Anyone who has not been to the Black Sea coast at least once, has not dived into a gentle transparent wave, or basked on pebble beaches under the rays of the summer or autumn sun, has probably lost a lot! And in the warm water, of course, we repeatedly met the inhabitants of the Black Sea: dangerous and not so dangerous. Read about who lives in one of the most unique seas on the planet in our article.

Uniqueness of the environment

Both in composition and in the nature of settlement by living beings and vegetation, it is unique and very peculiar. It is divided into two different zones in depth. To a depth of 150, sometimes 200 meters, there is an oxygen zone where the inhabitants of the Black Sea live. Everything below 200 meters is a hydrogen sulfide zone, devoid of life and occupying more than 85% of the water mass by volume. So living is possible only where there is oxygen (less than 15% of the territory).

Who lives here?

The inhabitants of the Black Sea are algae and animals. The first - several hundred species, the second - more than two and a half thousand. Of these, 500 are unicellular, 1900 are invertebrates, 185 are fish, 4 species are mammals.

Phytoplankton

Its inhabitants are all kinds of algae: ceracium, peridinium, exuviella and some others. At the very beginning of spring there is a peak in algae proliferation. Sometimes even the water seems to change color, turning from turquoise and blue to brown. This is due to increased division of plankton (water bloom). Rhizosolenia, Chaetoceros, and Skletonema multiply intensively. Whereas the mass reproduction of phytoplankton is confined to the beginning - mid-summer. Among the bottom algae, phyllophora can be noted, which makes up more than 90% of the total mass. Phyllophora is common in the northwest. Cystoseira, another algae, is more often found along the southern coast of the Crimean part. There are many fry that feed and live among the algae (more than 30 species of fish).

Benthic animals

Among the animals that live on the ground or in the soil of the seabed (benthos) are various invertebrates: crustaceans and crayfish, worms, rhizomes, sea anemones and mollusks. Benthos also includes gastropods, for example, the well-known rapana, and other inhabitants of the Black Sea. The list goes on: mussels, mollusks - elasmobranchs. Fish: flounder, stingray, sea dragon, ruffe and others. They form a single ecosystem. And a single food chain.

Jellyfish

The permanent inhabitants of the Black Sea are jellyfish, large and small. Cornerot is a large jellyfish, very common. The size of its dome sometimes reaches half a meter. Cornerot is poisonous and can cause injuries similar to nettle burns. They cause mild redness, burning, and sometimes blistering. To prevent this large jellyfish with a slightly purple dome from stinging, you need to move it to the side with your hand, holding the top and not touching the tentacles.

Aurelia is the smallest jellyfish in the Black Sea. It is not as poisonous as its counterpart, but still meeting with it must also be avoided.

Shellfish

Marine inhabitants of the Black Sea - mussels, oysters, scallops, brine. All these shellfish are edible and provide raw materials for gourmet dishes. For example, oysters and mussels are specially bred. Oysters are very tenacious and can survive without water for about two weeks. They can live up to 30 years. Their meat is considered a delicacy.

Mussels are less refined. Sometimes a pearl is found in a large shell, usually pinkish in color. Mussels are marine water filters. At the same time, everything that was filtered accumulates in them. Therefore, you can enjoy them only after careful processing, and it is better to avoid eating mussels that grew in the port or in other places with heavily polluted water.

Marine inhabitants of the Black Sea - scallops. This peculiar mollusk can move in water using reactive force. It quickly slams the shell doors and is carried by a stream of water over a distance of more than a meter. Scallops also have hundreds of useless eyes. But with all this, this mollusk is blind! These are the mysterious inhabitants of the sea.

Rapana is also found in the Black Sea. This mollusk is a predator, and its prey is the same mussels and oysters. But it has very tasty meat, reminiscent of sturgeon, which makes an excellent soup.

Crabs

There are eighteen species in total in the water area. All of them do not reach large sizes. The largest is the red-barked one. But it is no more than 20 centimeters in diameter.

