In the sea, which accounts for 71% of the total area of the earth, there are cute elves living in various poses. The ocean is not only a vast and deep home for life, but also a crowded battlefield for natural selection.
The endless ocean provides enough space for a wide variety of creatures to grow. Therefore, marine animals vary in size and vary greatly. It is normal for big fish to eat small fish. In order not to become his “fish” dishes, many marine creatures evolve into clever “genius actors”, possessing stunts, imitating the habitat or other creatures in various ways, in order to hide themselves or scare away powerful enemies. The “deception” survived. Who are these smart guys?
“Crocodile Fish” Bordelia
There is a small fish in the sea called Bordeaux porcupine. Because it has a crocodile-like head, it is called a “crocodile fish”, although its “five short stature” is more than a foot long compared to the domineering real crocodile People can’t help but laugh.
Bordeaux catfish live in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. They hide in the rocky or shallow seabed in a low-key manner. They are covered with random stripes and color patches, and their body color can be changed according to the surrounding environment. Therefore, whether it is the big guys passing by, or the small fishes and shrimps that are about to be preyed on by the borealis, it is difficult to find them quietly resting on the bottom of the sea.
In addition, the eyes of Bordelia pufferfish have developed unique dendritic markings. When they look up, their large eyes will not appear abrupt.
Hiding over the sea index: ★★★☆☆☆
Bai’s four-eared squid that will “glow and disappear”
Perchian squid is one of the most beautiful cephalopods in the ocean, even though they are only a few centimeters in length. There are countless pigment cells on their epidermis, which can quickly change the color and size of the spots on the whole body, constantly changing into blue-green and purple shining like hummingbird feathers, so they are often called hummingbird bobtail squid.
During the daytime, the Squid of Burrito’s four-eared squids occasionally crawl with their wrists on the sandy bottom of the sea. Biologists speculate that they are pretending to be hermit crabs carrying snails. When the night comes, Burrito’s four-eared squids float up for food. With the help of the bacteria in the mantle that will glow, they can emit a soft gleam at night, so that their body will no longer appear black under the projection of light from above. Shadow, deep-water predators are often deceived by this luminous camouflage, and can only watch the “empty” sea water above and leave disappointed.
Hiding over the sea index: ★★★☆☆☆
Li Wei
Liyu, also known as the magnificent Tanabata fish, has an oval body, large dorsal, ventral and caudal fins. The skin on a purple-black background is covered with white and light blue dots. There are a few lines where the dorsal and caudal fins meet. The markings cleverly outline a lifelike false eye.
“Rock Hermit” Li Wei hid in a reef cave during the day, and only sneaked out to find food at dusk. Whenever they perceive any wind and grass, they will plunge into the recess of the rock, revealing only the back part of the body with eye spots. At the same time, the dorsal fin, pelvic fin and caudal fin are placed at a specific angle. The spotted naked-breasted eel with his head rushing out in the middle, afraid of the ferocious moray predator, will retreat to the fox and the prestigious Liyu in all likelihood.
Hiding over the sea index: ★★★☆☆☆
The sharp-snout single puffer that confuses enemies with smell
The sharp-nosed single spiny puffer is shaped like a flat shuttle, with a light blue body dotted with eight rows of bright yellow spots. It is famous in the seawater aquarium fish world with the nickname of “corn cannonball”. They like to hide their heads down between the branches of the coral, and their fancy body is almost integrated with the colorful coral. Even if the big fish with eyesight looks closer, they probably won’t find the single-snout puffer that is only a dozen centimeters long.
In addition, the monoacanthus cuspidae also has a unique chemical odor barrier. When they eat the coral polyps, they acquire the characteristic odor substances of the coral polyps. Therefore, they will hide in the coral bushes when they are in danger. Those who don’t want to smell them are full of “Shan Qi”.
Hiding over the sea index: ★★★★☆☆
Ye Hailong’s Extreme Mimicry
The vibrant submarine macroalgae forests on the western and southern coasts of Australia are like underwater labyrinths, where the unique Australian Ye Hailong lives.
Ye Hailong’s head can mimic seaweed, and his body is slender and twisted, looking like a stalk of algae that is drifting with the flow. From the long mouth to the thin tail, more than a dozen leaf-shaped appendages cover their whole body. Whether it is shape, texture or color, these appendages are no different from real seaweed leaves.
Ye Hailong has also evolved small and transparent fish fins that make them look like seaweed floating slowly when they swim. How can predators who are accustomed to big fish and meat be interested in this “light and tasteless” “seaweed”?
To hide the sky and cross the sea index: ★★★★★☆
Offensive and defensive invisible big fish
The big spot fish is also known as “frog fish” because they always waddle on the bottom of the sea with pectoral fins that resemble small short legs of amphibians, like a group of lame frogs.
The body of the big fish is short and thick, covered with messy markings. If the habitat changes, these markings will gradually become consistent with the new environment. In addition to resembling a frog, the big spotted fish also resembles a sponge or a piece of coral, but it doesn’t look like a weak and delicious little fish, so picky predators are too lazy to even look at them.
In addition, the big spotfish also has a more insidious camouflage technique-a fin has evolved on the top of their head, which swings like a small fish swimming around, lures the prey to approach, and when the time is right, the big spot The fish will suddenly open its mouth by more than ten times within a few milliseconds, and can swallow a prey larger than itself in one bite!
Hiding over the sea index: ★★★★☆☆
“Variety of Dramatic” Mimic Octopus
The octopus is a well-known clever man in the animal world. The little man in the octopus family, the mimic octopus, is the most outstanding “performance artist” in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. Their bodies are extremely flexible. With the help of pigment cells all over the body and eight flexible arms and legs, they can change their appearance and body color at will, and instantly complete all kinds of incredible transformations and camouflage.
Just drag the arms and feet together behind you, and then squash the body flat, the mimic octopus becomes a “flatfish” lying on the bottom of the sea; just hover quietly in the sea and stretch the eight arms and legs around, mimicking An octopus can be a lionfish full of venomous stingers; just extend one arm and foot to the front and back of the body, and then equip the arm and foot with black and white ring markings. “…
In addition to using their own stunts to scare off natural enemies, they will also pretend to be courtship crabs, trapping real crabs to fill their stomachs. These clever little octopuses are able to imitate all creatures in a spontaneous manner, no matter their body color, shape and movement are vivid, they are simply the “geek in disguise” in the ocean!
To hide the sky and cross the sea index: ★★★★★★
