The fish makes patterns in the sand. To attract a female, the ray-finned fish creates amazing underwater patterns

For the little underwater artist, this process is part of a very complex mating ritual.

About a year ago, the discovery of an amazing fish, capable of independently creating intricate “crop circles” on the ocean floor, was actively discussed on the Internet.

This curious quirk of nature was first captured by a Japanese photographer named Yoji Ookata. Not long ago, Yoji returned to the amazing creatures with the crew of the Japanese NHK nature television show, which released a mesmerizing video about the process of creating underwater paintings.

Even looking at the photos of the finished buildings of this fish, it was difficult to imagine how such a small creature could build such a large picture. Thanks to the video, the mechanics of the process become clearer.

By the way, sand patterns not only help to charm fish of the opposite sex, but also serve as protection when a young family has offspring.

"Underwater cameras revealed that the artist was a male puffer fish who, using only the vibration of his fins, worked tirelessly day and night to create circles from the ridges. The unusual artist - better known in Japan as a delicacy, albeit potentially poisonous - he even collected small shells, crushed them and laid them out in the inner circles of his sculpture, as a decoration for his masterpiece. Further observations showed that these “mysterious circles” not only decorate the seabed. Attracted by the depressions and ridges, female pufferfish find their way through the darkness of the seabed to the male. puffer fish and marry there to lay eggs in the center of the circles. Scientists have recorded that the more ridges the circle contains, the more likely it is that the female will mate with the male. Observers also believe that the crushed shells are lying there for a reason, but provide substances necessary for. normal development of eggs and nutrition of fry."

About five percent of the world's oceans have been explored so far, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That is, what is happening under the surface of the remaining 95 percent, we have no idea yet.

Japanese photographer Yoji Ookata recently returned with his colleagues and the crew of a television program dedicated to nature from filming this natural wonder.

Unlike “crop circles,” there was an explanation for this mysterious phenomenon.

Yoji Ookata has devoted 50 years of his life to the secrets hidden in the depths of the ocean - ever since he became a licensed scuba diver at age 21. At the age of 39, he finally made his main choice. He quit his office job and became a self-employed underwater photographer.

But even for a person who has spent the last 50 years diving in the underwater world, the ocean can prove that it is still a big mystery to man. While diving in the subtropical region of Amami Oshima, at a depth of approximately 25 meters, Yohji noticed something he had never seen underwater. And, as it turned out, no one had seen this before either.

On the seabed he discovered a beautiful drawing. It consisted of wavy ridges tending towards the center, as if a skilled craftsman had worked at the bottom. They were very similar to the drawings that were found in the fields. And Yoji decided to call for help from a scientific group, which revealed the secret of the great underwater artist.

Underwater cameras recorded a skilled creator. It turned out to be a puffer fish, which diligently, day and night, with the help of its fins, drew these waves on the bottom of the sea. It is unlikely that the Japanese imagined that this fugu fish, known as a very poisonous delicacy, would do this.

Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that the circles perform several important functions. But probably the most important thing is to attract a partner.

Females become interested in these hills and valleys of sand and begin to carefully explore them in search of a male. And then the couple lays eggs in the very middle of the “circle” - in a depression, which later serves as a “silencer” for ocean currents and protects their tender offspring.

Love and skill have scientists wondering how little they know about puffer fish. For them, this is a delicacy, but it turns out that the fish is a real artist, which should be protected and not consumed.

What else do we know about this fish?

Poisonous fugu fish(dog-fish, pufferfish, diodont or fahak) - a legend of Japanese cuisine - an object of horror, curiosity and admiration for foreigners. This most famous, expensive and dangerous dish of Japanese cuisine is rightfully considered one of the oldest. Judging by the finds of archaeologists, even before our era, the Japanese ate the poisonous fugu fish, apparently knowing that the poison was contained only in certain parts of its body.

The muscles, liver, caviar, milk, intestines, eyes and skin of fish contain a nerve-paralytic poison that 25 times superior in strength to curare and 275 times More toxic than cyanide is tetrodotoxin. The lethal dose for humans is only 1 ml of tetrodotoxin. One fish contains enough poison to kill 30-40 people. Moreover, there is still no effective antidote for fugu poisoning. By the way, the main components " zombie powder » - dried and powdered fugu fish.

Meanwhile, in microscopic proportions, fugu poison is considered an excellent means of preventing age-related diseases and even, according to rumors, a cure for prostate diseases. Therefore, the poisonous fugu fins (fried on a grill until charred) are dipped in sake for one or two minutes. This healing drink in individually dosed form is served before meals to clients who want to taste fugu. The cook acts as an anesthesiologist, assessing the complexion and health status of each guest. They say that intoxication from such an infusion feels akin to a drug: all senses are heightened, the ability to see, hear and touch much more than usual appears.

