Black Sea sea dragon. What to do when injected by a sea dragon

Large sea dragon (sometimes called “snake”, “ sea scorpion") is quite worthy to be considered the most dangerous fish in the Black Sea. It is easy to accidentally step on it in shallow water or confuse it with an ordinary Black Sea goby, and get pricked by a sharp and very poisonous thorn. By getting to know the baby dragon better, you can insure yourself against dangerous confusion and learn to minimize the consequences of painful poisoned injections.

Description

Sea dragons include nine species of fish that live mainly in the Eastern Atlantic, off the coast of Chile and West Africa. In the Black (and Azov) Sea, a large sea dragon is found everywhere, non-aggressive, but poisonously dangerous to humans. His favorite places are shallow waters and small bays. Rarely found in flocks, preferring solitude.

By the nature of their diet, sea dragons are predators and lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle, being most active at night. They love shallow waters and shallow bays. Their “menu” includes small fish and various crustaceans, which are hunted from “ambush”. To do this, they bury themselves in soft soil, leaving only their eyes on the surface. The “snake” attacks carelessly approaching prey sharply and swiftly. If required, an injection of poisonous thorns follows, paralyzing the victim.

The sea dragon spawns in batches, from June to October. Females are fertile and can lay about 250 thousand eggs, which develop in the water column. The fry soon acquire the bottom habits of adults, reaching the ability to reproduce after 3 years.

Appearance of a sea dragon

U Trachinus draco(official Latin name Black Sea representative) elongated body with big head, on which bulging eyes and a slanting mouth with many small sharp teeth stand out. On the back of the fish there are two separate fins. The first is black and small, with 5-6 hard rays, the second is long, with 20-24 soft rays. The anal fin is also soft and begins almost behind the gills, running along the entire body.

The tail is straight and spade-shaped, the scales are small, and the belly area is white. The upper part of the dragon is painted with lines-spots of yellow-brown color on a grayish background. Depending on their habitat, their tone can vary from light to dark. On average, they grow to 30-40 centimeters in length and 250-350 grams in weight.

Appearance black sea sea dragon

Why is the sea dragon dangerous?

It is the venom of the sea dragon that makes it one of the most deadly fish not only Black Sea, but also throughout the Eastern Atlantic. The spines of the first dorsal fin and the spines-outgrowths on the gill covers only with thin points peek out from the “leather cover”. Inside there are grooves along which, like a syringe, powerful neuro- and hemotoxins are introduced into the victim’s body. The poison causes severe intoxication, similar to the consequences snake bite, requiring immediate medical attention.

The danger to humans is somewhat similar sea dragon with a bull and his method of hunting. In the first case, inexperienced fishermen suffer, but most often a person encounters a fish by chance, without noticing it, buried in the sand and waiting for prey. A sign of danger should be the black fin, which often sticks out above the “ambush” and attracts the attention of a potential victim.

It is worth noting that the thorns remain toxic even for 2-3 hours after the death of the fish, and the power of the poison increases with its age. Large representatives of the “sea scorpions” are especially dangerous.

How to deal with the consequences

The consequences of the sea dragon's poison occur immediately. The injection site becomes bluish and swells. The pain is sharp and spreads rapidly. Symptoms may include a sharp increase in body temperature, general weakness and dizziness, nausea and difficulty breathing. In particular difficult cases paralysis of the “stung” limb or death may follow.

Important! No need to panic. The first correct actions will minimize the consequences of a sea dragon prick and provide an opportunity medical drugs deal with the poison faster. The pain may remain slight and aching for some time, but there will be no danger to the body.

If you are pricked by a sea dragon thorn, you should definitely go to the nearest medical center, having completed a number of steps before doing so. First of all, before receiving qualified medical assistance, you need to do the following:

squeeze or suck out the poison from the wound so that as little as possible enters the body;
if potassium permanganate is available, treat the wound with it, it has a neutralizing effect;
apply a sterile bandage.

The American zoologist William Beebe wrote about forty-five years ago: “Do not die until you have borrowed, bought or made a diving helmet yourself, so that at least once in your life you can dive into the depths of the sea and see this wonderful world with your own eyes.”

