Which animal lives in the Pacific Ocean? Amazing and interesting fish of the oceans and seas

Brief commercial and environmental characteristics of the Pacific Ocean

The basin of the Pacific, or Great, Ocean occupies approximately half of the water area of ​​the entire World Ocean (together with the marginal seas, this amounts to about 179 million km2. Its volume is 710 million km3, the average depth is 3980 m, the maximum is 11022 m (in the Mariana Trench ).

Shelf zones are poorly developed, their area is only about 2.5% of the entire ocean area. The shelves are most developed in the north and west of the Pacific Ocean, where the most bioproductive and commercially significant Bering, Okhotsk, Japanese, Yellow, East China and South China seas are located, as well as areas adjacent to the Indonesian archipelago. In addition, more than 2 million km2 are occupied by shallow waters off the coasts of Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania.

The shelf is narrowest off the coast of America, especially South America. In the central part of the ocean, slightly south of the equator, there are numerous bottom rises and archipelagos of islands. In the high latitudes of the ocean (in the north and south), currents form cyclonic gyres, in the tropics and subtropics - anticyclonic.

The role of the Pacific Ocean in the global fishery of aquatic organisms is great. If 82.5 million tons of fish and game animals were caught in the World Ocean in 1992, then in the Pacific Ocean - 51.3 million tons, or 62.2% of the total world catch. The most important fishing areas in the Pacific Ocean are: NWTO (47% of the total catch in the Pacific Ocean), SETO (27%), CZTO (15%) and NETO (6%). Poor shelf development has led to the dominance of pelagic fisheries (about 90% of the total catch in the Pacific Ocean).

The current average fish productivity of the Pacific Ocean (in terms of a unit of water area) is 180-200 kg/km2, which is lower than the fish productivity of the Atlantic Ocean, in which bioproductive shelf zones are relatively more developed. Based on biological productivity in the Pacific Ocean, the following most productive areas can be distinguished.

1. NWTO region (Bering, Okhotsk and Japan seas). These are the richest, mostly shelf, seas of the Pacific Ocean. In particular, some scientists consider the Sea of ​​Okhotsk to be the richest in the world in terms of fish resources and biomass of food benthos (220-400 g/m2). The main Russian fisheries for pollock, ivasi sardines, saury, herring, salmon and other valuable commercial fish, and among invertebrates, the famous Kamchatka king crab, are located in the Northwestern Territory.

2. Kuril-Kamchatka region with an average annual primary productivity of more than 250 mg C/m2 per day and with a summer biomass of food mesoplankton in the 0-100 m layer of 200-500 mg/m3 or more. This is the main fishing area for saury, squid, myctophids and a feeding area for Far Eastern salmon.

3. Peruvian-Chilean region with primary production reaching several grams C/m2 per day in upwelling zones and a mesoplankton biomass of 100-200 mg/m3 or more, and in upwelling zones up to 500 mg/m3 or more. The area has large reserves of Peruvian anchovy (Engraulis ringens), the annual catch of which exceeded 12 million tons in the record year of 1972, as well as Peruvian horse mackerel and eastern mackerel.

4. Aleutian region, adjacent to the Aleutian Islands in the south, with a primary productivity of more than 150 mg C/m2 per day and with a biomass of food zooplankton of 100-500 mg/m3 or more. This is a marine feeding area for Far Eastern salmon. In addition, there is fishing for sea bass and flounder fish here.

5. Canadian-North American region (including the Oregon upwelling), with a primary productivity of more than 200 mg C/m2 per day and a mesoplankton biomass of 200-500 mg/m3. This is a massive fishery area for California sardine, California anchovy, California mackerel and Pacific hake.

6. Central American region (Gulf of Panama and adjacent waters) with a primary productivity of 200-500 mg C/m2 per day and a mesoplankton biomass of 100-500 mg/m3. The area has rich fish resources that have not been sufficiently developed by fishing. In most other areas of the Pacific, biological productivity is somewhat lower; Thus, in terms of mesoplankton biomass it does not exceed 100-200 mg/m3.

