The shark of the cigar is more than a tooth - one of the terrible predators

The seas and oceans of our planet are filled with diverse living beings, whose life is hidden from us under the water column. One of the representatives of this animal kingdom is a squad of Katrana-like and its members: cigar Isistiuslabialis (Brazilian) and Isistiusplutodus (South China) sharks. Both species are from the genus Isistius, whose representatives have proven themselves to be tough, predatory, sadistic manner of hunting prey.

Outwardly, the representatives of the genus are very similar to each other, among them only a toothed shark stands out, differing in the lower jaw, studded with large, sharp teeth. Her body radiates in the dark green light and has the shape of a cigar, hence the name - a cigar shark. A photo of a glowing fish with large eyes can be seen below. This shark is clearly associated with a Cuban cigar.

Habitat

Warm waters of all oceans, this shark considers its hunting possessions. Fish does not live only in the waters of the northern coasts. Deep water bathyscaphes recorded predators at a depth of more than 3000 meters, noting their constant movement at night to the surface of the water. With the approach of the day, the cigar shark descended to a depth, overcoming a distance equal to 3 kilometers.

Fishing vessels caught predators in the deep waters of Africa, Brazil, Australia, the Hawaiian Islands and Tasmania.

Appearance

With a discreet appearance and length that does not reach 60 cm, a cigar shark can boast of the presence of such teeth, which is not even a large white.

This fish has its own characteristics:

• An elongated cigar-like body;
• On the round head there are two eyes of the almond-shaped shape that are capable of emitting green light, which makes the representative of the sea spaces an active hunter;
• Discreet dark brown color, allowing the predator to merge with the color of water;
• The ability of the body to glow with green light, in all likelihood, is designed to lure potential prey;
• Predators with a closed mouth wash their gills and breathe, remaining in a state of immobility; This ability is necessary for them to hunt;
• As the main weapon, the cigar shark uses unique teeth located on the lower jaw: they have the appearance of a saw-shaped device with triangular tops that are slightly inclined; The teeth of the upper row are much smaller than the lower ones.

The owner of a powerful jaw

The large-toothed cigar shark is considered the owner of the most powerful jaw. Using the buccal pump and lips, she sucked in to the victim and, digging into her tissue, gnaws out pieces of flesh while rotating around herself. Pieces of flesh of large fish, sea animals are gnawed by predators from the body of prey. After such an attack on the body of large inhabitants of the sea there are terrible, long healing wounds that have round outlines. Such marks were found more than once in cetaceans and dolphins. If a flock participates in the attack, then the victim, as a rule, is doomed to perish.

Hunting tactics

The ability to inflate the cheeks and close the gills slits makes it possible to create a vacuum in the oral cavity, which allows you to firmly cling to the body of the prey, gradually gnawing at its flesh. If the capture of the victim occurred, the cigar shark will not release the grip under any conditions. This fish is a good hunter, so the prey can not escape from its sharp teeth.

Creeping toward a potential victim of a much larger size (a whale, a slope, a large fish, a dolphin), she quickly sucked into her body, piercing his upper teeth. As soon as the seizure took place, the cigar shark uses the lower jaws, gnaws a piece of meat and quickly swims away. The duration of all manipulations takes only a few seconds, the victim does not even have time to recover, as he remains with the wound. Experts agree that 70 to 80% of wounds on the body of animals are left with a large toothed sadistic.

Generation of offspring

Reproduction in fish takes place through carrying in the body of the embryo. Young offspring are born already formed sharks, which are up to 15 cm in size. One female bred at a time to 12 young. Born offspring from the first days of life is able to feed themselves. Of course, not all small animals survive, some become prey to predators, but those who survive continue their hunt, gaining their livelihood by gnawing pieces of meat from other marine inhabitants.

Interesting Facts

There are cases when a predator shark cigar attacked lovers of scuba diving.

In 2009, a bite was recorded in Hawaii, the attack was performed by swimmer Michael Spalding.

The media wrote about the repeated bites of fish that people who were shipwrecked received.

Do not disdain shark cigar and insulating wires underwater bathyscaphes, easily gnawing them and rubber sheathing.

In 2012, there was a case when in the waters of the Pacific toothy fish bored the inflatable gondola of sailors who circumnavigated the globe. The incident ended safely, the swimming facility was repaired, and the expedition continued.

Toothed representatives are so common in the waters of the seas and oceans that the conservation union did not consider it necessary to put this species on the list of those in need of protection.

The shark does not enjoy popularity. It is not caught or used in the fishing industry.

Representatives of the species have the ability to grow lost teeth. Therefore, to count how many times during the period of life there are new devices for hunting, it is almost impossible. The loss of one "tool" does not affect the result of hunting, the teeth of the shark, arranged in rows, give it the opportunity to seize prey as tenaciously. Within two days a new "dagger" will grow up.

As a rule, representatives of Isistius hunt, grouped in small flocks, swim at night to the surface of the water.

In shallow water, shoals to meet a pack of hunters is impossible. Therefore, threats to holidaymakers involved in water sports, it does not represent.

Sharks live in the water elements of our planet for 40 million years. And nowadays their habits surprise and frighten people. The duration of their life cycle reaches 20-30 years.

If you believe Japanese mythology, the sharks take the souls of sinners into the abyss.