Fish

The Black Sea is home to about 180 species of all kinds of fish, including: sturgeon, beluga, anchovy, herring, sprat, horse mackerel, tuna, flounder, goby. Rarely does a swordfish swim in. There is a seahorse, pipefish, sea rooster, and monkfish.

Commercial fish include mullet, of which there are three species, and pelengas, brought from the Sea of ​​Japan and which became the object of fishing. Due to severe water pollution, the number of mullet has recently decreased.

Among the original specimens is the stargazer fish, or It burrows deep into the mud, so that one antenna is exposed on the surface, which resembles the appearance of a worm. The fish uses its antennae to attract small fish and feed on them.

Pipefish and pipit lay their eggs not into the water, but into the skin folds on the backs of males, where they remain until the fry hatch. Interestingly, the eyes of these fish can look in different directions and rotate independently relative to each other.

Horse mackerel is distributed throughout the coastal waters of the sea. Its length is 10-15 centimeters. Weight - up to 75 grams. Sometimes lives up to three years. It feeds on small fish and zooplankton.

Pelamida is a relative of mackerel. Reaches a length of up to 75 centimeters and lives up to 10 years. This is a predatory fish that feeds and spawns in the Black Sea and leaves for the winter through the Bosphorus.

Gobies are represented by 10 species. The largest is the martovy, or toad. The most numerous is the round timber.

There are 8 species of greenfinches in the sea. They feed on worms and mollusks. During the spawning period, nests are built between stones.

Kalkan flounder is also found everywhere in the Black Sea. She eats fish and crabs. Reaches a weight of 12 kilograms. Other species of flounder are also represented.

The stingray is a relative of the shark. It eats crabs, shellfish, and shrimp. It has a barbed needle on its tail, equipped with a poisonous gland. Her injection is very painful for a person, sometimes even fatal.

Speaker, or is often caught in spring and summer when it visits these waters for spawning. It feeds on zooplankton. The weight of the perch barely reaches 100 grams. It is considered one of the main types of prey for amateur fisherman.

Sargan is a fish more than half a meter long, arrow-shaped, with an elongated beak. Spawns in May - August. Migrates and winters in the Sea of ​​Marmara.

Bluefish is a predatory and schooling fish. Weighs up to 10 kilograms and reaches a meter in length. The body of the fish is oblong on the sides. The mouth is large, with large jaws. It eats only fish. Previously considered commercial.

Sharks

Katran (or sea dog) rarely grows to two meters. A (scillium) - more than a meter. These two species of sharks found in the Black Sea do not pose any danger to humans. But for many species of fish they are fierce predators. (as well as their liver and fins) are used to prepare various dishes of Black Sea cuisine. A medicine that blocks the proliferation of cancer cells is made from the katran liver.

Katran has a streamlined body, a crescent-shaped mouth and sharp teeth arranged in several rows. Its body is strewn with small but sharp spines (hence the nickname - spiny shark). Katran is a viviparous fish. The female gives birth to up to 15 small fry at a time. The katran stays and feeds in flocks. In spring and autumn - close to the shore, in winter - at depths.

Inhabitants of the Black Sea - dolphins (toothed whales)

There are three species in total in these waters. The largest are bottlenose dolphins. Slightly smaller - white sideds. The smallest are porpoises, or Azovs.

The bottlenose dolphin is the most common inhabitant of dolphinariums. For science, this species is of great importance. It is the bottlenose dolphin that scientists around the world study for the presence of intelligence. They are born circus performers. Bottlenose dolphins enjoy performing a variety of tricks. It seems that they actually have intelligence. This is not even training, but some kind of cooperation and mutual understanding between a dolphin and a person. Bottlenose dolphins understand only affection and encouragement. They don’t perceive punishment at all, then any trainer ceases to exist for them.

