Xiang Yang was right to do so.
Although lancelets are lower in life level than fish and their body is only a few inches long, they are a bridge between invertebrates and vertebrates. Their embryonic development and morphological structure are between invertebrates and vertebrates, making them an important living specimen for studying animal evolution.
Xiang Yang swam back to the surface holding the lancelet and took off the helmet from his head.
"Xiang Yang, why are you here?" He Mingde asked in confusion, "Is this small fish that looks like a shoulder pole valuable?"
It is not an exaggeration to say that lancelets look like a carrying pole. The lancelets are colorless and transparent all over, with pointed ends and a wide middle, just like a small carrying pole. Fishermen along the southern coast call them "carrying pole fish."
"This is not about whether it's worth money or not. This fish is a protected species." Zhang Qicheng was a little nervous. "Brother Xiang, we should just let this fish go."
Among all the people present, the most nervous one must be Zhang Qicheng. This lancelet was kicked by Zhang Qicheng on the seabed. If it died after being fished out, Zhang Qicheng would inevitably get into trouble if the news got out.
Xiang Yang looked at the colorless and transparent fish in his palm and said with a smile: "Don't worry, this fish is alive and well and not injured. You can release it."
Zhang Qicheng heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this, "Let me see."
Xiang Yang handed the lancelet to Zhang Qicheng.
Zhang Qicheng hesitated for a moment, "Can I take this fish home and keep it?"
The first time the lancelet was discovered was in the Wenchang Pavilion. Therefore, many parents with school-age children like to keep a lancelet in their study, as it symbolizes Wenchang.
Xiang Yang shook his head. "Most of the lancelets kept in the study are artificially bred. It's not appropriate to bring wild ones back."
Zhang Qicheng sighed. Yes, how can you take a protected animal home to raise it? He reluctantly loosened his fingers and released the lancelet.
As soon as the lancelet escaped from Zhang Qicheng's clutches, it immediately shook its tail and dived towards the bottom of the sea.
He Mingde watched Zhang Qicheng release the lancelet and exclaimed in amazement: "This little fish is actually a protected animal."
Xiang Yang smiled. In the ocean, some animals that weigh tons are not protected animals, while some animals whose weight is measured in grams are protected by laws of many countries. Obviously, whether a creature is a protected animal is not determined by the weight and volume of the creature.
Xiang Yang was about to explain with a smile when he suddenly saw a white wave appearing on the sea in the distance, and that wave was moving towards this side quickly.
Xiang Yang's face changed instantly because it was a swordfish. Adult swordfish sharks would have to run away with their tails between their legs when seeing it. A high-speed moving swordfish could even sink a huge fishing boat. During the Second World War in the 20th century, there was a precedent of a high-speed moving swordfish crashing through a transport ship protected by 50-centimeter-thick wooden boards.
"Run, run to the shore quickly." Xiang Yang shouted hurriedly.
He Mingde and Zhang Qicheng were still confused. They were talking just fine, so why did he suddenly run to the shore
Xiang Yang didn't bother to explain. He held Zhang Qicheng's left hand and He Mingde's right hand and fled to the shore.
Swordfish, also known as arrowfish, is extremely fast and is the fastest swimming marine creature discovered so far. An adult swordfish can reach up to 6 meters in length. It is an extremely ferocious carnivorous fish. Its upper jaw is shaped like a long sword drawn from its sheath, sharp and hard.
The reason why swordfish is fast is because of the sharp sword growing on its upper jaw. The sword can help the swordfish greatly reduce the resistance of water when swimming. The fastest swimming speed of swordfish recorded by scientists is 119 kilometers per hour, which is faster than most vehicles on the highway.
At the same time, the sword-like upper jaw is also a stabbing weapon used by swordfish when hunting other marine animals.
Xiang Yang is very anxious now. Although he seems to be only a dozen meters away from the shore, and the swordfish is at least two hundred meters away from him, but considering the speed at which he and others are walking in the sea, and considering the swordfish's speed that is unmatched in the ocean, he is not safe now.
He Mingde and Zhang Qicheng were still a little dazed as Xiang Yang pulled them towards the shore.
"What's going on? Why are we running?" Zhang Qicheng asked anxiously as he ran towards the shore. The three of them said they were running? In fact, because of the huge resistance of the sea water, their speed was slower than walking on the shore.
"We are being targeted by Swordfish." Xiang Yang said.
"Fuck, swordfish?" Zhang Qicheng was scared.
He Mingde's face turned even paler, and he hurriedly turned his head to look behind him.
After seeing the white waves behind him, He Mingde's face twisted, "How could there be a swordfish here? How could a swordfish chase us?"
Xiang Yang was actually puzzled as to why a swordfish appeared at Qinglong Bend, and more importantly, why the swordfish came straight towards him.
Judging from the habits of swordfish, although they are ferocious, they are very timid, let alone humans. If they are not provoked, they will not even approach large fish such as humphead wrasse, let alone attack.
Judging from the current environment, the water in the Qinglongwan area is extremely shallow. Such shallow waters are not suitable for large marine predators such as swordfish to swim? Moreover, it is already late at night, and hunting now is simply not in line with the swordfish's schedule.
Wait, it’s getting late!
A flash of lightning flashed through Xiang Yang's mind, and he suddenly understood why the swordfish was targeting him.
Swordfish is an oceanic pelagic warm-water migratory fish species. Their activity range is very wide, generally at a depth of 200 to 600 meters. However, when food is scarce, they will also hunt at depths greater than 650 meters. The maximum hunting depth can reach 800 meters below the seabed.
What kind of fish are there at a depth of 800 meters under the sea
Monkfish!
Xiang Yang's mouth twitched slightly. The characteristic of anglerfish is that it has a lantern hanging on its head. This swordfish must have mistaken itself for an anglerfish because of the searchlight on its head.
As for whether swordfish can kill the equally ferocious monkfish
The answer is yes.
Swordfish are top predators within their depth range, eating all other pelagic fish, tuna, mahi-mahi, flying fish, squid, and monkfish.
After thinking this through, Xiang Yang sighed and could only try to speed up his movement towards the shore.
It’s not that Xiang Yang doesn’t want to turn off the searchlight above his head, but it’s useless to turn it off now, because the cunning anglerfish will take the lantern above its head into its mouth when it encounters a swordfish, but it is often still dangerous.
Swordfish have sharp eyesight to observe prey. If Xiang Yang turns off the searchlight above his head now, it will only make the swordfish, whose vision is blocked, more certain that Xiang Yang is the anglerfish.