOR VISION!

The eyes of sharks make a strange impression: dull and inactive, they are at the same time cold and meaningful. The unblinking gaze of a shark inspires primitive horror and paralyzes the will. Previously it was believed that sharks are blind, but this is not entirely true.

The shark's eye has a unique structure: on its back wall there is a retina, consisting of only rod cells that perceive movement and the contrast of light and dark.

The shark's eye does not contain cone photoreceptors in the retina, so it is not capable of distinguishing colors and is poorly suited for recording rapid movements. This is partly compensated by a significant number of rods - cells that perceive weak light. In addition, behind the retina in many species of sharks there is a shiny silvery membrane (tapetum lucidum), which reflects light passing by the photoreceptor cells back onto them and thus increases the light sensitivity of the shark’s eye, which especially affects depth and in turbid water.

Sharks' sense of smell is so perfect that a few drops of blood falling into the water excite them at a distance of several kilometers. Having sensed prey, the excited shark begins to move in zigzags - alternately turning its right and left nostrils to determine the direction of the smell and localize its source. Thirty meters before him, the sharks are already beginning to be guided by vision. If the shark's nostrils are plugged, it will swim past the prey, even if it is in front of its eyes.

Sharks' vision is black and white, perceiving only the tonality of color; if you want to attract the attention of a shark, dress in white or black, take with you a metal balloon or something shiny. And then you are guaranteed the attention of sharks.

The only shark with color vision is the elephant shark (Callorhinchus milii).

Elephant shark - belongs to the class cartilaginous fish. This species, one of the most ancient representatives of this systematic group, appeared approximately 450 million years ago. Elephant sharks live in continental shelf zones off the coast of Australia and New Zealand at depths of 200 to 500 m. Adults at the age of three to four years migrate to shallow waters in bays and estuaries. There, at a depth of 6-30 m, the female lays two fertilized eggs every week for two to three months. After six to eight months, small sharks appear and leave the warm shallow waters and go deeper. Therefore, throughout their lives, elephant sharks encounter different environment habitat - first with a light full of colors, and then with a darkened and monotonous one. Scientists believe that it is living in different conditions in different periods life led to the formation of color vision in them.

The retina of the eye contains two types of photoreceptors - rods and cones. Rods contain only one light-sensitive pigment, so they are not involved in color vision. The second type of photoreceptor is cones. They already contain three types of photosensitive pigments. This feature allows the eye to perceive colors. Each type is responsible for color perception in a certain part of the spectrum - short-wave, medium-wave and long-wave. S-type cones are sensitive to the short wavelength part of the spectrum (in the violet-blue region). M-type cones are in the mid-wave green-yellow part of the spectrum. L-type cones are in the long-wavelength part of the spectrum (in the yellow-red region).

More recently, the genome of elephant sharks was completely deciphered thanks to a special project in which Professor Hunt also took part. Moreover, according to him, this is the first representative of the class of cartilaginous fish, the genome of which has been completely deciphered.

Based on the data obtained, scientists were able to identify genes encoding different light-sensitive pigments of rods and cones:
· Rh 1 gene, encoding rod pigment;
· three genes encoding cones sensitive to the middle part of the spectrum (yellow-green);
· genes Lws 1 and Lws 2, encoding pigments sensitive to the long part of the spectrum (yellow-red).

According to Professor Hunt, surprisingly, pigments sensitive to the short-wave part of the spectrum (violet-blue) were not found in the elephant shark. But in its desire to perceive colors, this species found a way out. According to Professor Hunt, these sharks have invented a unique model of color perception, when the long-wave receptor also perceives short waves.

So we can say with confidence that elephant sharks have trichromatic vision and perceive light in all areas of the spectrum.

The perfect killing machine

The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -

When hearing the word “giant,” most people imagine either huge diplodocus or a mammoth from “ Ice Age" Another option is not excluded - eucalyptus and baobab trees. However, there are still many creatures whose size may pleasantly (and not so pleasantly) surprise you. Oddly enough, huge living organisms exist not only in fairy tales and the prehistoric past, but also share the planet with us right now! Here's a list of notable animals, from dog-sized rabbits to human-sized crabs. Feel tiny with the largest inhabitants of the world!

Female hippopotamus during evening rest

Looking at these funny creatures (which, by the way, are one of the most aggressive mammals in the world: they suffer more people than from crocodiles and sharks), it is difficult to believe that their closest relatives are sea ​​whales. Even though they came to land, hippos are still completely devoted aquatic environment, as evidenced by the etymology of their Greek name - “river horse”.