The bottlenose dolphin lives up to 30 years. Her weight sometimes reaches 300 kilograms. Body length is up to two and a half meters. These dolphins are well adapted to the aquatic environment. The front fins act as steering wheels and brakes at the same time. The tail fin is powerful and allows it to develop decent speed (over 60 km/h).

Bottlenose dolphins have keen vision and hearing. They feed on fish and shellfish (they eat up to 25 kilograms per day). They can hold their breath for more than 10 minutes. They dive to a depth of 200 meters. Body temperature is 36.6 degrees, like that of a person. Dolphins breathe, periodically rising outward with air. They actually suffer from the same diseases as people. Bottlenose dolphins sleep half a meter from the surface, under water, periodically opening their eyes.

The lifestyle of dolphins is herd and family (up to ten generations together). The head of the family is the female. Males stay in a separate clan, showing interest in females mainly only during mating.

Bottlenose dolphins have enormous strength. But, as a rule, it is not applied to humans. Dolphins maintain the most friendly relations with people, as if with brothers in mind. In the entire long history of the relationship between man and dolphin, not a single attempt to offend the “big brother” has been noticed. But people often infringe on the rights of dolphins, conducting experiments on them, imprisoning them in dolphinariums.

Much has been written about the language of dolphins. We will not argue, as some scientists do, that it is richer than human speech. However, it contains a huge range of sounds and gestures, which still allows us to talk about some kind of intelligence of dolphins. And the amount of information that they can transmit and their large (larger than human) brain is strong evidence of this.

It remains to add that among the mammals in the Black Sea there are seals, but very few of them have been observed recently due to harmful human activities.

On the land

Not only sea inhabitants and the human tribe feed on seafood. Some species of birds living on land obtain their food in the water. those that forage for food in the sea are gulls and cormorants. They feed on fish. The cormorant, for example, can swim and dive well, eating large quantities of fish even when full. The features of its pharynx allow it to swallow quite large prey. Thus, birds are the main inhabitants of land, obtaining food in the sea of ​​the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and Crimea.

Black Sea: dangerous inhabitants

Not all vacationers and tourists who come to the Black Sea coast know that those who swim in the water can face dangers. They are associated not only with storm warnings and underwater rocks, but also with some representatives of marine fauna.

The scorpionfish, or sea urchin, is one of these unpleasant surprises. Her whole head is covered with thorns, and on her back there is a thorny, dangerous fin. It is not recommended to pick up a scorpionfish, as its thorns are poisonous and bring rather unpleasant, albeit short-term painful sensations.

The stingray (sea cat) also poses a danger, sometimes even fatal, to humans. On the tail of the animal there is a bone spike lubricated with poisonous mucus. This jagged thorn sometimes causes lacerated wounds that take a long time to heal. Also, a stingray injection can cause vomiting, muscle paralysis, and an increased heart rate. Sometimes death occurs, so be careful.

Another, seemingly inconspicuous in appearance, fish - the sea dragon - is most dangerous to humans. At first glance, it can be mistaken for an ordinary bull. But on the back of this fish there is a spiny fin, which is very poisonous. The injection is equivalent to the bite of a poisonous snake. In some cases, death is possible.

Cornerot and Aurelia jellyfish that inhabit the Black Sea are dangerous inhabitants for humans. Their tentacles are equipped with stinging cells. A burn is possible (like from nettle and stronger), leaving marks for several hours. So it is better not to touch jellyfish - even dead ones thrown out on the pebbles by the waves.

Neither sharks nor other species of animals and fish pose a danger to people in the waters of the Black Sea. So swim safely when coming to the famous Black Sea resorts of the Crimea and the Caucasus, of course, observing reasonable caution!

The flora and fauna of the Black Sea coast are interesting and rich. Among the animals and plants living here there are both species characteristic of such natural conditions and endemics.