Cutting a pufferfish is a filigree art. With quick blows of the knife, the cook separates the fins, cuts off the mouthparts and opens the belly of the puffer. The poisonous parts are carefully removed from the abdomen. The fillet must be cut into thin pieces (no thicker than paper) and washed thoroughly under running water, removing the slightest traces of blood and poison.

“Fugusashi” (fugu sashimi) is a very special taste and very beautiful dish. Mother-of-pearl slices of raw fugu are arranged like petals on a round dish. Often the cook creates a picture from pieces of fish: a landscape, an image of a butterfly or a flying bird. The fish is eaten by dipping the slices in a mixture of ponzu (vinegar sauce), asatsuki (chopped chives), momiji-oroshi (grated daikon radish) and red pepper.

Fugu is also served as a “set lunch”. In this case, fugusashi is only the beginning of the meal. In addition to this, “fugu-zosui” is served - a soup made from a broth of boiled fugu fish, rice and raw egg, as well as lightly fried fugu fish. Pieces of fugu fish are served by the cook in a strictly defined order. They start from the back - the most delicious and least poisonous. The pieces are served in order of proximity to the peritoneum. The closer to it, the stronger the poison. The cook's duty is to vigilantly monitor the condition of the guests, not allowing them to eat more than the dose that is safe for them. The trick when preparing puffer fish is to leave just enough poison to give the eater a feeling of mild narcotic euphoria. Gourmets who have tried fugu fish claim that as this dish is consumed, a paralyzing wave rolls over the eater: first the legs are taken away, then the arms, then the jaws. Only the eyes retain the ability to move. However, after a moment everything comes to life in reverse order: the gift of speech returns, arms and legs begin to move. They say that it is for this moment of “resurrection” that people take mortal risks.

Every year over 1.5 thousand tons fugu. Pufferfish is prepared and served only in Japan. According to statistics collected since the 19th century, from 1886 to 1979. More than one person suffered from fugu venom 12.5 thousand Human.

Pufferfish is prepared and served only in Japan. According to statistics collected since the 19th century, from 1886 to 1979. More than 12.5 thousand people suffered from fugu poison, more than half of whom (almost 7 thousand) died. True, it is not known whether the cooks are also included in the number of victims: after all, it is believed that in the event of the death of a client, a cook must commit hara-kiri to himself. However, they claim that most of the poisonings occurred due to non-professionals (for example, among fishermen who decided to feast on a dangerous catch). In 1980, Japan's Ministry of Health introduced mandatory licensing for chefs to cut and serve fugu. Today, approximately 70 thousand people in Japan have such diplomas. The number of victims among gourmets has decreased to two dozen per year, and only a few die from this dish. However, since fugu is a very expensive dish, rich and famous people become its victims. Each such death is a loud scandal.

The most skillful chef is the owner of a restaurant in the city of Kishiwada in Prefecture. Osaka created unique museum dedicated to this amazing fish. Materials for it were sent from all over the country. In the museum you can get a complete picture of how to avoid the danger of getting poisoned by this very popular dish. Considering the educational mission completed, the owner wants to close his museum. But the main reason, most likely, is that after getting acquainted with the museum exhibits, people lose the desire to order this dish. Truly, “in much wisdom there is much sorrow; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”

Not long ago, extremely proud scientists announced that they had created a non-poisonous puffer fish. It turns out that the secret was in the natural diet of the fish. Fugu does not produce poison in its own body: it becomes toxic by eating poisonous starfish and shellfish. If a pufferfish is placed on a non-poisonous diet from birth, the tetrodotoxin content in the fish will be zero. However, the expected sensation and flow of gratitude to scientific thought did not happen. After all, without its toxin, the puffer fish becomes just another type of fish - quite tasty, but not anything special. The secret of the popularity of fugu lies precisely in its toxicity, in the acute sense of risk that a person experiences when playing this gastronomic version of Russian roulette. It’s not for nothing that it is in the spring (when fugu fish is considered the most poisonous) that gourmets pay the highest price for it - up to $700 per kg. The Japanese say that “he who eats fugu is a fool, but so is he who does not eat it.” Dying from fugu poison is a decent death by Japanese standards.

The history of this fish began in 1995, when divers began to find beautiful circular structures with a diameter of about 2 meters at the bottom of the Sea of ​​Japan near the Ryukyu archipelago. What it is and why was not clear for a long time. For almost 20 years, biologists have puzzled over where complex circular structures on the sand come from and how they occur. Finally, it turned out that these are mating structures and are made by males of a previously unknown species of puffer fish in order to attract females.

In July 2012, a group of divers made a film for BBC Life, showing the colorful process of building this nest. We invite you to take a look at it!

The puffers first clear the chosen area of ​​various debris, take out twigs, shells, and excess stones. During the mating ritual, males spin, spin and writhe at the very bottom, spreading it open with their fins, thus creating a kind of nest on the sandy bottom.

