The Black Sea every summer attracts millions of tourists, because there is nothing more attractive than basking in the gentle Crimean sun near the azure sea ​​waters. Coming to rest, all distant domestic problems and affairs are forgotten, here comes complete physical and psychological relaxation. But do not forget that dangers can lie in wait for you everywhere, even during your holidays.

In total, there are 5 species of these fish in the world, they live in Atlantic Ocean, mediterranean sea. The only species of the Black Sea dragon lives near the Caucasian, Crimean, northwestern shores of the Black Sea. You can only meet him at the bottom of the sea. The Black Sea dragon is a small fish, the average size reaches 15-20 cm, some individuals can grow up to 40 cm.

The appearance of the dragon can even be said to be attractive - the body is gray or light beige in color, with bright dark brown spots. In one of the fins near the head of the body there are prickly spines with poisonous glands. Another poisonous fin is located below the gill cover itself. See in wild nature it can be difficult for a dragon, because he spends most of his time buried in the sand.

Only the mouth and eyes remain on the surface, so he hunts for fish. Most often, the fishermen who go to the sea dragon suffer from the sea dragon. The little dragons often mistakenly fall for "tyrants", and the fishermen, not realizing the danger, try to take them off the hook. With bare hands taking a Black Sea dragon is very dangerous, in this case it is almost impossible to avoid being stabbed with poisonous spikes. Experienced fishermen advise to muffle the dragon with some long object, and then throw it overboard.

When injected with a thorn, a person will feel severe pain for several weeks, a swelling will appear at the injection site, and the temperature will rise. Need to apply as soon as possible medical care. Most contact with the sea dragon occurs in the summer when the fish breed (from May to November) and rise to shallower areas of the sea (up to 20 meters deep).

News and Society

What is the danger of sea scorpion venom? Secure your vacation on the Black Sea

The most great danger the sea dragon is his disguise. This cunning fish loves to burrow into the sand, which means that accidentally stepping on it is easier than ever. But even if you do not rummage along the sandy bottom with your feet, the danger still remains. Sea scorpion is very similar to the usual Black Sea goby. He has much in common with his relative, with one exception: the goby does not have poisonous needles all over its body. An injection with such a thorn will cause severe pain, and in special cases, fatal outcome.

Dragon in sheep's clothing

The size of a sea scorpion is on average from 20 to 40 centimeters. Weight within 300 grams. The fish looks inconspicuous, calling it a "dragon" sounds more like a mockery. The body is flattened from the sides, the eyes are high on the head, as if she is always in a light thoughtfulness, or simply unhappy with something. The color may vary, but there are always stripes on the body. In general, the sea scorpion is a fish like a fish. Its main feature is the similarity with the usual Black Sea goby, so it is very easy to confuse them. Take a close look at the photo of a sea scorpion and remember "the enemy in the face."

Where does the poisonous twin brother of the Black Sea goby live?

The sea scorpion lives, among other places, in the Black Sea. food chain predator is at a depth of 20 meters. This, however, does not prevent him from enjoying the views of the coast. This fish breeds and lives mainly at depth, but sometimes it wants to go out into the public, swim in shallow water, “talk” with interesting people.

Disguise

The love of the sea scorpion for sand is quite justified - this is his refuge. Burrowing into the ground, the predator patiently waits for its prey. As soon as the unlucky fish swims idly past, the dragon flies out of the pile of silt and with a lightning movement ends its period of hunger.

sea ​​dragon attack

Tourists and vacationers rarely come into view of poisonous fish. The Black Sea sea scorpion is not at all aggressive, but if you force it or frighten it, it will not seem enough. Grabbing the offender with his teeth, the fish sharply stings him with his poisonous needle. If grasping with teeth does not help, the sea dragon straightens the spikes located along the body. Catching a fish at such a moment is a sure way to regret a boat trip.

Sea dragon victims

The vast majority of cases of sea scorpion poisoning are purely accidental. It is difficult to notice it in the sand, and therefore it is easy to inadvertently step on it. It is also easy to confuse him with a harmless bull and behave too boldly.

The effect of poison on the body

Toxic poison, entering the body through a sharp spike, will cause an immediate reaction - severe pain at the injection site. The wound will begin to turn blue. The muscles will begin to go numb under the influence of the poison. Partial muscle paralysis or numbness will spread the pain to the entire limb.