The main fishing objects in the Pacific Ocean are pollock, iwasi sardine, anchovies, eastern mackerel, tuna, saury and other fish. In the Pacific Ocean, according to scientists, there are still significant reserves for increasing the catch of aquatic organisms. The USSR and Russia actively conducted and continue to conduct fishing in the Pacific Ocean. Until recent years, the main fishing areas were the NETO (our Far Eastern seas) and SETO (a vast oceanic fishing area for Peruvian horse mackerel, the commercial aggregations of which were discovered here in the early 80s of the current century by Kaliningrad fisheries scouts).

However, in recent years, fishing in the SETO has decreased significantly due to the remoteness of the area from the fleet’s home ports, and the basis of Russian fishing in the Pacific Ocean remains only the Far Eastern seas - the Bering, Okhotsk and Japanese seas, as well as adjacent areas of the open part of the Pacific Ocean.

There are many organisms living in the oceanic environment. The greatest species diversity is observed among ocean fish: there are peace-loving herbivores that live in schools, and bloodthirsty predators that can threaten all living things. There are both very large and extremely small individuals, but they are all interesting in their own way.

The underwater world of the ocean is filled with a huge variety of species

Variety of sharks

Sharks are the most colorful inhabitants of the depths of the seas and oceans. They are occasionally found in large lakes and rivers. There are more than 500 varieties in total. They differ from each other not only in appearance and shape, but also in their lifestyle.

The largest order of carchariformes includes eight families:

• gray;
• mustachioed canines;
• false martens;
• hammerheads;
• big-eyed;
• striped cats;
• felines;
• mustelids.

They usually live in coastal marine regions of temperate and tropical latitudes. Their common features:

• five gill slits;
• anal fin;
• two dorsal fins.
• nictitating membrane in the eyes.

The tiger shark was so named because of the transverse stripes on the sides of its body. This is one of the most common varieties. Individuals grow up to six meters in length and reach one and a half tons of mass. Indiscriminate in food. Eats crustaceans, turtles, does not disdain sharks of other species, loves to eat marine mammals, birds, sea snakes and fish. Sometimes accidentally swallows objects unsuitable for food. Poses a threat to humans.

It is obvious why the tiger shark got its name; it is unpretentious in food and poses a real threat to humans.

The name of the lemon shark comes from the yellowish tint of its skin. The length of individuals reaches a size of three and a half meters and a weight of 200 kilograms. They are active at night, live in shallow bays and reefs, and can settle in medium-sized ones. Young sharks gather in schools and swim along coastlines overgrown with mangroves. They usually hunt birds, fish and shellfish. Cases of attacks are recorded extremely rarely, but this species is still potentially dangerous to humans.

The blunt-nosed shark was so named because of its short and massive blunt snout. It is considered one of the most dangerous and poses a real threat to human life. The shark lives in fresh water bodies and behaves extremely aggressively, often attacking livestock and domestic animals that enter the river. At the same time, their physical parameters are quite impressive - half a ton of weight with a length of four meters.

The diet includes sea turtles, fish, smaller sharks, mammals, echinoderms and crustaceans. They hunt by hiding in muddy water, which perfectly camouflages the predator without giving away its approach. The predator attacks many people, not expecting danger.

The lateral fins of the long-finned shark visually resemble airplane wings. The longest known length of an individual is four meters. Weight reaches 200 kilograms. They feed on mollusks and bony fish, but due to hunger they can change their eating habits. Not safe for humans.

The blue shark is very elongated and slender, the pectoral fins stand out for their length. The top of the body is blue, on the sides it smoothly turns into blue, and the belly is contrastingly white. With a length of four meters, the predator weighs relatively much - 400 kilograms. Prefers to hunt crustaceans, fish, octopuses and squids, and does not neglect the corpses of mammals. Not safe for humans.

The body of the silky shark is relatively soft due to small teeth on the skin. The sides are bronze-gray, in places cast with metal, the belly is light. With a length of three to four meters, it weighs approximately 350 kilograms. This species is distinguished by its particularly acute hearing, which they use for hunting. The majority of the diet consists of fish. Sometimes sharks gather together and herd victims into a large school, and then attack. There have been no recorded cases of attacks on people.