Male gorilla at rest

This gorilla species is on the verge of extinction. The humanly intelligent primate lives only in a small area of ​​Africa, where deforestation and poaching have made life a struggle for survival. Eastern gorilla is the largest representative of the great ape species.

The largest breed of rabbit is the Flanders

Domestic Flanders rabbit and collie

The size of an average dog, this breed of game rabbit can impress foodies and furry lovers alike. The largest rabbit was first bred in the Middle Ages near the Belgian city of Ghent.

Octopus in the engraving early XIX century

Only recently has it been possible to prove the existence of giant squids, since they rarely appear on the surface. Many oceanologists are confident that the legendary Kraken is a representative of this subspecies of cephalopods. Until the end of the 20th century, the only evidence of its existence were plate-sized sucker marks on the bodies of sperm whales. However, in 2004, Japanese researchers managed to photograph a living giant squid in its habitat.

"Flying" stingray in shallow water

This majestic stingray, nicknamed " sea ​​devil", can have a “wingspan” of up to eight meters. Moreover, the manta ray can easily jump several meters out of the water. Unfortunately, this beautiful sight can only be observed on the open sea and only during the breeding season.

Old white shark on the hunt

This sea ​​monster is the largest and most aggressive fish alive (good thing megalodons are extinct). Moreover, she does not have natural enemies except killer whales and people.

Capybara is a peaceful rodent animal

Rodent takes sunbaths

This cute creature feels comfortable at home and is increasingly becoming a pet. The capybara is the largest rodent. They live in families or even groups in South America.

Anaconda during the hunt

This snake is the largest in the world and even has its own horror movie franchise. Large individuals can reach eight meters in length. Some types of pythons can surpass the anaconda in size, but do not surpass it in thickness.

The head and structure of the front part of the body of the perch

As the name suggests, this perch lives in the Nile River and is the largest freshwater fish. Its length can reach the height of an adult. Its other name is “water elephant”.

The trace left by the movement of such a carcass is the best signal to turn back

This species of reptile is the largest living one. Saltwater crocodile can be found in Indian Ocean off the coast. This monster is known for its aggressiveness, so if you see two rows of teeth swimming towards you, you better run away.

Flying fox on vacation

Unfortunately, this one is large bat is on the verge of extinction due to the fact that its habitats in the Philippines are subject to deforestation and pollution. Acerodon is peaceful and feeds exclusively on fruits.

Komodo dragon digests lunch

These legendary "dragons" are largest lizards in the world. They are known for their gluttony: in one meal they can eat almost as much as their own weight. However, there is also reverse side their appetite: the metabolism of monitor lizards is so slow that the monitor lizard only needs to eat once a month.

Cassowary comb is considered an aphrodisiac

These are the largest birds outside of Africa. Despite their peaceful disposition, cassowaries can attack people during the current period or if the bird feels a threat to its offspring.

Killer whale during the chase Navy SEAL

In fact, killer whales are not whales. They are the largest representatives of the dolphin family. They have high intelligence and live large families.

Female sperm whale with calf

These huge whales are the largest predators on the planet. In addition, sperm whales have the largest brain. However, this does not save them from whalers.

Crab at Tokyo Aquarium

A true champion among arthropods. This type of crab lives off the coast of Japan. It is known for its size (can weigh up to 20 kg), taste (gourmets around the world line up for its phalanges) and longevity (there are individuals that live for a century).

Female elephant scaring off intruders

It’s scary to imagine, but these mammals can weigh up to 5 tons. And given their aggressiveness and size, elephant seals can easily be called the largest carnivores on land (although they hunt marine life, fortunately for us).

Pelican before flying for fish

This pelican species is the largest flying bird. Lives on the territory of the Eurasian continent.

Emu during mating season

The comical, but dangerous and aggressive bird is known to be the largest in the world. It can accelerate to 70 km/h, which allows ostriches to win in two categories: the fastest two-legged creature and the fastest flightless bird.

Giraffe in a US zoo

Everyone is well aware of these amazing and cute creatures. Despite its good nature, the giraffe can run fast and fight back even lions. This mammal is the tallest of land animals. Salamander in Beijing Zoo

The Chinese have put the fate of this species of lizard at risk of extinction, as they value its meat for taste qualities and use internal organs in traditional medicine.

A bear looks for food in the polar winter

Despite their apparent “plushness,” polar bears are strong and vicious predators that can tear apart a person in a matter of seconds. They say that there is no escape from him except shameful flight.

Male scaring off trespassers

The largest land creature. Representatives of this species have no enemies who could attack it with impunity (except for people who destroy elephants in industrial scale). Its weight can reach 12 tons.