It’s strange that such sand patterns went unnoticed by humans for so long

As it turned out, the structure of the nests serves not only the purpose of attracting attention; the three-dimensional pattern of lines and circles dampens sea currents, providing greater safety to the offspring located in the center.

The architect fish uses small shells to decorate its nest.

The initial stage of nest construction by a male white-spotted pufferfish

The length of the male architect fish is up to 12 centimeters, while the diameter of the nest he builds can reach 2 meters

The construction of the architect fish's nest is coming to an end

The genus of pufferfish is considered one of the most poisonous among fish, but this does not prevent its representatives from simultaneously being a great delicacy in Japan, where its culinary name is fugu fish.

When Japanese scientists discovered mysterious circular patterns on the ocean floor near the Amami Islands in 1995, they wondered for a long time: who or what was the author of these unusual works of art?

Mysterious drawings appeared and disappeared in different places, but never once did researchers manage to catch the unknown “artist” at his work. It was not possible until 2011, when for 12 months a team of underwater scientists monitored the area of ​​the bottom where intricate patterns most often appeared.

The talented artist turned out to be a fish of the species Spiny Arotron. But why did she need such works of art?

Spiny Arotron(Arothron hispidus) is a ray-finned fish of the pufferfish family that lives in the Red Sea, Indian and Pacific Oceans. These fish are solitary and prefer sandy marine substrates in lagoons and outer reefs at depths ranging from 1 to 50 meters.

The thing is that for the eggs to survive, these fish need sand of almost ideal consistency. That is why the male builds a special “nest” of sand in such a way as to reduce the strength of the current by 25%, and configure everything in such a way that the water carries sand grains best suited for laying into the center of the nest.

A kind of engineering triumph for a tiny fish. We invite you to see these amazing shots with your own eyes, because Japanese researchers spent so much time and effort on filming them.

It takes males of the Spiny Arotron about a week to construct an architectural work. They carefully clear the area of ​​various debris, check the diameter of the nest and the directions of the grooves they dig. Everything must be perfect. The final touch is the fish version of “flowers and candy” to attract a female.

To do this, the male places beautiful shells along the edges of the nest and waits for a female swimming past to notice them, swim up to the center of the nest and let him know that she is ready to spawn.

The act of love in fish looks quite unusual: the male bites the female on the “cheek”, and in this position they dance for several seconds.

Once the eggs are laid and fertilized, the female leaves the nest forever. Now nature will do the rest for the fish. And the lone male will build his next architectural masterpiece on a new section of the bottom.

On the ocean floor off the coast of Japan, mysterious circular patterns in the sand are discovered. They are made with such artistic skill that they leave no doubt about their handicraft. To many divers, these unusual patterns resemble crop circles drawn by aliens. However, who creates circles on the ocean floor? Is this really the work of representatives of an extraterrestrial civilization?

Yoji Ookata has been diving and underwater photography for almost five decades, but this find truly amazed him. While diving near the Lycaean Islands in order to take pictures of coral gardens, the Japanese accidentally stumbled upon a voluminous sand pattern at a depth of twenty-five meters. It was a perfectly even circle with a diameter of about seventy centimeters with wavy ridges radiating from the center.

Ookata had never encountered such miracles before, so he immediately decided to enlist the help of a professional film crew to capture the mysterious underwater artist on video. Soon the cameras submerged to the bottom actually recorded it. It turned out that the sandy circles on the seabed were being drawn by... a small puffer fish - the same one whose poisonous meat is considered an exquisite delicacy.

The Japanese found that the males of these fish carefully draw these patterns in the sand, touching the ocean floor with their fins. Each such circle is the product of one individual fish. These amazing structures are necessary for males to attract females for the purpose of mating. Females swim and select the highest quality circles, after which they lay eggs in the very center of the intricate patterns, which are fertilized by the males. Future offspring will be protected here from sea currents - this will be facilitated by a complex combination of grooves and shafts on the underwater structure. And the more skillful the design of such “architecture,” the more partners a male can attract.

The outer part of the incubator consists of two circles, the rays of one of which are directed clockwise, and the rays of the other counterclockwise. Amazingly, some galaxies in the Universe rotate in exactly the same way. Thus, scientists now have to determine why such a primitive creature was endowed by evolution with the understanding of mathematics and even, perhaps, astronomy. Why does the puffer fish store in its memory the archetype of an even circle and reproduce it with the highest accuracy?

Scientist Vasile Droj even suggests that the whole secret of the pattern is in the creation of a certain energy accumulator, due to which maximum energy is concentrated in the center of this mysterious sand structure, which apparently contributes to faster and more successful maturation of the offspring. Protection from sea currents has nothing to do with it; for this it would be more effective to simply dig a hole in the ocean floor. Just how are primitive fish endowed with such fantastic capabilities?..

Video: Who leaves mysterious circles on the ocean floor?