The Olympics of the Sea
Inspired by Tokyo 2020, Anjani Ganase shares the top contenders for an Ocean Olympics.
FASTEST SWIMMER
The ocean finalists would easily be from the family of billfish that consist of a group of pelagic fish that roam the open oceans of the tropics and includes species of marlin, spearfish, and sailfish. The top speed contender will be a toss-up between the sailfish and the black marlin as both are capable of reaching speeds in excess of 110 km/h. The speed of the billfish is essential for herding and capturing prey. The sailfish has the advantage of its dorsal fin that acts as a sail and aids in corralling schools of small fish, such as anchovies. They may also use their elongated lower jaw like a spear. Runners up in speed include the wahoo (78 km/h), the mako shark (74km/h) and the Atlantic blue fin tuna (70km/h) followed by dolphins that can get up to 60 km/h. Also included in the top ten is the flying fish which can reach speeds up to 54 km/h.
DEEPEST DIVER
The Mariana snailfish is a newly identified species known to live in the deepest part of the ocean in the Mariana Trench at depths up to 8,000 meters. However, we are unsure whether this qualifies them as divers as we don’t know if they can easily move between the depths. Therefore, the medal for deep diving goes to the Cuvier's beaked whales, also known as the goose-beaked whales. They are widely distributed around the world but are not well known as they are deep-sea divers and therefore are elusive to us land lubbers. Cuvier’s beaked whales can dive down to depths of 3,300 feet for 20 to 40 minutes on average. The deepest recorded dive was 9,816 feet and the longest dive was over three hours.
HIGHEST JUMPER
You may not think that marine animals need to jump, but they often breach the surface for many reasons, whether it is to capture prey, escape predation or to remove a pesky pest from their bodies. Penguins and seals, for example, must be able to propel their bodies on to land where they rest and raise their young. Flying fish often fly out of the water and glide to safety to avoid being eaten. However, the highest jumpers are the orcas and the mackerel sharks, both can leap about 20 ft into the air. Orcas, like many dolphins, leap out of the water as part of social interactions and communication. Breaching marine mammals may be communicating with other pods that are in the distance. There are also certain circumstances when breaching may improve their breathing and swimming efficiency under choppy surface conditions. In captivity, dolphins have been trained to jump at least 30 ft into the air, but it is not something seen in the wild. Mackerel sharks are an order of sharks called lamniformes. Most famous of this group are the great white shark and the mako shark. They are large-bodied predators that can impressively leap out of the water when hunting for nimble prey, such as seals.
SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMERS
Scientists have been studying the vertical migration of Sea Monkeys, also known as zooplankton or shrimp, in the world’s oceans. This daily synchronous act occurs every night when the tiny shrimp move up to the surface from depths of over 2000 feet, bringing with them an array of marine creatures, such as whales and other fish that feed on them, and every morning they return to the deep. The shrimp follow the natural movement of nutrients and algae in the water column. Scientists have also shown that this vertical movement produces significant amount of mixing in the water column which is important in the maintenance of ocean health.
LONG DISTANCE SWIMMERS
There is no rival to the humpback whale when it comes to long distance swimming. Humpback whales are known to migrate great distances, from the poles to the tropics to reproduce and birth their young before returning to the high latitude waters - the Arctic and Antarctic - that are rich in food to replenish their fat stores. This means they cover distances of up to 25000 km in a year. These whales are found in all oceans making the annual trips.
STRONG AND SWIFT
Finally, packing a powerful punch is the mantis shrimp. Mantis shrimp are not actually shrimps but are part of an ancient family of crustaceans known as Stomatopods. Although the mantis shrimp grows only to 10 cm in size, it is a fearsome predator. Its secret weapon is the fiery punch of its club used to stun prey. The punch is so fast it can crack open shells and stun fish. Its impact is equivalent to a .22 calibre bullet moving at 23 metres per second and a force that is 100 times its weight. They use the punch to capture prey but also to defend territory. A close rival to the mantis shrimp is the pistol shrimp. About one fifth the size of the mantis shrimp, the pistol shrimp is only 1-2 cm in length, and half of its body is made up of a powerful claw which it can snap and send powerful sound waves. The sound is louder than the bang of a shotgun. The swiftness of the claw can heat the surrounding water molecules up to 8000 degrees Fahrenheit for an instant (hotter than the sun!), and the claw also reduces the surrounding water pressure creating cavitation that results in the formation of tiny bubbles. The shockwave is enough to kill or stun the prey.
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