The diversity of flora on the Black Sea coast is determined by climatic conditions. Most of this area has a subtropical climate. The mountains come close to the sea (especially in the Crimea and the Caucasus). They protect the coast from cold winds, and the large number of sunny days a year and the humid wind blowing from the sea create the most favorable conditions for the development of many species of plants.

On the mountain slopes there are plants such as beech, oak, chestnut, and walnut. The last two representatives of plants along the Black Sea coast provide food for forest animals. Also found in the wild are blackthorn, hawthorn, strawberry, and dogwood. No less diversity is observed among cultivated and garden plants. Apricots, peaches, figs, walnuts and almonds, chokeberry, sea buckthorn, and quince are grown here. But these lands are most famous for their luxurious vineyards.

5 hawthorn

There are also plants brought from various warm countries: palm trees, cypresses, magnolias. Among the rare, relict plants are boxwood and juniper.

8 cypress

The description of land animals living on the Black Sea coast includes many insects, mammals, and birds.

So, sushi birds are represented by starlings, orioles, nightingales, green woodpeckers, jays, cuckoos, partridges and others. There are also birds of prey, such as hawks. Near the sea, cormorants and seagulls get their food.

The forests are inhabited by bears, roe deer, wild boars, lynxes, wild cats, and snakes. In the steppe regions various lizards and other reptiles are found.

Insects include both species harmless to humans (predatory mantis, locust, cicada, many types of butterflies) and poisonous spiders. The oleander hawk moth is considered one of the most beautiful butterflies.

Do you know what the Black Sea is? Most people will say: “Yes, of course!” After reading this article, you will understand that you were previously familiar with the Black Sea very superficially.

The current appearance of the Black Sea has evolved over the last millennium. Surprisingly, this sea has the lowest salt content in the entire globe. Thanks to this, it has a very gentle effect on our skin.

The northernmost subtropics. On its coasts you can admire palm trees, eucalyptus trees, magnolias, meadow grasses and many other representatives of the plant world. The connection between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean is responsible for the diverse fauna. The Black Sea, of course, is not so rich in representatives of the animal world, nevertheless, it is quite interesting for research. Now about everything in more detail.

Vegetable world

Today, the fauna of the sea includes 270 species of algae: green, brown, red bottom (cystoseira, phyllophora, zoster, cladophora, ulva, etc.). Phytoplankton is highly diverse - about 600 species. Among them are dinoflagellates, diatoms and others.

Animal world

Compared to the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea has a much poorer fauna. The Black Sea has become a haven for 2.5 thousand species of animals. Among them are 500 unicellular organisms, 500 crustaceans, 200 molluscs, and 160 vertebrates. Everything else is various invertebrates. The fauna of the Mediterranean Sea, for comparison, is represented by 9 thousand species.

The Black Sea is characterized by a wide range of water salinity, moderately cold water and the presence of hydrogen sulfide at great depths. All this is due to the relatively poor fauna. The Black Sea is suitable for habitat of unpretentious species that do not require great depths at all stages of their development.

At the bottom of the sea live oysters, mussels, pecten and a predatory mollusk - rapana, which was brought by Far Eastern ships. Crabs and shrimp can be found among the stones and crevices of the coastal cliffs. The Black Sea chordate fauna is quite poor, but it is quite sufficient for divers and researchers. There are also several species of jellyfish (mainly Corneros and Aurelia), sponges and sea anemones.

The following types of fish are found in the Black Sea:

• goby (goby, whip, round, martovik, rotan),
• anchovy (Azov and Black Sea),
• dogfish shark,
• five types of mullet,
• flounder glossa,
• hake (hake),
• bluefish,
• mullet,
• mackerel,
• horse mackerel,
• haddock,
• herring,
• sprat and others.

There are also sturgeon species: beluga, sturgeon (Azov and Black Sea). The fauna of the Black Sea is not so poor - there are quite a lot of fish here.

There are also dangerous species of fish: (the most dangerous - the spines of the gill covers and dorsal fin are poisonous), scorpion fish, stingray, which has poisonous spines on its tail.