The reef shark is also called the whitetip shark. This is due to the tips of its fins - they are colored white.

Lives in places where there are a lot of corals. Well adapted to reef terrain, it can navigate and hunt well in it. Able to extract potential food from narrow spaces. Has a fairly strong jaw to break coral.

It goes hunting at night, usually catching lobsters, octopuses, crabs and reef fish. With a two-meter length, it weighs quite little - only 30 kilograms. Individuals are aggressive towards humans only in case of self-defense. If you do not provoke a reef shark, it will not attack people.

The catshark has an interesting spotted coloration. It also gets its name because of its excellent eyesight, nocturnal habits, and ability to curl up into a ball. The shark's body is small, does not grow longer than a meter, and weighs no more than two kilograms. Individuals catch gastropods, mollusks, crustaceans and echinoderms. Not dangerous to humans.

The mustel shark was also named due to its resemblance to a mammal. It is similar to a marten in coloring, as well as a small flexible body. This predator is very agile and lively, and shows gluttony. Sizes vary greatly from 30 to 220 centimeters, large individuals weigh 30 kilograms. It usually hunts fish, less often mollusks and crustaceans. Almost not dangerous to humans.

The hammerhead shark is well known for its unusual head shape. During the daytime, individuals often gather in large flocks, the numerical size of which can reach a thousand. The longest recorded length is 6 meters. Weight does not exceed 600 kilograms. Typically feeds on stingrays, fish and shellfish. During the hunt, it shows aggression and is therefore dangerous to humans.

The origin of the name soup shark is directly related to gastronomy. The large fins of the predator are considered a delicacy and are used to prepare exotic soup. It grows up to two meters in length, but weighs only 50 kilograms. It eats squid, crustaceans, mollusks and fish. Due to its relatively small size, it is not very dangerous to humans.

There are other large orders of sharks:

• Lamniformes;
• Wobbegong-shaped;
• Katraniformes;
• Polybranchiformes;
• Squatinaceae;
• Heterodonates;
• Sawtooth.

Marine herbivores

Zebrafish fish has an interesting beautiful color. The part of the snout from the mouth to the eyes is decorated with small black patterns resembling freckles. From the eye to the caudal fin there is a black stripe, which is divided into two in the middle and combined again. The caudal fin is yellow but has a black edge.

There is a yellow stripe along the edge of the lateral fins, and a black stripe on the dorsal and ventral fins. The body is colored a pleasant shade of blue. This fish is quite small and is used in aquarium keeping, as it can be kept at home. In nature it is found both in small groups and alone.

The fish is peaceful and curious, constantly exploring the reef bottom in search of algae, and behaves in the same way in the aquarium. Prefers places with bright light, as this guarantees the growth of cyanobacteria.

Clown fish live in symbiosis with anemones - poisonous sea anemones. The body has an interesting color: on a bright orange background there are three white stripes, the transition parts are black. The fish are immune to the poisonous secretions of anemones. In nature, they hide in them from predators. When the school is not threatened, the fish swim actively and increase the flow of water, which brings food to the sea anemones. The fish is small, only 10-18 centimeters in length.

The pajama wrasse is a very fastidious fish with interesting colors. An aggressive attitude towards relatives from the same family is normal for her. He loves to terrorize his neighbors, harming them psychologically and physically. It feeds on algae and gets along well in a marine aquarium. They should be placed in a spacious container, where there is both free space for swimming and shelter. You can feed it with plant foods.

Predators of the sea

Among ocean fish, sharks are far from the only predators. There are many other aggressive representatives.

Moray eel likes to hide. To do this, she uses caves, coral reefs and thickets of vegetation. The body is quite elongated; with a length of three meters, its thickness is only 30 centimeters. It has a strong jaw, which it actively uses when hunting. Easily camouflaged and attacks from ambush, holds prey tightly with its mouth, uses its tail to hold or tear the victim. With poor eyesight, he has an excellent sense of smell.