The most striking symptoms of intoxication:

• nausea and/or vomiting;
• increase in body temperature;
• headache and/or dizziness;
• partial muscle paralysis around the injection site.

What to do if stung by a sea dragon

For starters, don't panic. In the vast majority of cases, such poisoning is not fatal. It is advisable to take the following steps:

• Suck the poison out of the wound. Once in the oral cavity, the toxin stops its negative impact due to bactericidal properties saliva.
• The injection site must be disinfected with any agent available in the medicine cabinet (hydrogen peroxide, for example).
• A bandage should be applied to the wound to prevent further infection.
• Urgently go at a fast pace (you can’t panic) to the nearest medical aid point.

The best defense is... caution

Of course, you should not always stand with binoculars around your neck and a bandage around your shoulder, waiting for danger. Of all the marine inhabitants, the sea scorpion is not the most terrible, but the meeting with him usually turns out to be unexpected. To prevent unpleasant consequences, it is enough to follow a few simple rules reasonable care:

• If you saw an unfamiliar fish (especially if it looks so much like a Black Sea goby), you should not run to “hug”. If there is no need, then it is better not to interfere with her doing her important fish business.
• You should not explore the various potholes and crevices in the rocks and stones. The spirit of adventure, of course, says otherwise, but even if you are lucky enough not to touch the dragon, then many other equally interesting and much more dangerous surprises can lurk in the dark obscurity.
• Ah, those coastal walks! The tide gently envelops the legs, the sun is just about to fall asleep. It's hard to imagine anything more romantic. However, and sea ​​scorpion no sense of beauty. To dissuade from such walks would be a crime, but advice - always look under your feet - will never be superfluous.

To summarize all of the above, this wonderful fish can cause a lot of unwanted problems. Fortunately, she is not at all aggressive and the observance of elementary safety rules and common sense will keep you out of trouble.

Actual

Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous

The American zoologist William Beebe wrote about forty-five years ago: “Don’t die until you have borrowed, bought or made your own diving helmet so that at least once in your life you will go down into the depths of the sea and see this wonderful world with your own eyes.”

We have tens of thousands of people of various ages and professions, wearing flippers and masks, immerse themselves in sea ​​depths, full of colorful landscapes and inhabitants unusual for the human eye. Fans of such boat trips need to learn to recognize "by sight" the poisonous inhabitants of our seas.

Yes, in black and Seas of Azov you should be wary of meeting with a katran, a stingray, a sea dragon, an astrologer, a scorpion, an angler, a lyre mouse. In the Baltic Sea there are stingrays and kerchak. AT Far Eastern seas live: katran, astrologer, stingray, high-beam perch.

There are quite a lot of poisonous fish in our seas, we will briefly talk about those that are more common than others.

With the help of sharp fins, spikes and spines that can injure a person, through special ducts, fish inject toxins into the blood of the victim, most often acting on the human nervous and circulatory systems. The ratio of poisons various kinds fish can vary greatly. The most dangerous substances that affect nervous system, as they act very quickly and practically do not allow timely assistance to the victim. Poisons that affect the circulatory system cause poisoning much more slowly, which in most cases makes it possible to save a person's life. The response to these toxins largely depends on the characteristics of the human body.

In people with increased excitability (especially with vegetative neuroses), as well as those suffering from diseases of the liver and kidneys, the signs of poisoning are more pronounced.

It should be noted that poisonous fish are not aggressive and never attack a person themselves. Injuries usually occur as a result of the swimmer's carelessness. Most often, a diver steps on a fish buried in the sand.

SEA DRAGON OR SEA SCORPION

The most poisonous fish in many European seas lives in the Black Sea and the Kerch Strait. Length - up to 36 centimeters. A smaller species lives in the western part of the Baltic - the small sea dragon, or viper (12-14 centimeters). The structure of the poisonous apparatus of these fish is similar, and therefore the development of signs of poisoning is similar.

In a sea dragon, the body is compressed from the sides, the eyes are set high, close together and look up. The fish lives at the bottom and often burrows into the ground so that only the head is visible. If you step on it bare foot or grab it with your hand, its sharp spines pierce the body of the “offender”. Poisonous glands in a scorpion are supplied with 6-7 rays of the anterior dorsal fin and spines of gill covers.