Birds and mammals

So, the inhabitants of the Black Sea, who are they? Let's talk a little about the small representatives of the fauna. Birds include: gulls, petrels, diving ducks and cormorants. Mammals are represented by: dolphins (white-sided and bottlenose dolphins), porpoise (also called the Azov dolphin) and white-bellied seal.

Rapana - a guest from the Far East

Some inhabitants of the Black Sea did not originally live in it. Most of them came here through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. The reason for this was the current or their personal curiosity.

The predatory mollusk rapana entered the Black Sea in 1947. To date, he has eaten almost the entire population of oysters and scallops. Young rapana, having found a victim, drill into its shell and drink the contents. Adults hunt a little differently - they secrete mucus, which paralyzes the valves of the prey and allows the predator to eat the mollusk without any problems. Rapana itself is not threatened by anything, because due to the low salinity of the water in the sea there are no its main enemies - starfish.

Rapana is edible. It tastes like sturgeon. It is generally accepted that rapana is the closest relative of the endangered mollusks, from whose shells the Phoenicians made purple dye.

Katran shark

The marine fauna of the Black Sea is not very diverse, but quite interesting. There is even one species of shark found there. This is a spiny shark, or, as it is also called, katran. It rarely grows more than a meter in length and tries to stay deep, where the water is colder and there are no people. Among fishermen, the katran is considered a real trophy. The fact is that shark liver oil has medicinal properties. At the same time, the shark can be dangerous to humans, since its dorsal fins have spines with poison.

Jellyfish

Most often, two types of jellyfish are found in the sea: Aurelia and Cornerot. Cornerot is the largest while Aurelia, on the contrary, is the smallest. Aurelia, as a rule, does not grow more than 30 centimeters in diameter. But the root can reach 50 cm.

Aurelia is not poisonous, and in case of contact with a person, the root can cause a burn similar to a nettle burn. It causes mild redness, burning, and in rare cases even blisters. The cornet has a bluish color with a purple dome. If you see this jellyfish in the water, just grab it by the dome and move it away from you. The dome, unlike the tentacles, is not poisonous.

Some vacationers on the beaches of the Black Sea deliberately seek meetings with They believe that the poison of the cornet has healing properties. There are rumors that by rubbing your body with jellyfish, you can cure yourself of sciatica. This is a misconception that has neither scientific nor practical justification. Such therapy will not bring any relief, and will cause suffering to both the patient and the jellyfish.

Glowing Sea

Among the plankton living in the waters of the Black Sea, there is one unusual species - noctiluca, also known as the night light. This is a predator algae whose diet consists of ready-made organic substances. But the main feature of the noctiluca is the ability to phosphorescent. Thanks to this algae, in August the Black Sea may seem to glow.

Sea of ​​dead depths

Having become acquainted with the inhabitants of everyone’s favorite sea, let’s consider a couple of interesting facts. The Black Sea is by far the largest anoxic body of water in the world. Life in its waters is impossible at a depth of more than 200 meters due to the high concentration of hydrogen sulfide there. Over the years, the sea has accumulated more than a billion tons of hydrogen sulfide, which is a product of bacterial activity. There is a version that during the emergence of the Black Sea (7200 years ago), the freshwater inhabitants of the Black Sea lake, which was here earlier, died in it. Because of them, reserves of methane and hydrogen sulfide have accumulated at the bottom. But these are just guesses that have not yet been confirmed. But the fact is that due to the high content of hydrogen sulfide in the sea, the fauna is so poor.

The Black Sea, in addition, has a high content of fresh water, which also negatively affects some of its inhabitants. The fact is that the water coming from the rivers does not have time to completely evaporate. And salt water enters the sea mainly from the Bosphorus Strait, which is not enough to maintain the salt balance.