We have tens of thousands of people of various ages and professions, wearing fins and masks, diving into depths of the sea, full of colorful landscapes and inhabitants unusual for the human eye. Fans of such sea trips need to learn to recognize by sight poisonous inhabitants our seas.

So, in Black and Seas of Azov you should be wary of meeting with the katran, stingray, sea dragon, stargazer, scorpion, monkfish, lyre mouse. Stingrays and sculpin are found in the Baltic Sea. The Far Eastern seas are inhabited by: katran, stargazer, stingray, high-beam perch.

There are quite a lot of poisonous fish in our seas; we will briefly talk about those that are found more often than others.

Using sharp fins, spines and spines that can injure a person, fish inject toxins into the victim’s blood through special ducts, most often affecting the human nervous and circulatory systems. The ratio of poisons various types fish can vary greatly. The most dangerous substances that affect nervous system, since they act very quickly and practically do not allow timely assistance to the victim. Poisons that affect the circulatory system cause poisoning much more slowly, which in most cases makes it possible to save a person’s life. The reaction to these toxins largely depends on the characteristics of the human body.

In people with increased excitability (especially with autonomic neuroses), as well as those suffering from liver and kidney diseases, the signs of poisoning are more pronounced.

It should be noted that poisonous fish are not aggressive and never attack humans themselves. Injuries usually occur as a result of the swimmer's carelessness. Most often, a diver steps on a fish buried in the sand.

SEA DRAGON OR SEA SCORPION

The most poisonous fish of many European seas lives in the Black Sea and the Kerch Strait. Length - up to 36 centimeters. A smaller species lives in the western part of the Baltic - the small sea dragon, or viper (12-14 centimeters). The structure of the poisonous apparatus of these fish is similar, therefore the development of signs of poisoning is similar.

The sea dragon's body is laterally compressed, its eyes are set high, close together and looking upward. The fish lives near the bottom and often burrows into the ground so that only its head is visible. If you step on it with your bare foot or grab it with your hand, its sharp spines pierce the body of the “offender.” The scorpion's 6-7 rays of the anterior dorsal fin and the spines of the gill covers are equipped with poisonous glands.

Depending on the depth of the injection, the size of the fish, and the condition of the victim, the consequences of being hit by a dragon can be different. First, a sharp, burning pain is felt at the site of injury. The skin in the wound area turns red, swelling appears, and tissue necrosis develops. Headache, fever, profuse sweating, pain in the heart occur, and breathing becomes weakened. Paralysis of the limbs may occur, and in the most severe cases, death. However, usually the poisoning goes away after 2-3 days, but a secondary infection, necrosis and a sluggish (up to 3 months) ulcer necessarily develop in the wound. It has been established that the dragon's venom contains mainly substances that act on circulatory system, the percentage of neurotropic toxins is small. Therefore, the vast majority of cases of poisoning end in the person’s recovery.

STARGAUDER OR SEA COW

Close relatives of the dragon. Their usual sizes are 30-40 centimeters. They live in the Black Sea and on Far East.

The stargazer, or sea cow, living in the Black Sea, has a grayish-brown spindle-shaped body with white lines running along the lateral line. irregular shape spots. The fish's eyes are directed upward to the sky. Hence its name. The stargazer spends most of its time at the bottom, buried in the ground, with its eyes and mouth protruding outward with a protruding worm-like tongue that serves as bait for fish.

On the gill covers and above pectoral fins sea cow there are sharp thorns. During the breeding season, from late May to September, a cluster of toxin-producing cells develops at their base. Through the grooves on the thorns, the poison enters the wound.

Soon after injury, a person experiences acute pain at the injection site, the affected tissue swells, and breathing becomes difficult. Only after a few days does the person recover. The poison secreted by stargazers is similar in its effect to the toxin of dragon fish, but has not been studied enough. Known cases deaths when affected by these species of fish living in the Mediterranean Sea.

SEA Ruff (SCORPEN)

It is found in the Black and Azov Seas, and is also common in the Kerch Strait. Length - up to 31 centimeters. The color is brownish-pink: the back is dark brown with dark spots, belly pink. Large head, somewhat flattened from top to bottom. The eyes are set high and close together. The scorpionfish loves a rocky bottom and in low light it resembles a stone with algae growing on it. Eleven rays of the anterior dorsal, one ventral and three rays of the anal fins have poisonous glands. The poisons they secrete are especially dangerous early spring. Fin pricks are very painful. In small doses, the toxin causes local inflammation of tissues, in large doses it causes paralysis of the respiratory muscles. I sea ruffe contains mainly substances that act on the blood, so the symptoms of poisoning in victims persist for several days and then pass without complications.