Depending on the depth of the injection, the size of the fish, the condition of the victim, the consequences of being hit by a dragon may be different. At first, a sharp, burning pain is felt at the site of injury. The skin in the area of ​​the wound turns red, edema appears, tissue necrosis develops. There is a headache, fever, profuse sweating, pain in the heart, breathing is weakened. Paralysis of the limbs can occur, and in the most severe cases, death. However, poisoning usually disappears after 2-3 days, but a secondary infection, necrosis and a sluggishly current (up to 3 months) ulcer necessarily develop in the wound. It has been established that dragon venom contains mainly substances that act on circulatory system, the percentage of neurotropic toxins is low. Therefore, the vast majority of cases of poisoning ends with the recovery of a person.

STARGAZER OR SEA COW

Close relatives of the dragon. Their usual sizes are 30-40 centimeters. They live in the Black Sea and Far East.

Stargazer, or sea cow, living in the Black Sea, has a grayish-brown spindle-shaped body with white, irregularly shaped spots running along the lateral line. The eyes of the fish are directed upwards, towards the sky. Hence its name. Most the stargazer spends time at the bottom, burrowing into the ground, exposing its eyes and mouth with a protruding worm-like tongue, which serves as bait for fish.

On gill covers and over pectoral fins sea ​​cow there are sharp spikes. During the breeding season, from late May to September, an accumulation of toxin-producing cells develops at their base. Through the grooves on the spikes, the poison enters the wound.

Soon after the injury, a person develops at the injection site sharp pain, the affected tissue swells, breathing becomes difficult. Only after a few days the person recovers. The venom secreted by stargazers is similar in effect to dragonfish toxin, but has not been well studied. Known cases deaths when affected by these species of fish living in the Mediterranean Sea.

SEA Ruff (Scorpion)

Found in the Black and Azov Seas, also common in the Kerch Strait. Length - up to 31 centimeters. The coloration is brownish-pink: the back is dark brown with dark spots, the belly is pink. Large head, slightly flattened from top to bottom. The eyes are set high and close together. The scorpion loves the rocky bottom and in low light resembles a rock with algae growing on it. Eleven rays of the anterior dorsal, one ventral and three rays of the anal fin have venom glands. The poisons they secrete are especially dangerous in early spring. The pricks of the fins are very painful. In small doses, the toxin causes local inflammation of the tissues, in large doses - paralysis of the respiratory muscles. The poison of the sea ruff contains mainly substances that act on the blood, so the symptoms of poisoning in the victims persist for several days and then disappear without complications.

SCAT-TAIL (SEA CAT)

These fish, otherwise called sea cats, are found in the Black, Azov and southern parts of Baltic Seas. In the Far East, a giant stingray lives in Peter the Great Bay, and a red stingray is common in the waters of southern Primorye. Individual specimens reach a length of 2.5 meters (tail up to 50-80 centimeters). These fish are well known, they have a flattened diamond-shaped body, which ends in a thin long tail, equipped with a sharp spike serrated from the sides (sometimes there are two or three). Poison glands lie in the two lower grooves of the spike. Stingrays lead a bottom way of life. If you accidentally step on a stingray buried in the ground in shallow water with a sandy bottom, it begins to defend itself and inflicts a deep wound on a person with its “weapon”. A prick is like being stabbed with a blunt knife. The pain quickly increases and after 5-10 minutes becomes unbearable. Local phenomena (edema, hyperemia) are accompanied by fainting, dizziness, impaired cardiac activity. In severe cases, death can occur from heart failure. Usually on the 5-7th day the victim recovers, but the wound heals much later.

The venom of a sea cat, once in the wound, causes painful phenomena similar to bites. poisonous snake. It acts equally on both the nervous and circulatory systems.

SPIKED SHARK OR KATRAN

Lives in the Black, Barents, Okhotsk and Seas of Japan. Length - up to 2 meters. It is called prickly for two strong sharp spikes, at the base of which there are poisonous glands located in front of the dorsal fins. With them, the katran is capable of inflicting deep wounds on an unwary scuba diver. An inflammatory reaction develops at the site of the lesion: pain, hyperemia, edema. Sometimes there is a rapid heartbeat, slow breathing. It should not be forgotten that the katran has shark teeth, despite its modest size. Its poison, unlike the others, contains mainly myotropic (acting on the muscles) substances and has a rather weak effect, therefore, in the vast majority of people poisoning ends with a complete recovery.