Barracudas are somewhat similar to giant three-meter pikes. They are dangerous to human health and can bite off limbs and cause other injuries. They attack suddenly and indiscriminately, including eating poisonous food. Because of this, their meat is toxic and is not used in gastronomy.

The swordfish is larger in size than many sharks - three meters long and almost half a ton of mass. The most dangerous part of the body is the long bone growth on the upper jaw.

Because of its resemblance to a sword, the fish got its name. Thanks to the four-ton impact force, the swordtail is capable of breaking through an oak board half a meter thick. The predator has no scales.

The European fishing rod is also called the devil. This is due to its extremely unattractive appearance. Its wide mouth is shaped like a crescent moon, its lower jaw is extended, and its eyes are located close to the middle of its head. On the long fin above the upper jaw, bacteria actively multiply and attract fish. If the bait does not work, the anglerfish can rise up and swallow whole a bird that has landed on the surface of the water.

Tuna is a predator that prefers to gather in schools. Its four-meter body can weigh half a ton, but the fish can swim at a speed of 90 kilometers per hour. Tuna is actively used in gastronomy; the French even call it sea veal.

Pelamida also has a silver color, but is much smaller in size. It is no longer than 85 centimeters and weighs no more than 7 kilograms. There are faint stripes on the back that have a blue tint. The fish gather in schools and hunt for sardines and anchovies.

Deep sea inhabitants

Deep-sea representatives are the most unusual among fish. Some representatives occupy the greatest depths of over six kilometers. They are poorly studied, but there are several known varieties.

Bottom-dwelling species include leech-mouthed hagfish, batiptera and some stingrays. They usually know how to burrow into the ground and hunt well from ambush. They spend almost their entire life at the bottom. They live on the continental slope and at the continental foot, and are found on underwater islands.

The bodies of benthopelagic fish are very small and consist almost entirely of water, which helps combat high environmental pressure. This species is distinguished by particularly large eyes. Although they also stay near the bottom, they are able to move energetically.

Fish that live in the ocean at a depth of up to three kilometers are called benthic. The most prominent representatives:

1. Atlantic roughy is a meat-colored fish.
2. Patagonian toothfish is a black, flattened fish.

The greatest recorded habitat depth is 8370 meters. Their body is usually elongated and narrow, the muscles and organs are well developed. Among their senses, they rely more on smell and the lateral line, which can detect low-frequency sounds, than on their eyes.

As we know, life originated in water. And mysterious, unexplored expanses of water have always attracted travelers, scientists and simply adventurers. How many generations have replaced each other, but the rebellious element has never succumbed to full study, carefully guarding its secrets.

However, by the twenty-first century, humanity has still accumulated a lot of knowledge about the inhabitants of rivers, seas and oceans. And, despite a lot of experience and a lot of studied materials, we are still surprised by those who live in the abysses of the sea.

We present to you the top 10 amazing inhabitants of the World Ocean. Happy reading!

One of their varieties is the Greenlandic, which lives in the vastness of the North Atlantic.

Their longest length that has been recorded is as much as six and a half meters! The weight of that shark was about a ton. But, despite their size and origin, Greenland sharks attack people very rarely, most often these cases are only attributed to them, without much evidence. This is because these sharks prefer cold waters, where it is almost impossible for them to meet a person. There are only two known cases of sharks chasing people. One of them occurred in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where the bowhead swam for a long time behind the ship, and another time, it kept up with a group of divers, forcing them to rise back to the surface.

Some fishermen are sure that this type of shark causes damage to gear and large-scale extermination of other fish, and considers them pests. Therefore, most often when catching a polar shark, they get rid of their tail fins and throw them overboard.

Arapaima is a representative of tropical freshwater fish that boasts interesting features.

Scientists have called this fish, which has a very archaic morphology, a living fossil. In addition to its enormous size for its genus, the arapaima has large scales that cover its entire body. Her head is also covered in durable bone plates.

At first glance, it seems as if such a fish is protected by some kind of armor. And this is not so far from the truth - the relief scales of the arapaya are incredibly strong (for comparison, if you compare the modulus of elasticity of such scales and ordinary bones, then these scales will exceed the strength of bones ten times). It is thanks to this protection that arapaima can live calmly even among piranhas.