Young whale playing with a school of fish

Perhaps, over time, new species of living beings will acquire monstrous proportions. And among those living today there may be unknown giants, which we will definitely learn about.

At all times, people have been especially interested in objects whose sizes are many times larger or smaller than the size of a person. Let us also ask, which of the organisms living on Earth is the largest and smallest? It turns out that each Kingdom of Living Nature has its own “record holders”!

Plants are giants and dwarfs. Among the plants, the largest are trees and giant eucalyptus trees. They grow in Australia and reach 100 meters in height! This is the height of a 30-story building! In the seas southern hemisphere The world's largest algae, Macrocystis pyriformis, is found. Of course, no pears grow on it, but its total length can reach 300 m! What about the smallest plants? These are the smallest algae floating in the thickness of reservoirs - phytoplankton. In Greek, this word means “floating or wandering plants.” Note that the words “phytoplankton” and “planet” have the same Greek root! Both of them are wandering! Phytoplanktonic organisms are made up of one or more cells, and many of them are only visible under a microscope. But their mass is simply enormous. Biologists estimate the weight of phytoplankton living in the oceans, seas, lakes and reservoirs at 30 billion tons! Have you noticed how in a quiet and warm summer day the water in a small lake suddenly turned green? They say that the water has “bloomed.” In fact, it was the multiplying phytoplankton that “painted” the water green. Scoop up some of this water with a glass and look at it more closely in the light. You'll see for yourself!

Ocean giants. Well, the largest animals live in the oceans. Look at Figure 14, where the record-breaking animals are compared in size to humans.

Whales. The largest animal on Earth is the blue whale. He is a representative of the class of mammals. The largest whale caught was 33 m long and weighed almost 150 tons, which is equal to

25-30 elephants or 150 bulls! His heart weighed as much as a large horse weighs - almost 700 kg, and his tongue alone - 2 tons! And the length of a newborn whale is also quite large - 8 m, and the “baby” weighs 6 tons. The whale feeds on small crustaceans - crustaceans and shrimp - zooplankton. Therefore, the whale does not pose a threat to humans. Quite the contrary. But his strength is enormous. There have been cases when a whale, in order to scratch its back, rubbed against the bottoms of small boats and turned them over! The whale, like all mammals, breathes atmospheric air. Therefore, before diving sometimes tens of meters, he takes a deep breath and holds his breath for several minutes. And the newborn whale must also take its first breath, so that it can then begin its difficult life path in the ocean. There is one scientific mystery associated with whales. The fact is that whales often wash ashore for no apparent reason and die there under the weight of their own weight. Biologists are still tormented by the question of why this happens. Previously, whales were exterminated, and there are no more than 40 thousand of them left in the oceans. Now hunting for them is limited and strictly regulated by international agreements.

Fish. There are about 20 thousand species in the fish class. And the largest is the whale shark, which is almost 20 m long! It is also called the giant shark. But it also feeds on zooplankton and is not dangerous to humans. But about 300 live in the oceans and seas various types the most dangerous sharks with sizes ranging from tens of centimeters to 14 m. Sharks are one of the most ancient animals. They have excellent eyesight and sense of smell. By the way, it is believed that sharks are afraid of the color orange and also... blows to the nose! Of course, you can dress in orange, but it’s better not to hit them on the nose. Therefore, we will not check the validity of this judgment - let it remain a hypothesis. Sharks notice a swimming person at a distance of 100 m. The Carhadon shark is considered one of the most ferocious. This 12-meter predator is armed with several rows of sharp triangular teeth 5 cm long. It can easily cut steel ropes with its teeth! No wonder fishermen find sharks in their stomachs plastic bottles, empty tin cans and even steel hooks! Moreover, telegraph cables running at great depths along the ocean floor bear hundreds and thousands of marks from shark bites. The Katran shark, which lives in the Black Sea, reaches a length of one and a half meters. Its white meat is very tasty. However, most sharks are inedible. However, the specially prepared fins of some sharks are very tasty and, for example, are considered a delicacy by the Chinese. The branch of biology that studies fish is called ichthyology. In Greek "ichthys" means fish.

Squid and octopus. Those living in tropical seas are almost 25 meters long giant squid and octopuses. They represent an ancient type of mollusk, which contains about 80 thousand species. This also includes, for example, mollusks, which we often incorrectly call “shells.” In ancient times, squids and octopuses were credited with fantastic strength and bloodthirstiness. They were depicted in engravings terrible monsters, carrying ships and people into the ocean depths! However, apart from antique drawings, there is no other serious evidence of attacks by these animals on humans. Sometimes squids fight with whales, but scientists still don’t know why they do this.