KERCHAK, SEA PERCH, ERSH-NOSAR, AUHA OR CHINESE Ruff, SEA MOUSE-LYRA, HIGH-BEAM PERCH

In addition to the listed poisonous fish, in our seas there are also sculpins living in the Baltic, Barents and White Seas; angler and sea mouse-lyre - in the Black Sea; sea ​​bass- in the Barents Sea and, finally, high-beam perch living in the Sea of ​​Japan and Barents Seas. All these fish have poisonous "weapons" in the form of sharp spikes and thorns, but the toxins they produce are less dangerous to humans and cause only local damage.

EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW THIS

To prevent poisoning, divers, divers, scuba divers, tourists and just vacationers by the sea must observe the following measures precautions.

Never try to grab fish with an unprotected hand, especially unknown to you, located in crevices or lying on the bottom.

It is not always safe, as experienced scuba divers testify, to touch unfamiliar objects located on sandy ground. These can be stingrays camouflaged there, sea dragons, stargazers and sea mouse-lyre. It is also dangerous to search underwater caves with your hands - you can stumble upon a hidden scorpionfish in them.

Fans of walking barefoot on the seashore at low tide need to carefully look under their feet. Remember: sea dragons often remain in the wet sand after the water recedes, and they are easy to step on. Children and those who first came to the sea coast should be especially warned about this.

Emergency measures in case of damage to poisonous fish by spiny spines should be aimed at relieving pain from the injury and poison, overcoming the action of the toxin and preventing secondary infection. When injured, it is necessary to immediately vigorously suck the poison out of the wound with the mouth along with the blood for 15-20 minutes. The suctioned liquid must be quickly spit out. There is no need to be afraid of the action of the toxin: the bactericidal substances contained in saliva reliably protect against poisoning. However, remember that this procedure cannot be performed on those who have wounds, injuries, sores on their lips and in the oral cavity. After this, the site of the lesion must be washed with a strong solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide and an aseptic bandage applied. Then the victim is given an analgesic and diphenhydramine to prevent the development allergic reactions, as well as plentiful drink, strong tea is better. In the future, the prompt qualified help of a doctor is needed.

In conclusion, we remind you once again: be careful and careful when swimming, diving and scuba diving. You can easily avoid unpleasant contact with dangerous inhabitants, since they themselves never attack a person, but use their weapons solely for the purpose of self-defense.

A. POTAPOVA, toxicologist, and A. POTAPOV, master of sports in scuba diving (Leningrad).

There are very few creatures dangerous to people in the Black Sea, but they still exist! It would not be superfluous to read this note to everyone going on vacation, and not only to the Black Sea.

There is such a fish, they call it differently: Sea dragon or dragon, snake. Latin name Trachinus draco. This is a predatory bottom fish up to 45 centimeters long, very, very similar to the well-known gobies. The sea dragon differs from the goby in a more spotty color. The fish lives all over the world, it is found in all seas and oceans without exception, except for the regions of the Arctic and Antarctic.

Sea dragons live in places with soft ground, so with its beautiful sandy beaches For them, it's just heaven. Sea dragons are found in both shallow and deep waters. AT last years information was published in the media that, according to biologists, the population of sea dragons in the Black Sea has increased several times. Bulgarian fishermen say that encounters with the dragon have become more frequent. Not several times, but noticeably more often in recent years.

Sea dragons spend their lives in constant ambush, buried in the sand. Only large bulging eyes and poisonous spines stick out on the surface.

On the head of the sea dragon is a poisonous black crown with spikes, also on each side of the head next to the gills are smaller poisonous spikes.

After being pricked with thorns, a person feels severe pain that spreads to the entire limb, causing paralysis in some cases. Blueness and swelling form at the injection site. Symptoms increase within 6-8 hours. Deaths that were caused by advanced heart failure have been described. Those who have experienced the effect of the poison of the sea dragon say that such severe pain never experienced again. Convulsions, delirium and nausea may develop from pain shock.

Most often, fishermen suffer from sea dragon injections. Dragons fall into the net, as well as when fishing with a fishing rod. Equally caught on "tyrant" and bait, more often come across small fish, up to 20 centimeters long.

It is a complete myth that sea dragons are extremely rare. Among my acquaintances in the Bulgarian resort, it seems that there is not a single fisherman who has not experienced the poison of a sea dragon at least once in his life. There are also victims among fishing enthusiasts, including my father twice already.