These fish prefer a fairly warm climate, and therefore you can meet them by visiting South America, the Amazon basin, or in the vast expanses of Brazil, Peru and Guyana. At the same time, arapaima are predators, and their food is mainly other, smaller fish or even birds.

One of its types is Californian. They are quite poorly studied, but interest in these fish is growing very quickly. California sharks live mainly in the subtropical waters of the Pacific Ocean. The size of one shark can reach one hundred centimeters. These creatures are nocturnal, preferring to feed and reproduce at late times.

Such sharks are able to pump water into their stomach, and thereby swell, similar to other sharks of the genus bigheaded. They prefer to eat crustaceans and just small fish.

The Californian species is good because it is absolutely safe for people. If there is a collision with a person underwater, then this fish will remain motionless until the last moment, however, if someone disturbs it or scares it, it will swell, doubling its size. And therefore, the National Union for the Conservation of Nature has assigned such bloating sharks the status of “least dangerous”.

A very popular and famous fish. This form of discus appeared in the early nineties of the last century, that is, relatively recently. Its ancestors are considered to be discus fish of blue and brown natural forms. In Thailand, one of the breeders noticed among his pets a fish with a small pattern similar to snake skin. The first fish of this form had fourteen vertical stripes, although ordinary discus have only nine, but now they have become much thinner. Later, through the efforts of breeders, another form of these fish was developed, the stripes of which were so thin that they resembled a cobweb. Subsequently, representatives of this form became the basis for the emergence of many new beautiful and unusual forms of fish. This is how the Leopard Snake Skin and Eastern Dream were born; they delight aquarists with their appearance - bright red dots and a subtle cobweb pattern. Snakeskin discus are capricious and finicky; they require a caring attitude from their owners. They prefer to live in small flocks (5-6 individuals) and are susceptible to various diseases.

Mandarin ducks live in coral reefs in the western Pacific Ocean. These colorful representatives of the order Perciformes received their name for their bright juicy color, reminiscent of the mantle of imperial Chinese mandarins.

These small six-centimeter beauties have a slightly elongated body, slightly flattened on the sides. Their head is round with huge moving eyes. The skin is smooth, without scales. The tail has long plumage. The entire fish is painted a cute red-brown color with bright blue psychedelic patterns. The “feather” of the tail, fins on the tail and on the chest are edged with a bluish color.

The mandarin duck is a bottom-dwelling fish and is quite friendly. Looking at her, you admire her amazing beauty. That is why the Mandarin duck is very popular as an aquarium fish. But, it is worth noting that only experienced amateur aquarists can afford to own this beauty due to its rather difficult maintenance.

The imperial angelfish is deservedly one of the most beautiful coral fish on the planet. These underwater inhabitants swim in tropical and subtropical seas near the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific region. It is noteworthy that the imperial angels change their color. The fry are born black with snow-white and turquoise curved lines and a black tail with spots and a bright blue edging. In adult individuals, the body is slightly flattened on the sides and increases in height. Their color turns bright purple with thin horizontal stripes of yellow and orange.

With age, the head becomes emerald above and brown below, with a noticeable bright mask near the eyes. These are amazingly beautiful creatures! They are active during the day and like to live alone. During the mating season they unite in pairs. Researchers believe that a couple is created for life, and if one “half” dies, then the other will soon die.

An amazing creature of the tropical seas - the surgeon fish. Its characteristic feature is its colorful color - from pale blue to rich yellow, as well as a mixture of blue-black colors with yellow fins.

These half-meter tropical beauties attract divers with their amazing colors, however, it is better to stay away from them. The fact is that in their crescent-shaped rear fin there are two sharp bone plates, which the fish use, like a knife blade, for self-defense. Such a dangerous weapon, sharp as a razor, can lead to rupture of a tendon or artery, and, as a result, heavy bleeding. Basically, the “scalpels” are peacefully pressed against the fin. But when a threat comes, the surgeon fish opens them and can inflict quite severe cuts with them. So you need to keep your distance with these fish. Losing blood can be fatal, but it's much worse if the wounds become bait for a deadly reef shark.

