Reservoirs account for the bulk of all Earth's surfaces. It is not surprising that a huge number of living organisms live in them. At the same time, scientists are constantly discovering more and more new species. However, some individuals literally stand out from the total number. Moreover, their main feature is their size. Below is a list of the largest fish in the world.
Giant sunfish
This individual is a type of sunfish. It was discovered not so long ago - in 2014.Therefore, not much is known about the lifestyle. What is clear is that it is one of the largest fish in the world. In addition, it is considered very heavy and weighs up to 2 tons. This is comparable to the mass of an adult elephant. Scientists named this species Mola tecta. It represents the first new type of sunfish to be found in 130 years.
Common sharptail sunfish
This individual belongs to the sunfish family. Its usual habitat is considered to be temperate and tropical zones. This representative differs from other species of the family by the presence of a rear fin, which in appearance resembles a sharp wedge. The name of this individual is connected with this.
Adult specimens reach a length of 3.4 meters and weigh more than 2 tons. This fish is huge in size and slow. Therefore, it is an easy prey for predators. To protect itself from attack, the sharp-tailed moon has to descend to a depth of more than 200 meters.
Representatives of this family are characterized by limp, tasteless meat. In most countries, people do not eat it. However, in some places, ocean fish is considered a real delicacy. This applies to Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
Beluga
This fish is considered the largest freshwater species. However, this is not entirely true. Beluga enters the river only to spawn. Nevertheless, this individual occupies a confident place in the top 10 largest fish on the planet. It is characterized by a weight of up to 2 tons and a length of up to 7 meters. The Huso huso variety is now on the verge of extinction.
Until the beginning of the last century, beluga was found in different seas - the Black, Azov and Black Seas. Today, this predator can only be seen in fish factories.
Atlantic blue marlin
This individual is classified as a class of ray-finned fish. It is found mainly in the tropics. Depending on the season, Atlantic blue marlin are found in the Pacific, Indian or Atlantic Oceans.
The body of the fish is covered with long scales, at the ends of which there are 1 or 2-3 points. The marlin is dark blue on top and silver on the sides. Along the length of the body there are blue stripes with a green tint.
On the back of the marlin there are 2 fins - large and small. During movement, the pelvic fins fold into recesses that are located on the sides of the body. This helps reduce drag and increase movement speed. The caudal fin is shaped like a crescent.
The main prey of this predator is considered to be small fish and sometimes squid. During the hunt, the fish acquires a bright blue color. It is worth noting that marlin itself often suffers from white shark attacks. The size of such individuals is influenced by gender. Males are 4 times smaller than females. The maximum weight of the caught fish is 600 kilograms, and the length is 5 meters.
Reef manta
This is one of the largest fish that live in the world. It is a species of stingray that is found in the tropics and subtropics. What dimensions are typical for this individual? The weight of the fish can reach 1.4 tons, and the pectoral fins together with the body form a disk, the width of which is 5.5 meters. At the same time, the body length of the reef manta is 2.4 times less than the width.
The main diet of this fish is considered to be zooplankton. It does not pose a danger to people. At the same time, there were previously rumors that such a large stingray was capable of swallowing or crushing a person.
Great white shark
This is one of the largest fish on Earth, which belongs to the herring shark family. The individual is characterized by a large cone-shaped head, a cigar-shaped body with gill slits and a caudal fin, which is characterized by blades of the same size. The great white shark prefers temperatures of +12-24 degrees. Therefore, it is mainly found in regions with a temperate climate. However, sometimes fish can be found in tropical waters.
The average size of an adult shark is 4-5 meters, and its weight reaches 1.1 tons. These fish often become victims of poachers. Therefore, their population is steadily declining. The number of great white sharks was once very large. Today this figure does not exceed 3,500 individuals.
Sawtooth ray
This huge fish is part of the sawfish family. Its characteristic feature is the long saw. It is a protruding growth with a edging in the form of teeth along its entire length. In outline, the saw-nosed ray resembles a shark, but is characterized by a flatter body. In addition, its gill slits are located at the bottom. There are also differences in the placement of the pectoral fins, which literally merge with the head.
The sawfish ray is found in coastal areas. However, it prefers temperate and tropical climates. This species feeds on small fish and bottom invertebrates. The length of individuals reaches 7 meters.
Giant shark
This fish ranks third in size. She has a menacing appearance, but is actually considered a very harmless creature. The basis of the diet of the giant shark is considered to be plankton. This individual seeks food near the surface of the water.It is worth noting that the continued use of fish for commercial purposes has had a negative impact on its population.
Herring king
This variety is also called "strap fish". The longest individual that was officially recorded reached 11 meters. At the same time, the maximum weight of the herring king is 272 kilograms. The average size of individuals does not exceed 3-3.5 meters.
Norwegian fishermen gave this unusual name to the fish. This was due to the fact that she was often caught in schools of herring. In the head, a crown-like formation emerges from the dorsal fin. This individual has inedible meat and therefore has no commercial value.
Whale shark
This fish is considered the largest. At the same time, the only thing it has in common with a whale is its name. The animal is the largest representative of vertebrates, excluding mammals. The whale shark is found in tropical waters, the temperature of which exceeds +20 degrees. It feeds on plankton and therefore has small teeth.
Today there are many huge fish known, which differ in appearance, habitats and lifestyle features. Many of them look very scary, but in reality they are very harmless.