From time to time I personally swim with fishermen in the sea for fishing, I don’t remember a single case where at least one dragon was not caught. AT last time I took a camera with me and, by popular demand, filmed the dragon in all its forms. We caught about 200 horse mackerels, a couple of sardines and 5 dragons, judge for yourself how often they are found. Every fisherman on a boat is always ready with either medical clamps, or just a board with stuffed nails, or a solid hammer. But the fish hits hard and sometimes hurts people by jumping to the side or breaking off the hook and falling on someone.

Often visiting tourists go fishing without knowing the danger. Alas, every year, among tourists there are always those who completely ruined their vacation after fishing.

The insidiousness of the sea dragon is that, being caught on a bait, it can temporarily lay down its poisonous crown, disguising itself as a harmless bull.

Is it possible for ordinary vacationers to suffer from the thorns of the sea dragon? Yes, I have. To do this, you need to walk barefoot on the sandy bottom not in places of mass bathing and try to stay closer to the stones. Then it is quite possible to step on a dragon sitting in anticipation of prey. Keep in mind that a dead sea dragon retains the potency of the poison for several days.

What to do if the meeting with the sea dragon did take place? The first is to immediately suck the poison out of the wound, spitting continuously. You can not do this if there is even the slightest doubt about the absolute health of the mucous membranes of the lips and mouth. It is not uncommon for fishermen to grab the first cutting object they come across and make an incision to cause severe bleeding from the finger. It is desirable to treat the injection site with a solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide and apply a sterile bandage. You need to see a doctor, although medical care in case of damage to the poison of a sea dragon is reduced to the introduction of painkillers and antihistamines. special attention require people with heart problems and young children. The venom of the sea dragon is destroyed by high temperature, therefore, if possible, the affected limb should be held as much as possible hot water. "Experienced" fishermen usually do not go to doctors.

Bulgarian doctors note about 100 requests for medical help annually. Such an appeal is considered an insured event by most insurance companies. When taking out insurance before going to the sea, you should always check whether it will cover the cost of animal bites, if necessary.

Everyone have a nice rest by the sea, but be careful! There is no paradise in this world, and every rose has thorns...

P.S. For extreme people, as well as those who want to take revenge on the nasty fish, I inform you that the sea dragon has very tasty white meat. Having caught, you should carefully cut off his head along with the gills, and then treat him like an ordinary fish.

The Black Sea does not belong to tropical seas teeming with poisonous fish and dangerous animals. Here there is no electric rays, no cannibal sharks, no Portuguese boats, nor toothy moray eels, however, in its waters there are Marine life that pose a risk to human health.

Will start very soon bathing season 2017 and yearning for a long winter for the sun and water, vacationers will massively reach the banks of rivers, lakes, and of course, they will go to rest on Black Sea coast. The Black Sea is very friendly to people, there are practically no animals dangerous to humans, however, here you need to be on the alert so as not to thoroughly spoil your vacation. These are the few inhabitants of the Black Sea who can give us trouble.

It is easily distinguished by its fleshy, bell-like dome and the heavy beard of the oral lobes underneath. On these lacy lobes are poisonous stinging cells. Try to swim around them; but in general, ordinary nettle burns more than cornerot. The jellyfish poses a certain danger to human mucous membranes, so you should beware of diving with open eyes and put jellyfish in swimming trunks.

Another large Black Sea jellyfish is Aurelia (Aurelia aurita)

Her stinging cells are weaker, they do not pierce the skin on the body, but it can hurt to burn the mucous membrane of the eye or the edges of the lips of Aurelia; Therefore, it is better not to throw jellyfish at each other. The stinging cells of Aurelia are on a fringe of small tentacles that border the edge of the dome of the jellyfish. If you touched a jellyfish, even a dead one, rinse your hands - stinging cells may remain on them, and if you then rub your eyes with them, you will burn yourself.

Spiny shark, or katran

Lives in the Black, Barents, Okhotsk and Japan seas. Length - up to 2 meters. It is called prickly for two strong sharp spikes, at the base of which there are poisonous glands located in front of the dorsal fins. With them, the katran is capable of inflicting deep wounds on an unlucky fisherman or a careless scuba diver. An inflammatory reaction develops at the site of the lesion: pain, hyperemia, edema. Sometimes there is a rapid heartbeat, slow breathing. It should not be forgotten that the katran has shark teeth, despite its modest size. Its poison, unlike the others, contains mainly myotropic (acting on the muscles) substances and has a rather weak effect, therefore, in the vast majority of people poisoning ends with a complete recovery.