This cute fish has a beak-like front part of its head. That is why it has such a bird-like name. In addition, its colorful appearance determined the naming of a specific bird - a parrot. The fish uses its “beak” to eat small invertebrates found in corals. After which, it spits out the remains of food. These rainbow fish are very colorful. They are colored in a mixture of gold, blue, green, blue, purple and pink tones and are decorated with bright yellow spots.

2. Pisces - Leo

This handsome predatory fish is also called zebra fish, striped lionfish. It lives in the Indian and Pacific oceans, the Red Sea, and can be found in the waters of the Caribbean. This is a fairly large fish; its dimensions can reach forty centimeters (and in captivity it grows up to 13 cm), weight - up to one kilogram. The lion fish attracts everyone's attention, of course, with its color; the color of its stripes can be red, black, or light brown. This “lion” has a large head, there are spikes on it, and there are tentacles near the mouth. When he is in danger or during a hunt, the lion fish opens its rays and becomes very formidable. For marine inhabitants, this immediately becomes a signal of danger, but humans are always attracted to everything bright, colorful and unusual, and this can have sad consequences. After all, the needles of this fish contain poison that is dangerous to humans. But this handsome man will never attack first, only if in response to human provocation.
If you keep it at home, then its neighbors in the aquarium should be large fish, since it will simply eat small ones, and the “lion” swallows its victims whole. It lives near corals, in lagoons and bays, and in the aquarium it needs to create secluded places so that it can hide.

The Cardinal Bangai fish, named after its habitat on Bangai Island in Indonesia, is quite rare and is on the verge of extinction. In length, Bangai generally grow to five to six centimeters in length, with a maximum of eight. These fish are extremely beautiful. They are recognizable due to their forked caudal fin, very long dorsal fin rays, decorated with black and white spots. Also, three black stripes vertically cross the entire body and head. These sea inhabitants are extremely hardy. In addition, Bangai Cardinals are not problematic to breed in their natural environment.

The organic world of the Pacific Ocean is distinguished by a rich species diversity, not only due to the wide variety of natural conditions, but also due to the huge size of its water area. More than 50% of all biomass concentrated in the World Ocean is located here. The marine life of the Pacific Ocean is about one hundred thousand different species of animals, which is three to four times higher than the diversity of marine fauna species in any of the oceans on Earth.

The largest number of species is concentrated in the western regions of the Pacific Ocean, in its low latitudes. For example, the seas of the Malay Archipelago contain about 2,000 species of fish, while in its northern part there are only about three hundred. And the southern regions of the ocean (Antarctic region) are rich in the diversity of underwater fauna, and have much in common with similar parts of the Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Marine life of the Pacific Ocean

The antiquity of many species, a high degree of endemism and gigantism of many representatives, both flora and fauna, are a distinctive feature of the organic world of the Pacific Ocean. Here you can also find primitive horseshoe crabs, ancient sea urchins, and such ancient fish as Jordan and Gilbertidia, which are not found in other places. About 95% of all known salmon species live here.

The southern part of the ocean is a real underwater forest of giant algae from the kelp family, reaching 200 meters. The northern part of the ocean waters is known for giant mussels and oysters, and the equatorial zone is home to the largest bivalve mollusk called tridacna, which can weigh up to 300 kilograms. And sea lions, fur seals and sea beavers are endemic, as they are not found in other oceans.

Animal world

As mentioned above, the species composition of flora and fauna is many times richer than in other oceans. All groups of living organisms of the World Ocean are fully represented here. The marine inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean are representatives of both the animal and plant worlds. To the northeast of Australia, as well as in the area of ​​the Sunda Islands, the coral fauna is well developed in all its diversity.

The deep-sea fauna is also distinctive. At a depth of more than 8,500 meters, about forty species of animals live, 70% of which are endemic (that is, not found anywhere else). Sea cucumbers (holothurians) predominate, passing huge amounts of soil through their digestive system, which at great depths is practically the only source of nutrients.