There are many hypotheses regarding the origin of the name of the Black Sea. But one of them looks the most plausible. Retrieving anchors from the waters of the Black Sea, the sailors were surprised at their color - the anchors turned black. This was due to the reaction of the metal and hydrogen sulfide. Perhaps this is why the sea received the name that we know now. By the way, one of the first names sounded like “sea of ​​dead depths.” Now we know what causes this.

Underwater river

Surprisingly, a real river flows along the bottom of the Black Sea. It originates in the Bosphorus Strait and extends almost a hundred kilometers into the water column. According to unverified (yet) data from scientists, during the formation of the Black Sea, when the isthmus between the Crimean plain and the Mediterranean Sea was destroyed, the water that filled the territory of the present Black Sea formed a network of gutters in the ground. Today, an underwater river with salt water flows along one of them, which does not change its direction.

Why doesn't the water of an underwater river mix with sea water? It's all about the difference in densities and temperatures. The underwater river is several degrees colder than the sea. And denser due to the high salt content, because it is fed by the saltier Mediterranean Sea. The river flows along the bottom, carrying its waters to the bottom plains. These plains, like deserts on land, have virtually no life. The underwater river brings oxygen and food to them, which is very useful, given the abundance of hydrogen sulfide in it. It is possible that there is life in these plains. Life under the “sea of ​​hydrogen sulfide” located under the Black Sea. This is an intriguing play on words.

By the way, there is a guess that the ancient Greeks knew about the existence of the underwater river. Swimming out to sea, they threw a load attached to a rope from the ship. The river pulled the cargo, and with it the ship, making the work of the sailors easier.

Conclusion

So, today we found out who the inhabitants of the Black Sea are. The list and names helped us get to know them better. We also learned how the Black Sea differs from others, and what mysteries of nature are hidden behind its powerful waters. Now, when you go on vacation to your favorite sea, you will have something to surprise your friends and something to tell your inquisitive children.

The Black Sea is unique; it is the only one in the world that is divided into zones oriented by depth. Most of its inhabitants live on the top layer, where there is the most oxygen. Here animals and plants interact closely.

On the shores you can find a curious type of algae - peridenea. The sea glows at night with the help of small night lights and jellyfish - as it turns out, some of the varieties can also glow. For example, Aurelia is a small but very common jellyfish. The cornet is lilac in color and much larger, some individuals are up to 50 cm in diameter, and the tentacles can cause burns. If you accidentally encounter such a jellyfish, touch the dome carefully and move it away from the route.

Among the mollusks, there are mussels that grow like grapes on rocks. It is worth collecting them further from the port line, not only for safety reasons. In their body, mussels accumulate everything that floats in the water nearby. You can also find pearls in some of them.

Oysters are not as common and are more commonly grown in certain areas.

Scallops - they do not live attached to one place, but move like a projectile, using the jets of water formed by the slamming of the shell. Although the scallop has eyes, it does not see with them. When one is lost, a new one grows.

Rapan is a natural enemy of mussels and oysters, so it is widespread on the shores of the Kuban. Its meat is similar to sturgeon and many dishes are prepared from rapan.

On the coast of Anapa you can find crabs; they run back and forth like guerrillas and immediately hide in the sand as soon as danger is noticed in the air.

In the shallow waters of the shores of Anapa you can find more than 180 different species of fish, occupying a large niche in the food chain. Of these, the small ones are sardines, the same sprat eat algae, small fish, and move in schools, attracting predators. Larger fish are found here: mackerel, the same flounder, beluga, etc., the most commercially available for fishermen.

Sharks are also found in the Black Sea - these are katran and scyllium, however, both species are not dangerous to people, although there are also two-meter-long specimens. They are considered the orderlies of the sea, eating wounded and sick fish. Sharks live in schools and their lives are always on the move. Spending a large amount of energy, they eat everything they meet on the way, even when they are full. Viviparous. The female can give birth to up to 15 litters, each up to 25cm long.

Katrana is also eaten. What is most valued in it is the balyk, fins and liver, which are included in medicines that even help people suffering from cancer.

