Top 10 largest sea creatures in the world
CachHayNhat - There are many large and fascinating animals in the world, but the ocean is home to giant creatures to a whole new level! The plethora of different aquatic species dwarfs even the most massive creatures you can find on land, reaching sizes so large that they're almost unimaginable.
So, how much mass can the largest ocean creatures get? Today we will learn about the 10 largest marine species in the world and rank them by size. We'll also learn some fun facts about what makes it so unique!
Top 10 largest sea creatures in the world
Size: 330.000 pound (150.000kg), 82 feet (25m)
Size: 100.000 pound (45.000kg), 68 feet (20,7m)
Size: 130.000 pound (59.000kg), 67 feet (20,4m)
Size:: 41.000 pound (18.600kg), 33 feet (10m)
Size: 12.000 pound (5.400kg), 26 feet (8m)
Size:: 6.600 pound (3.000kg), 29 feet (8,8m)
Size: 7,300 pound (3.300kg), 21 feet (6,4m)
Size:: 600 pound (270kg), 56 feet (17m)
Size: 200 pound (90kg), 120 feet (36m)
Size: 40 pound (18kg), 18 feet (5,5m)
1. Blue whale
Size: 330,000 pounds (150,000kg), 82 feet (25m)
Genus: Balaenoptera
Diet: Krill
Distinguishing Features: Grooved throat
The blue whale is the largest sea creature in the world. It is actually divided into five distinctly recognized different subspecies, all of which have been reduced to catastrophically low numbers due to whaling. The blue whale holds a special status as the largest mammal that has ever lived, and its heart alone weighs around 1,500 pounds! It shares the suborder Mysticeti with gray whales and white whales.
Do you know?
Female blue whales are usually significantly larger than males.
2. Fin whale
Size: 100,000 pounds (45,000kg), 68 feet (20.7m)
Genus: Balaenoptera
Diet: Plankton
Distinguishing Characteristics: Long, slender body with a pronounced ridge
This giant whale belongs to the "Cetacea" suborder, which includes dolphins and porpoises along with whales. A notable ridge runs along the back of the fin whale, earning it the nickname the razor back. Another fascinating and unique feature of this whale is that its lower jaw is black on the left and completely white on the right.
Do you know?
Sadly, the fin whale is now threatened with extinction after being hunted along with many other whale species during the height of the 20th century whaling era.
3. Sperm Whale
Size: 130,000 pounds (59,000kg), 67 feet (20.4m)
Genus: Physeter
Diet: Giant squid, shark
Distinguishing Features: Blunt muzzle
This massive predatory whale eats everything from sharks and squid to rays and octopuses. The sperm whale is also known to be the inspiration for the "white whale" in the famous Moby Dick story. This whale is the largest toothed whale and the largest toothed predator in the world, and one of only three living species in the sperm whale family.
Do you know?
Sperm oil, or Spermaceti, is commonly hunted in the whaling industry and has led to overfishing of sperm whales, prompting it to be protected by the International Whaling Commission.
4. Whale Sharks
Size: 41,000 pounds (18,600kg), 33 feet (10m)
Genus: Rhincodon
Diet: Plankton
Distinguishing Characteristics: Wide, blunt head and mouth
The largest shark in the world is actually a filter feeder, eating only plankton and any small fish that get caught in their gaping mouths as they swim. These majestic creatures can live anywhere from 70 to about 130 years, and each shark has its own distinctive brown spots. Whale sharks are mostly solitary, but will peacefully share their feeding grounds.
Do you know?
Aside from whale sharks, megamouth sharks and basking sharks are the only two other filter-feeding sharks in the world.
5. Orca
Size: 12,000 pounds (5,400kg), 26 feet (8m)
Genus: Orcinus
Diet: Seals, sharks
Distinguishing Features: Bold Black and White Marks
Orcas, the largest member of the dolphin family, are also commonly known as "Killer Whales" due to their status as apex predators. Orcas will hunt and eat any creature within reach, including other whales. They are also known to be the most common mammal on earth apart from humans, existing in various ocean waters around the globe.
Do you know?
Orcas live in two types of groups, known as groups, consisting of up to 40 members. The permanent group is more gentle, while the temporary group is more aggressive and acts similar to the wolves.
6. Giant Manta Ray
Size: 6,600 pounds (3,000kg), 29 feet (8.8m)
Genus: Mobula
Diet: Plankton
Distinguishing Characteristics: Wide, flat body and fins
The Manta Ray is the largest manta ray in the world, with a "wingspan" of up to 29 feet. They are technically carnivores, but their diet is limited to the zooplankton, which they filter out of the water while swimming. Their gills are located at the bottom of their disc-shaped bodies and they move their fins like flapping wings to move through the temperate waters where they reside.
Do you know?
The name "Manta" actually means blanket or cloak in Spanish, and is meant to refer to the creature's unique body shape.
7. Great white shark
Size: 7,300 pounds (3,300kg), 21 feet (6.4m)
Genus: Carcharodon
Diet: Fish, Squid, Seal
Distinctive feature: White under the belly
The great white shark is the largest predatory shark in the world, and was made famous by the JAWS movie for its aggression. These sharks are quite sociable, often traveling and hunting in groups. Interestingly, Great White Sharks avoid fighting with each other because of their ability to neutralize and severely damage each other: They tend to resolve conflicts by displaying aggression and strength rather than strength. direct combat.
Do you know?
The Great White's only known predator is the occasional Orca, and even threats from Orcas are rare.
8. Giant Oarfish
Size: 600 pounds (270kg), 56 feet (17m)
Genus: Regalecus
Diet: Plankton, small fish and squid
Distinctive features: Long, narrow body
Giant Oarfish are the longest bony fish in the world and are rarely seen by humans because they live in the deep sea. However, specimens sometimes wash up on the shore, giving people the opportunity to stand nearby to compare impressive sizes. These long, slender fish are often thought to be the source of antiquated claims of sightings of sea snakes and sea monsters.
Do you know?
The Giant Oarfish's dorsal fin stretches along the entire length of its body.
9. Lion's mane jellyfish
Size: 200 pounds (90kg), 120 feet (36m)
Genus: Cyanea
Diet: Crustaceans, jellyfish
Distinguishing Characteristics: Thin, slender tentacles
The majestic but dangerous lion's mane jellyfish mainly inhabits icy northern waters such as those found in the Arctic Circle and certain areas of the Baltic Sea. The top part alone, the bell of this jellyfish can be up to 8 feet in diameter! The tentacles are usually quite nice in proportion to its body, but can grow to be longer than many whales and shoot highly venomous prongs to incapacitate prey.
Do you know?
When these jellyfish drifted into the Baltic Sea, they were unable to reproduce due to the low salinity in the water.
10. Japanese spider crab
Size: 40 pounds (18kg), 18 feet (5.5m)
Genus: Macrocheira
Diet: krill, algae
Distinguishing Characteristics: Sharp claws
If ordinary spiders make your skin crawl, then maybe you should steer clear of the largest arthropod in the world: the Japanese spider crab! Especially the large ones can grow up to 42 pounds, and these crabs are often caught for food because they give a lot of meat. Japanese Spider Crabs are huge, but they are not immune to all predators - they use their sturdy exoskeleton along with camouflage to keep themselves safe.
Do you know?
The American Lobster is the only arthropod in the world that is larger than the Japanese Spider Crab.