SKAT-TAIL (SEA CAT)

These fish, otherwise called sea cats, are found in the Black, Azov and southern parts Baltic seas. In the Far East, in the Gulf of Peter the Great, a giant stingray lives; in the waters of southern Primorye, the red stingray is common. Some specimens reach a length of 2.5 meters (tail up to 50-80 centimeters). These fish are well known to have a flattened, diamond-shaped body that ends in a thin long tail, equipped with a sharp, jagged spine on the sides (sometimes there are two or three). Venom glands lie in the two lower grooves of the thorn. Stingrays lead a bottom lifestyle. If you accidentally step on a stingray buried in the ground in shallow water with a sandy bottom, it begins to defend itself and inflicts a deep wound on the person with its “weapon.” His injection resembles a blow with a dull knife. The pain quickly intensifies and after 5-10 minutes becomes unbearable. Local phenomena (edema, hyperemia) are accompanied by fainting, dizziness, and cardiac dysfunction. In severe cases, death from cardiac paralysis may occur. Usually on the 5-7th day the victim recovers, but the wound heals much later.

I sea cat, once in the wound, causes painful phenomena similar to bites poisonous snake. It acts equally on both the nervous and circulatory systems.

SPY SHARK OR QATRAN

Lives in Black, Barents, Okhotsk and Japanese seas. Length up to 2 meters. It is called spiny for its two strong, sharp spines, at the base of which there are poisonous glands located in front of the dorsal fins. With them, katran is capable of inflicting deep wounds to a careless scuba diver. An inflammatory reaction develops at the site of the lesion: pain, hyperemia, swelling. Sometimes noted rapid heartbeat, inhibited breathing. We should not forget that the katran also has shark teeth, despite its modest size. Its poison, unlike the others, contains mainly myotropic (acting on muscles) substances and has a rather weak effect, so in the vast majority of poisoning people ends in complete recovery.

KERCHAK, SEA PERCH, NOSAR RUFF, AUHA OR CHINESE RUFF, SEA LYRE MOUSE, HIGH-BEAM PERCH

In addition to the listed poisonous fish, our seas also contain sculpin, living in the Baltic, Barents and White seas; monkfish and the lyre sea mouse - in the Black Sea; sea bass- in the Barents Sea and, finally, high-beam perch living in the Japanese and Barents Seas. All these fish have poisonous “weapons” in the form of sharp thorns and spines, but the toxins they produce are less dangerous to humans and cause only local damage.

EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW THIS

To prevent poisoning, scuba diving enthusiasts, divers, scuba divers, tourists and those simply relaxing by the sea must take the following precautions.

Never try to grab fish with your unprotected hand, especially fish that are unknown to you, those that are in crevices or lying on the bottom.

It is not always safe, as experienced scuba divers testify, to touch unfamiliar objects located on sandy soil. These could be stingrays, sea dragons, stargazers and lyre sea mice camouflaging there. It is also dangerous to search underwater caves with your hands - you can stumble upon a hidden scorpionfish in them.

Those who like to walk barefoot on the seashore at low tide should carefully watch their step. Remember: sea dragons often remain in wet sand after the water recedes and are easy to step on. Children and those who come to the sea coast for the first time should be especially warned about this.

Emergency measures when poisonous fish are injured by spiny spines should be aimed at relieving pain from the injury and poison, overcoming the effect of the toxin and preventing secondary infection. If you are wounded, you must immediately vigorously suck out the poison from the wound with your mouth along with the blood for 15-20 minutes. The sucked liquid must be quickly spit out. There is no need to fear the effects of the toxin: the bactericidal substances contained in saliva reliably protect against poisoning. However, remember that this procedure cannot be performed on anyone who has wounds, damage, or ulcers on their lips and mouth. After this, the affected area should be washed with a strong solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide and an aseptic bandage should be applied. The victim is then given a painkiller and diphenhydramine to prevent the development of allergic reactions, as well as drinking plenty of fluids, preferably strong tea. In the future, prompt qualified medical assistance is required.

