The Mediterranean Sea lies between Asia, Africa and Europe. It reads multi-component, incorporating several inland seas and straits. On the coast there are many major resorts, holidaymakers just dream of the first day to dive into the gentle waters of the warm sea, forgetting about his native and often dangerous inhabitants. The fishes of the Mediterranean Sea are inferior to those of other bodies of water in the world’s oceans, while maintaining a diversity of species. Among them are a number of inhabitants, which should be feared.
Animals of the Mediterranean Sea
Warm currents and the lack of drastic fluctuations in temperature throughout the year have led to the emergence and development of amazing and exotic species. Nature has given many of them powerful defenses against predators. Usually dangerous inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea in Turkey and other countries with developed tourism industry stay away from crowded beaches, but sometimes after a storm they are brought to the coast.
A small amount of plankton and scarce plant stock does not allow the dangerous animals and fish of the Mediterranean Sea to breed in large numbers, so they do not bring much damage to holidaymakers. However, you need to exercise caution when vacationing on the beaches.
Dangerous inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea
More than 550 species of fish and animals are found in the deep and surface layers. Of these, 70 can live only in the Mediterranean basin and are found nowhere else. Dangerous species are few, some of them are concentrated in the near-bottom habitat, some have great mobility and can swim up to the shore.
Sea urchins
They have taken to the shores, starting in the shallows. Most often these inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea are found on the beaches of Cyprus.
Importantly, there are no poisonous ones among them.
The danger is different, wounds take a long time to heal, are painful and can become inflamed if they are not treated in time. Sea urchin from a meeting with swimmers, too, one trouble, so when entering the water and entering the shore to look carefully under his feet.
Cones
Amazingly beautiful shells with a curved inside edge conceal ruthless nocturnal predators. Their prey is small:
- worms;
- other mollusks;
- small fish.
The cone cannot, and does not seek to, compete with them in speed. Nature provided it with a poisonous spike, the concentration of the substance is enough to paralyze even larger prey. Among the dangerous inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea, it is the smallest, there is only one species, Conus ventricosus. The safety rules are very simple – do not pick it up. If you want to bring home such a souvenir, it is easier to buy it in a store on the coast, choosing the most beautiful coloring and not run the risk of getting a dose of poison.
The moray eels
As true predators, they don’t attack first unless you try to catch and feed them. They live in dark crevices. The serpentine body allows them to hide in the most inconspicuous hollows and swiftly attack the prey, developing a decent speed. The teeth are bent inward and the bites are nonpoisonous, but painful. Lacerated wound edges take a long time to heal, infection is possible.
This fish in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Turkey is rare, individuals do not exceed 1 meter in length, trying to stay away from people, hiding in hidden crevices and there waiting for a more compliant prey.
Jellyfish
They can seriously spoil your vacation. Among the fauna of the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Morocco, Malta are considered the most numerous representatives. Floating in the water column, they are insanely beautiful, delicate colors and luxurious fringe convinces of the defenselessness and vulnerability. But you can’t trust them. At the tips of the tentacles are hidden stinging cells, which cause burns when touched.
When a lot of jellyfish come ashore, the beaches of Cyprus, Turkey are empty, because it is impossible to enter the water without the risk of injury. Fortunately, it happens very rarely.
Fireworms
When wondering who or what lives in the Mediterranean Sea, many people come across information about these interesting and dangerous representatives of the animal world. They got their name for their bright coloring and venom, causing a burning sensation when touched. Along the edges of its body are fluffy-looking tufts-needles. Sometimes they glow slightly in the semi-darkness. The worm itself looks more like a flattened centipede, but belongs to the class of ringed worms.
The coloration varies from clear pearly to red with a grayish patina. It lives in shallow waters, shuns beaches and crowds of people, preferring the coral reefs, silted and marshy areas. In places of their mass habitat several nights a month, the sea glows with a gentle bluish-green light.
Anemones or actinids
These peculiar inhabitants of the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea are given the name of flowers for their resemblance to land plants. But unlike them, it is not a harmless flower, but a cunning predator. Distributed throughout the coast, you can find single representatives and entire colonies.
Do not touch them, almost the entire surface of the actinia are equipped with sting cells.
Blue crab
He looks like he came off a cartoon poster, so bright and beautiful. But appearances are deceptive and it is better not to touch him. It doesn’t do much damage, but it will leave a bruise from its claws.
It lives on shelves and at the mouths of rivers, where the water salinity is very low. It is rarely found on beaches, more often it can be seen on piles of rocks slightly away from the shore, on coral reefs and on small islands barely protruding from the water at low tide. To the dangers of the Mediterranean and the sea crab should not be attributed, he just does not like to be touched.
Sharks
They have the image of a ruthless predator, in the coastal zone they are not to be feared. In total, there are about 47 species in the Mediterranean basin. But they are not comfortable here. Slow water circulation, high salinity, and few fish and other animals are holding back the increase in predator populations.
The most famous are considered to be:
- big white;
- tiger;
- sandy
- white;
- blue;
- Lemon
- Blackfeather.
They prefer deep water and space, but if they come ashore, you should not mess with them, as most species reach more than 3 m.
Top 10 interesting and dangerous representatives of the Mediterranean Sea
The animal life of the Mediterranean basin is bright and varied. Only a small portion is considered dangerous:
- poisonous jellyfish;
- stingrays;
- scorpene;
- a polychaete that resembles a centipede;
- sea dragon;
- spinoffs;
- morays;
- barracuda;
- sharks;
- puffer fish.
They shun people, and if you follow the golden rule of the tourist “do not grab anything with your hands and look under your feet,” then the holidays will be serene, bringing a lot of vivid impressions.