Jellyfish. Reaching 20-25 meters in length, giant polar jellyfish are representatives of the coelenterate phylum, which has about 13 thousand species. Body giant jellyfish consists of a jelly-like translucent bell from which huge tentacles hang. The tentacles are poisonous and are used by jellyfish to catch small fish and zooplankton. Jellyfish, like many other marine life, are very sensitive to an approaching storm and go to the depths in advance.

Giants on land. Compared to the oceans, animals on land are smaller.

Elephants.. The largest of them is the African savanna long-eared elephant. An elephant is a mammal. Its weight reaches 5-■ 7.5 tons, and its height is 3.5-4 m. An elephant’s heart beats only 25 times per minute, and field mouse, for example, all 300. Despite their impressive size, elephants are good-natured if you don’t offend them. They feed on tree leaves and grasses. They love to swim. Elephants live only in Africa and Asia. In India and some other countries, people use them to carry heavy loads. But the elephant is not the strongest animal in the world. We will tell you who is stronger later.

Giraffes. Another representative of mammals is the African giraffe, the tallest land animal. Remember! The same giraffe that will notice the ship on the horizon before us. His height reaches 6 m! Giraffe is a herbivore. Did you know that a giraffe has a half-meter long tongue? He probably likes to chat!

Snakes. The most long snake- South American water boa anaconda. E1go length exceeds 10 m. It represents the class of reptiles, in which there are about 4 thousand species of snakes, turtles and lizards. Anaconda lives in tropical forests. And it feeds on animals that it lies in wait on the banks of reservoirs, pounces on them, strangles them in its arms, and then swallows them whole. The boa constrictor, like all snakes, is an animal with pronounced irregularity of feeding. We now know that processing food requires energy - calories. Therefore, the feeling of after-dinner heaviness is familiar to everyone. However, the sensations that we experience cannot be compared with what the boa constrictor “experiences” after its dinner. The fact is that boa constrictors’ meals are often separated by “unplanned” fasts, lasting up to 2-3 months! But if it happens to be refreshed, the boa constrictor can swallow a “dish” equal to half own weight! When digesting such a “dinner”, the boa constrictor’s oxygen consumption increases 17 times! He mobilizes all the strength of his body and soul to digest food and spends so many calories that he can lie motionless for several days! Among poisonous snakes They also have their giants. The largest of them - the king cobra-hamadryad - reaches a length of 5.5 meters! Sometimes she even attacks elephants, although without much result. By the way, snakes, just like cats and some other animals, have special sensory organs - peculiar “thermal locators”. With their help, they perceive infrared thermal radiation and see their victims even in complete darkness!

Crocodiles. The world's largest crocodiles live in the mouths of warm tropical Australian rivers or in wetlands. Their length exceeds 10-12 m. They represent ancient class amphibians, in which there are about 2 thousand species of newts, frogs and other company. They all feel equally good in water and on land. Hence the name. The crocodile appears to be inactive. But when it smells prey, it becomes a fast and ferocious predator! By the way, crocodiles are very ancient animals, and their body has a rather complex structure. For example, a crocodile can stay underwater for more than an hour without breathing!

Birds. There are almost 2 thousand species in the class of birds. And the biggest bird is African ostrich. Its height is 2 m, its weight reaches 200 kg, and an ostrich can live, if no one eats it, up to 50, ■ even up to 70 years. The ostrich does not fly, but it runs so fast that it can outrun a galloping horse! An ostrich egg is 20 times larger than a chicken egg and holds 1-1.5 liters of water! True, you need to cook such an egg for at least half an hour. A female ostrich brings up to 100 eggs per year. Therefore, people have long paid attention to these birds. For some time now, ostriches have been bred at home.

First it was done on farms in Africa and Australia, and now in Europe and North America. The ostrich has great strength - with a blow of its paw it can not only knock down, but also kill a person. Birds are studied by a branch of biology - ornithology. In Greek "ornithos" means bird.

Well, who is the smallest among living organisms?

Let's get acquainted with living dwarfs. Each of the Kingdoms has its own dwarfs - single-celled organisms. Their dimensions are hundredths and thousandths of a millimeter! To imagine how small, for example, bacteria are, it is enough to say that in 1 cubic meter. cm fits 600 billion bacteria! And among those whom we can see without a microscope, there are also dwarfs. For example, duckweed, which has round leaves, grows on the surface of quiet reservoirs. The dimensions of its leaves do not exceed 2-10 mm. The dwarf marsh frog fits on your little fingernail! The smallest bird, the hummingbird, lives in tropical forests. The size is not more bees, and weighs like a small coin!