In conclusion, we remind you once again: be careful and cautious when swimming, diving and scuba diving. You can easily avoid unpleasant contact with dangerous inhabitants, since they themselves never attack a person, but use their weapons solely for the purpose of self-defense.

A. POTAPOVA, toxicologist, and A. POTAPOV, master of sports in scuba diving (Leningrad].

That it prefers to track its prey at a depth of about 15-20 meters; there are cases where people suffered from its poison on the coast itself. Small and inconspicuous, the sea dragon has powerful weapon- poisonous needles, so it’s worth knowing what it looks like to avoid unpleasant injury.

Appearance of a predator

The fish has an elongated body, its length reaches 40-50 cm. It weighs quite a bit - in the range of 200-300 g. Surely you are familiar with the ordinary goby. The predator in question is very similar to him. His body is slightly flattened laterally. The lower jaw protrudes beyond the upper jaw, the eyes are located high on the head - this allows it to hunt effectively. The mouth is filled with small teeth that are razor sharp. The color of the fish may differ depending on the halo of its habitat (from brown to gray), the abdomen has a lighter shade. The predator's body is dotted with striped spots. Two sharp dorsal fins and several ventral fins are located on the throat and directly on the gill covers - this is what a sea dragon looks like. The Black Sea, which we consider safe, has become home to this

Habitat

Because the fish prefers to hide in the depths of the sea, it very often hunts and breeds in shallow waters. Sea dragons prefer to choose shallow bays or bays where they can bury themselves in mud or sand. Hiding in the ground, they look out for prey and lead a rather passive lifestyle. But such slowness is deceptive - as soon as the fish sees the victim, it can instantly jump out and grab it or plunge its poisoned thorn into the poor fellow. There are known cases when the predator was conveniently located in low tide areas, so that people simply stepped on it. And its similarity to an ordinary goby can be confusing - this is how a sea dragon camouflages itself.

Dangerous attack

Although the fish prefers to lead a calm and measured lifestyle, if necessary, it attacks with lightning speed. The person does not have time to do anything, although the fish warns of danger: the “little dragon” straightens the dark fan of its fin, which is located on its back. All beams of this weapon are equipped with needles that are saturated with poison. An additional poisonous spine grows on the predator's gill cover. When attacking, the fish tries to grab its prey with its teeth, and if this is impossible, it stings with poisoned pinches and waits until the prey loses control over its body. On the sharp protrusions of the fins there are grooves that are generously equipped with poisonous glands.

Surprisingly, even dead fish can poison their prey - the poison is active for another 2-3 hours. sea dragon does not specifically attack people - everything happens by chance. You can step on it or grab it; fishermen are especially at risk if they pick it up, not knowing that the poison is very toxic. Therefore, you need to know what a sea dragon looks like. The photos presented in our article will give you an idea of its main differences from other predators.

Consequences of an unpleasant meeting

The sea dragon is dangerous fish, and the consequences of contact with it can be very unpleasant. Even death is possible. When the thorn pierces the skin, the predator releases toxic poison into the blood. The injection is very painful, the wound becomes bluish in color. The person experiences very severe pain that spreads throughout the injured limb. There are cases where paralysis of an arm or leg occurred. The temperature rises sharply, difficulty breathing, dizziness, nausea and vomiting may occur. A person often suffers from pain for several days. You need to see a doctor urgently! There is a serum that neutralizes the poison. If it is not administered, the patient may even die. It all depends on whether the victim met an adult fish or a small one.

How to behave when injected with a “little dragon”

If you are unlucky enough to be attacked by a fish, you must follow a few simple steps:

If you do not follow these steps, you risk getting complications from such an injury - there are cases where ulcers appeared at the puncture site that did not go away for up to 3 months. This is such an insidious predator - the sea dragon. Fish has a perfect defense mechanism against enemies.

Realities

Relaxing on our favorite beaches of the Black Sea, we don’t even think about such close proximity to poisonous fish. But you need to be very careful and careful with marine life:

Never try to catch unfamiliar fish with your hands.
Don't search with your feet.
If you see a crevice in rocks or underwater rocks, do not put your hands in there. “Dragons” love to relax in such places.
During low tide, when walking along the shore, watch your step.