Sea ruff, or Black Sea scorpion - Scorpaena porcus

This is a real monster - a large head covered with outgrowths, horns, bulging crimson eyes, a huge mouth with thick lips. The rays of the dorsal fin are turned into sharp spines, which the scorpionfish, if disturbed, spreads; at the base of each ray is a poisonous gland. This is the protection of the ruff from predators, its weapon of defense. And the weapon of attack - jaws with many sharp crooked teeth - are intended for careless fish that approached the scorpion at a distance of its swift, furious throw. The whole appearance of the scorpion speaks of its danger; and at the same time she is beautiful - and there are very scorpionfish different colors- black, gray, brown, raspberry yellow, pink ...

These spiny predators lurk between stones, under algae, and, like all bottom fish, change color to match the color of their surroundings, can quickly lighten or darken depending on the light. They hide the scorpion and numerous outgrowths, spikes and leathery tentacles that turn it into one of the stones, overgrown with marine vegetation. Therefore, it is difficult to notice her, and she herself relies so much on her inconspicuousness that she swims away (more precisely, flies away like a bullet from a gun!) Only if you get close to her. Sometimes you can even touch it - but you just don’t need to do this - you’ll prick! It is more interesting, lying on the surface of the water and breathing through a tube, to watch the scorpionfish hunt ...

There are two types of scorpions in the Black Sea- noticeable scorpionfish Scorpaena notata, it is no more than 15 centimeters in length, and the Black Sea scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus - up to half a meter - but such large ones are found deeper, further from the coast. Main difference Black Sea scorpionfish- long, rag-like, supraorbital tentacles. In the conspicuous scorpion, these outgrowths are short. The poisons they secrete are especially dangerous in early spring. The pricks of the fins are very painful.

Wounds from scorpion thorns cause burning pain, the area around the injections turns red and swells, then general malaise, fever, and your rest is interrupted for a day or two. Wounds should be treated like normal scratches. The main symptoms of sea ruff poisoning are local inflammation (where they were pricked) and a general allergic reaction. Therefore, the only pills that can help are anti-allergic (antihistamine) drugs - remember to strictly follow the instructions for using the pills that come with all medicines. There are no known deaths from scorpion stings. No one accidentally steps on it either - curious divers and fishermen suffer from its thorns when they remove the ruff from the hook or take it out of the net. By the way, sea ​​ruff- a very tasty fish, but you need to clean it carefully - even the scorpionfish that have lain in the refrigerator have poison.

In small doses, the toxin causes local inflammation of the tissues, in large doses - paralysis of the respiratory muscles. The poison of the sea ruff contains mainly substances that act on the blood, so the symptoms of poisoning in the victims persist for several days and then disappear without complications.

Stingray stingray, he is a sea cat

Grows up to 1 m in length. He has a thorn on his tail, or rather a real sword - up to 20 centimeters in length. Some fish have two or even three spines. Its edges are very sharp, and besides, jagged, along the blade, on the underside there is a groove in which dark poison from the poisonous gland on the tail is visible. If you hit a stingray lying at the bottom, it will hit with its tail like a whip; at the same time, he sticks out his thorn and can inflict a deep chopped or stab wound. A stingray wound is treated like any other.

Stingrays lead a bottom lifestyle. Despite the fact that sea cats are quite shy, they are afraid of noise, they try to swim away from bathers, if they accidentally step on a stingray buried in the ground in shallow water with a sandy bottom, it begins to defend itself and inflicts a deep wound on a person with its “weapon ". A prick is like being stabbed with a blunt knife. The pain quickly increases and after 5-10 minutes becomes unbearable. Local phenomena (edema, hyperemia) are accompanied by fainting, dizziness, impaired cardiac activity. In severe cases, death can occur from heart failure. Usually on the 5-7th day the victim recovers, but the wound heals much later.

The venom of a sea cat, once in the wound, causes painful phenomena similar to the bites of a poisonous snake. It acts equally on both the nervous and circulatory systems. Unlike the katran and scorpionfish, after a close acquaintance with sea ​​cat, it is unlikely that it will be possible to do without the help of a doctor.