Dolphins

In recent years, the sea has become cleaner, the water is clearer and the coast is often visited by dolphins. They are not afraid of people and, on the contrary, are drawn to them, even swimming up to swimmers. There are three species here - the Azov dolphin, the white-sided common dolphin, and the most curious species, the bottlenose dolphin, on which scientists from many countries are working and conducting experiments. Bottlenose dolphins also perform in various dolphinariums, gathering their own group of admirers.

Dolphins swim faster than fish, their speed is up to 60 km/h and often accompany ships. They have keen eyesight, well-developed hearing and a natural sonar apparatus, thanks to which they are excellent at orienting themselves in space.
Dolphins breathe the same air as people, and to do this they periodically emerge from the water. They sleep on the surface with their tail under water. Their diseases are the same as those of people.

The Black Sea is not a tropical sea, infested with poisonous fish and dangerous animals. There are no electric stingrays, no man-eating sharks, no Portuguese man-of-war, no toothy moray eels, but in its waters there are marine inhabitants that pose a danger to human health.

The 2017 swimming season will begin very soon and vacationers, yearning for sun and water during the long winter, will flock en masse to the banks of rivers, lakes, and, of course, go on vacation to the Black Sea coast. The Black Sea is very friendly towards people, there are practically no animals dangerous to humans here, however, even here you need to be alert so as not to completely spoil your holiday. These are the few inhabitants of the Black Sea that can cause us trouble.

Corner jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo). It is easily distinguished by its fleshy, bell-shaped dome and the heavy beard of oral lobes underneath. These lacy blades contain poisonous stinging cells. Try to swim around them; but in general, ordinary nettle burns more than cornet. Jellyfish pose a certain danger to human mucous membranes, so you should beware of diving with your eyes open and putting jellyfish in your swimming trunks.

Another large Black Sea jellyfish is Aurelia aurita. Its stinging cells are weaker, they do not pierce the skin on the body, but it can be painful to burn the mucous membrane of the eyes or the edges of the lips; Therefore, it is better not to throw jellyfish at each other. Aurelia stinging cells are on the fringe of small tentacles bordering the edge of the jellyfish's dome. If you touch a jellyfish, even a dead one, rinse your hands - stinging cells may remain on them, and if you then rub your eyes with them, you will get burned.

Spiny shark, or katran.
Lives in the 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, the katran is capable of inflicting deep wounds on an unlucky fisherman or a careless scuba diver. An inflammatory reaction develops at the site of the lesion: pain, hyperemia, swelling. Sometimes there is a rapid heartbeat and slow 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.