These creatures are followed in numbers by organisms that are well adapted to life in the so-called ultraabyssal conditions, such as elasmobranchs, brittle stars, polychaetes and others. And if you want to learn about the flora and biological resources of the Pacific Ocean, then the second part of this article will tell you about them:

Marine inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean. Part II

The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world and covers about a third of the Earth's surface area. The depth of the ocean varies from shallow shores to the Mariana Trench, the deepest point of which (Challenger Deep) reaches a depth of almost 11 thousand km. Due to its sheer size, the Pacific Ocean is home to countless species of sea creatures, and some of the most famous animals are:

Penguins

The Pacific Ocean is home to numerous species, including Galapagos penguins, Humboldt penguins, Magellanic penguins, crested penguins, and yellow-eyed penguins. These animals vary in size, from 1 kg in weight and a height at the withers of about 40 cm, to a weight of 35 kg and a height of about 100 cm.

Dugong

Elephant seals

The largest genus distributed in the Pacific Ocean. It includes two species: the northern elephant seal and the southern elephant seal. The northern species is distributed in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean along the North American coast, and the southern one is found near. These enormous marine mammals exhibit sexual dimorphism, with adult males being much larger than females. The average weight of an adult elephant seal is about 2 tons, with some individuals growing up to 4 tons.

Manti

The largest stingrays live in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean - representatives of the Manta genus. They are found near coral reefs, where they hunt fish and tiny fish. Adult manta rays can have a body width of up to 9 m and a weight of 3 tons. The stingray is a solitary animal and surprisingly calm, despite its impressive size. Stingrays are hunted by large sharks and killer whales.

Sea otters

The sea otter is a common inhabitant of the North Pacific Ocean, especially on its northern and eastern coasts. Sea otters are relatively small in size compared to other marine mammals, and adults can reach a maximum weight of about 45 kg and a body length of up to 1.5 m. They feed on small marine animals and seaweed.

sea ​​turtles

Sea turtles are a general term used to describe seven species in the order turtles. These species include: flathead sea turtle, green turtle, hawksbill turtle, Atlantic ridley turtle, leatherback turtle, loggerhead turtle and olive turtle. The leatherback turtle is the largest of all sea turtles, with adults weighing up to 700 kg. Sea turtles are found in tropical areas of the Pacific Ocean.

Sea slugs

Sea slugs are the term used to refer to marine species known as nudibranchs, as well as several gastropods that closely resemble terrestrial slugs. Sea slugs are primarily found in coral reefs and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but most are partially translucent. Most sea slugs have feather-like structures on their backs that act as gills. Sea slugs are carnivores and they prey on fish, anemones, and planktonic organisms.

Octopuses

It is one of the most common cephalopods in the Pacific Ocean. Different species live in different parts of the ocean. The octopus has one of the largest brain-to-body ratios of any species, and also possesses a complex nervous system. Species of octopus vary in size, with the largest being the giant octopus, which can grow up to 50 kg.

Giant squid

The giant squid is a member of the architeutid family ( Architeuthidae). This squid is one of the most elusive Pacific creatures and one of the largest invertebrates in the world (the other being the large Antarctic giant squid). Adults grow up to 13 m in length, and females are relatively larger than males. Giant squids are found in the North Pacific Ocean near Japan.

Pacific white-sided dolphins

Pacific white-sided dolphin - found in the North Pacific Ocean. Animals of this species have a gray back and a creamy white belly and neck. Adult females grow up to 100 kg and have a body length of about 2.2 m, and males weigh up to 180 kg and are 2.3 m long. These dolphins are quite mobile and become victims only of killer whales.

Sea lions

The sea lion is the largest member of the eared seal family ( Otariidae). Adult males can reach a weight of 1000 kg and a body length of 3-3.5 m. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, and males are larger than females. Males have a massive neck covered with a lion-like mane. These marine mammals are found in the North Pacific Ocean.

Hammerhead sharks

The hammerhead shark is one of the most common sea creatures in the Pacific Ocean. These sharks are easily identified by their head shape, which resembles a hammer. Thanks to this feature, the shark has 360-degree vision. Adult sharks can reach a mass of more than 500 kg and a body length of about 6 m.