Dear travelers and tourists, remember that you must always be vigilant, because we are invading the domain of the sea inhabitants, so we must be careful. Take care of your health and study fish that can cause serious harm to you.

Description

The dragon is not a dangerous fish in itself, although it belongs to the category of predators. She does not like to actively move around the reservoir, preferring to spend time in ambush, buried in the sand at the bottom. Most of the injuries are caused by careless holidaymakers accidentally stepping on fish without noticing them in the sand. Although there were also cases when this sea dragon attacked people who came too close to it.

The fish only sometimes accidentally gets caught by fishermen, but inexperienced sea fishing enthusiasts often confuse this inhabitant of the Black Sea with other fish and take it with their bare hands. As a result, they receive a dose of poison, to neutralize which it is necessary to urgently contact a medical institution.

Habitats

The sea dragon is one of the representatives of the species of predatory ray-finned fish that belongs to the dragon family. They are widespread throughout the world, from the European Atlantic to the shores of Brazil. However, the representative of the ichthyofauna in question is found only in the Mediterranean Sea.

Residents of Russia can see the sea dragon along the Black Sea coast. Sometimes, especially during the spawning period, these inhabitants of salty reservoirs also enter Azov (more precisely, into Kerch Strait). However, such cases are very rare. The same applies to the Black Sea. Fish rarely come close enough to the shore to pose any significant danger to vacationers on the Crimean and Caucasian coasts.

Body structure

The Black Sea sea dragon has a not too large, short and elongated body. It is covered with small scales. The peculiarity of the fish is the presence of spines on the head and gill covers. In addition, 6-7 spikes are present on the first dorsal fin fish.

The dragon's coloring matches its name. The body is yellowish, grayish or beige and covered with many spots. There are oblique stripes on the sides. The length of the fish is about 20 cm, although fishermen have come across individuals of this species reaching a length of up to 45 cm.

Features of behavior

The sea dragon acquires the ability to reproduce at the age of three. Spawning lasts from May to October, when the water temperature reaches 16 degrees. To lay eggs, females and males of this representative of the ichthyofauna approach coastline. Usually spawning takes place at a depth of up to 20 meters.

Commercial significance

The fish has no special commercial significance. It is also not subject to recreational fishing, although its meat is very tasty. It is especially valued when smoked; many gourmets classify it as a delicacy.

Although the dragon's venom itself is not fatal to humans, it can disrupt the functioning of vital organs and systems, for example, cause respiratory arrest or paralyze any muscles. Therefore, the described representative of the ichthyofauna is dangerous for amateur fishermen who hunt other, more peaceful, inhabitants of the Black Sea.

Instead of a foreword. The fish of the Black Sea have changed in their qualitative composition over several millennia, because the sea was fresh. Later it connected with the World Ocean, and fish that came from it began to be found in the Black Sea.

This process continues today, which has many surprises in store for sea fishing lovers. You can find out what kind of fish is caught in the Black Sea from local fishermen, who can easily be found along the entire coast in large quantities. Most often, fishermen catch representatives of:

Mullet.
Horse mackerel.
Mackerel.
Flounders.
Pelamid.
Bluefish.

There is no fisherman who does not have a history of fishing for gobies. The best places considered for fishing Krasnodar region, outskirts of Odessa, Kerch. Black Sea fish has no less than 20 thousand varieties. Mention should be made of those who can become a fisherman's catch.