Astrologer, or sea cow

Their usual sizes are 30-40 centimeters. They live in the Black Sea and the Far East. Stargazer, or sea cow, living in the Black Sea, has a grayish-brown spindle-shaped body with white, irregularly shaped spots running along the lateral line. The eyes of the fish are directed upwards, towards the sky. Hence its name. The stargazer spends most of its time at the bottom, burrowing into the ground, exposing its eyes and mouth with a protruding worm-like tongue that serves as bait for fish. There are sharp spikes on the gill covers and above the pectoral fins of the sea cow. During the breeding season, from late May to September, an accumulation of toxin-producing cells develops at their base. Through the grooves on the spikes, the poison enters the wound.

Soon after the injury, a person develops acute pain at the injection site, the affected tissue swells, and breathing becomes difficult. Only after a few days the person recovers. The venom secreted by stargazers is similar in effect to dragonfish toxin, but has not been well studied. Cases of fatal outcomes are known when these species of fish living in the Mediterranean Sea are affected.

Our list is completed by the Sea dragon, or sea scorpion.

The most poisonous fish in many European seas lives in the Black Sea and the Kerch Strait. Length - up to 36 centimeters. A smaller species lives in the western part of the Baltic - the small sea dragon, or viper (12-14 centimeters). The structure of the poisonous apparatus of these fish is similar, and therefore the development of signs of poisoning is similar. In a sea dragon, the body is compressed from the sides, the eyes are set high, close together and look up. The fish lives at the bottom and often burrows into the ground so that only the head is visible. If you step on it with your bare foot or grab it with your hand, its sharp spines pierce the body of the "offender". Poisonous glands in a scorpion are provided with 6-7 rays of the anterior dorsal fin and spines of gill covers. Depending on the depth of the injection, the size of the fish, the condition of the victim, the consequences of being hit by a dragon may be different. At first, a sharp, burning pain is felt at the site of injury. The skin in the area of ​​the wound turns red, edema appears, tissue necrosis develops. There is a headache, fever, profuse sweating, pain in the heart, breathing is weakened. Paralysis of the limbs can occur, and in the most severe cases, death. However, poisoning usually disappears after 2-3 days, but a secondary infection, necrosis and a sluggishly current (up to 3 months) ulcer necessarily develop in the wound. It has been established that dragon venom contains mainly substances that act on the circulatory system, the percentage of neurotropic toxins is small. Therefore, the vast majority of cases of poisoning ends with the recovery of a person.

To prevent poisoning by poisonous fish, divers, divers, scuba divers, tourists and just relaxing by the sea must observe the following precautions.

Never try to grab fish with an unprotected hand, especially unknown to you, located in crevices or lying on the bottom.

It is not always safe, as experienced scuba divers testify, to touch unfamiliar objects located on sandy ground. These can be stingrays camouflaged there, sea dragons or stargazers. It is also dangerous to search underwater caves with your hands - you can stumble upon a hidden scorpionfish in them.

Fans of walking barefoot on the seashore at low tide need to carefully look under their feet. Remember: sea dragons often remain in the wet sand after the water recedes, and they are easy to step on. Children and those who first came to the sea coast should be especially warned about this.

Emergency measures in case of damage to poisonous fish by spiny spines should be aimed at relieving pain from the injury and poison, overcoming the action of the toxin and preventing secondary infection. When injured, it is necessary to immediately vigorously suck the poison out of the wound with the mouth along with the blood for 15-20 minutes. The suctioned liquid must be quickly spit out. There is no need to be afraid of the action of the toxin: the bactericidal substances contained in saliva reliably protect against poisoning. However, remember that this procedure cannot be performed on those who have wounds, injuries, sores on their lips and in the oral cavity. After this, the site of the lesion must be washed with a strong solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide and an aseptic bandage applied. Then the victim is given an analgesic and diphenhydramine to prevent the development of allergic reactions, as well as drinking plenty of water, preferably strong tea.

When pricking any poisonous fish, there is a proven folk way reduce the pain of the wound. If you caught the offender, and most often it is careless fishermen who get injured, then you need to cut off a piece of meat from the fish that injured you and apply it to the wound. The pain will subside significantly, however, in the case of the sea dragon, the stargazer and the stingray, the soonest qualified medical assistance is needed in the future.

In conclusion, I would like to remind you once again: be careful and careful when swimming, diving and scuba diving. You can easily avoid unpleasant contact with dangerous inhabitants, since they themselves never attack a person, but use their weapons solely for the purpose of self-defense.