Sea ruffe, or Black Sea scorpionfish - Scorpaena porcus. This is a real monster - a large head covered with outgrowths, horns, bulging crimson eyes, a huge mouth with thick lips. The rays of the dorsal fin are turned into sharp spines, which the scorpionfish, if disturbed, spreads out; at the base of each ray is a poisonous gland. This is the ruff's protection from predators, its weapon of defense. And the attack weapon - jaws with many sharp crooked teeth - are intended for careless fish that approach the scorpionfish within the distance of its swift, furious throw. The whole appearance of the scorpionfish speaks of its danger; and at the same time it is beautiful - and there are scorpionfish of very different colors - black, gray, brown, raspberry-yellow, pink...
These prickly predators lurk between stones, under algae, and, like all bottom-dwelling fish, change color to match the color of their surroundings and can quickly lighten or darken depending on the light. The scorpionfish is also hidden by numerous outgrowths, spines and leathery tentacles, turning it into one of the stones overgrown with marine vegetation. Therefore, it is difficult to notice her, and she herself relies so much on her inconspicuousness that she floats away (or rather, flies away like a bullet from a gun!) only if you approach her closely. Sometimes you can even touch it - but that’s exactly what you shouldn’t do - you’ll get pricked! It’s more interesting to watch a scorpionfish hunt while lying on the surface of the water and breathing through a snorkel...
There are two species of scorpionfish in the Black Sea - the noticeable scorpionfish Scorpaena notata, it is no more than 15 centimeters in length, and the Black Sea scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus - up to half a meter - but such large ones are found deeper, further from the coast. The main difference between the Black Sea scorpionfish is its long, rag-like flaps, supraorbital tentacles. In the noticeable scorpion fish these outgrowths are short. The poisons they secrete are especially dangerous in early spring. Fin pricks are very painful.
Wounds from scorpionfish thorns cause burning pain, the area around the injections turns red and swells, then general malaise, fever, and your rest is interrupted for a day or two. Wounds should be treated like regular scratches. The main symptoms of poisoning by sea ruffe are local inflammation (where they were injected) and a general allergic reaction. Therefore, the only tablets that can help are antiallergic (antihistamine) drugs - remember that you must strictly follow the instructions for use of the tablets that come with all medications. There are no known deaths from scorpionfish injections. No one steps on it by accident either - curious divers and fishermen suffer from its thorns when they remove a ruff from a hook or take it out of a net. By the way, the sea ruffe is a very tasty fish, you just need to clean it carefully - the poison is retained even by scorpionfish that have been in the refrigerator.
In small doses, the toxin causes local inflammation of tissues, in large doses it causes paralysis of the respiratory muscles. The venom of the sea ruffe contains mainly substances that act on the blood, so the symptoms of poisoning in victims persist for several days and then go away without complications.

Stingray stingray, also known as a sea cat.
Grows up to 1 m in length. He has a barb on his tail, or rather a real sword - up to 20 centimeters in length. Some fish have two or even three spines. Its edges are very sharp, and also jagged, along the blade, on the lower side there is a groove in which dark poison from the poisonous gland on the tail is visible. If you touch a stingray lying at the bottom, it will strike with its tail like a whip; at the same time, it protrudes its spine and can cause a deep chopped or puncture wound. A wound from a stingray blow is treated like any other.
Stingrays lead a bottom lifestyle. Despite the fact that sea cats are quite shy, afraid of noise, and try to swim away from swimmers, 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 a 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.
The venom of a sea cat, once in a wound, causes painful phenomena similar to the bites of a poisonous snake. It acts equally on both the nervous and circulatory systems. Unlike the katran and scorpionfish, after a close acquaintance with the sea cat, it is unlikely that you will be able to do without the help of a doctor.

Stargazer, or Sea Cow.
Their usual sizes are 30-40 centimeters. They live in the Black Sea and the Far East. The stargazer, or sea cow, living in the Black Sea, has a grayish-brown spindle-shaped body with white, irregularly shaped spots running along the lateral line. 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. There are sharp spines on the gill covers and above the pectoral fins of the sea cow. During the breeding season, from late May to September, a cluster of cells that produce a toxin 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. There are known cases of fatalities due to lesions of these species of fish living in the Mediterranean Sea.

Our list ends with the Sea Dragon, or sea scorpion.
The most poisonous fish in 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 up. 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 the circulatory system; the percentage of neurotropic toxins is small. Therefore, the vast majority of poisoning cases end in the person’s recovery.

To prevent poisoning from poisonous fish, scuba diving enthusiasts, divers, scuba divers, tourists and those simply relaxing by the sea must observe 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 or stargazers 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, lesions, 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. Then the victim is given a painkiller and diphenhydramine to prevent the development of allergic reactions, as well as drinking plenty of fluids, preferably strong tea.
When injecting any poisonous fish, there is a proven folk method to reduce the pain from the wound. If you catch an offender, and most often it is careless fishermen who get injured, then you need to cut off a piece of meat from the fish that injured you and apply it to the wound. The pain will subside significantly, however, in the case of the sea dragon, stargazer and stingray, prompt, qualified assistance from a doctor is required in the future.

In conclusion, I would like to remind you once again: be careful and careful 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.