Cat shark. Its average size is 60 cm. It is interesting because the eggs of this shark have horns, with their help the eggs are fixed to the bottom.
Cat shark meat is suitable for consumption in processed form.
Red mullet. A small fish, up to 30 cm, the red mullet is a catchable item for sea fishing enthusiasts. She spends all her time at the very bottom.
Beluga. One of the largest inhabitants of the Black Sea. True, individuals weighing 2 centners are rarely seen in our time.
Black Sea salmon or trout. Rare in at the moment a species whose continued life depends entirely on humans.
Goby. There are different types these fish, but the sculpin goby and sandpiper goby are of interest to the fisherman.
Flounder glossa. This predator grows up to 25 cm. The fish leads an ambush life, waiting for its prey in a shelter in the sand. In addition to this species, you can also find other representatives of flounder; there are up to 500 species of them in nature. There are individuals of impressive size, growing up to 4 meters and weighing up to 3 centners.
Kalkan. This is also a flounder, but larger than the glossa. Kalkan grows up to 80 cm and weighs 15 kg.
Mullet. Three species of this fish are of interest to the amateur fisherman.
Loban. 70 cm mullet weighing 7 kg.
Singil or larich is a variety of Black Sea mullet. striped fish 55 cm long.
Sharp Nose. A nimble mullet that allows itself to jump out of the water. This fish reaches 40 cm.
Sea crucian carp or weasel. Average height – 18 cm, weight – 200 g.
Horse mackerel is divided into 2 groups according to its size: regular (20 cm) and southern (50 cm). This fish lives in a group, that is, it is a school fish.
Lichia. Small flocks of up to 10 individuals are a subject of interest to anglers.
Bluefish are a schooling representative of aquatic inhabitants. This is a meter-long bloodthirsty predator. It is caught not only by amateurs, but also mined on an industrial scale.
Mackerel. Body size varies. Individuals of 30 cm with a weight of 300 g, as well as 60 cm, are caught.
Tuna. A beautiful predator measuring 3 m and weighing several centners. When fishing, it can pull the fisherman into the water.
Pelamida. Quite large, 85 cm, the fish sometimes weighs 7 kg.
Ram. The most big fish This species can grow up to half a meter in length. Its weight is 2 kg.
Chekhon. This schooling fish 30 cm long and 300 g weight.
Gurnard. The appearance is quite unusual. Fish lives in the depths. She is a valuable prize.
Garfish. Because of its taste, it is caught quite actively. Sargan also sticks to the team.
Sea fox. This is a meter-long stingray with a weight of 15 kg.
Smarida or sea bass. He is interesting because he changes his gender throughout his life. It is not of particular interest to fishermen due to its small height and weight.
Brown trout. This salmon is an anadromous fish. Other salmon also live in the Black Sea.

The Black Sea and its poisonous inhabitants

Poisonous fish of the Black Sea are also subject to fishing because they have high-quality meat. taste quality. The following are dangerous for swimmers and fishermen: sea creatures: katran ( spiny shark). It is the only species that is hunted on an industrial and recreational scale. This shark grows up to 2 m and weighs 14 kg. It is believed that it does not attack people, but swimmers evening time must beware of it.
Katrans swim up to the rocks near the shore. Because the fins on their backs are poisonous and their bodies are lined with spines, they can cause harm to humans.
Fishermen do not touch this fish with their bare hands, only with gloves.
A formidable torpedo, a sword - a fish. It can turn on speeds of up to 130 km per hour. The swordfish is famous for its ferocious character, because it attacks everything that moves, regardless of size.
Ruff - scorpionfish. Despite the fact that a prick from a thorn can bring a person sufficient pain and great trouble, it is a desirable component of fish soup, and its meat is a delicacy.
Sea cat. Poisonous fish that grows up to 2.5 m.
Sea dragon. In terms of its toxicity, this sea fish surpasses many.
Astrologer. In addition to poisonous thorns, it has poisonous mucus, which causes a strong chemical burn to a person.

Features of fishing at sea

Fishing can be organized all year round, but most favorable time– calm weather without precipitation, slight winds and tolerable temperatures are allowed.
Tackle for fishing on the Black Sea. A fisherman can try:

Spinning.
Donkey.
Petty tyrant.
Path.
And in winter there is sheer sparkle.

Tackle for sea fishing is different in that the fishing line needs to be stronger (0.3-0.60 mm), and the hooks are tinned, resistant to sea salt water.

Types of nozzles

Crab. Almost all fish love its meat.
Shrimp. It is used on a fishing rod with a float, donkeys and casting tackle.
Mussels. Their meat can attract many fish, but not mullet.
Tilitrids (sea fleas). Red mullets, gobies and greenfinches will certainly come to feast on them.
Sea worms. Can be used on any gear for all types of fish.
Pieces of fish meat. Sea fish almost all are predators, so this bait is suitable for all fish.
Spleen of animal origin. This nozzle is considered universal. It is used not only fresh, but also canned.
Snail. This is a bait for small fish. They impale the meat, freeing it from the house.