Fishes of Baikal. Description, features, names and photos of fish species in Baikal

Lake Baikal is about 1/5 of the fresh and also purest water of the entire world supply. Baikal is a world natural heritage site. This is a specially protected ecological system with a unique diversity of flora and fauna. And, of course, Baikal means fishing.

The most interesting, although not the cheapest, and most convenient way to fish on Lake Baikal is to rent a motor ship or boat. The VIP class motor ship Gubernia is ideal for VIP fishing. In winter, a hovercraft is suitable for traveling on ice.

Sturgeon family

The Baikal sturgeon, also known as the Siberian sturgeon, is the only species from the family of cartilaginous sturgeon fish that lives in Lake Baikal. Often found at the mouths of tributary rivers: Selenga, Turka and others. In the bays of Baikal it feeds at a depth of 30-60 m. It can go to depths of up to 150 m.

It feeds on all types of larvae, worms, crustaceans; with age, the diet more often contains small fish, especially broadhead gobies. Every year the fish grows by 5-7 cm. Adult sturgeons reach a weight of 150-200 kg. Nowadays such giants are rare. Fishing for this fish is prohibited, and sturgeon caught accidentally must be released.

The spawning period begins in April. In May, adult sturgeons—females that have lived for more than 18 years and males that have lived for at least 15 years—move up the rivers to their birthplaces. Females lay 250-750 thousand eggs, directly depending on age and weight. Larvae appear 8-14 days after spawning. Mature juveniles descend to river deltas in the fall.

From the point of view of biologists, it is more correct to call the Baikal sturgeon the Siberian sturgeon, in Latin - Acipenser baerii. In any case, sturgeons are the most ancient, revered and largest fish of Lake Baikal . In addition to the fact that sturgeon as a species has existed since the time of dinosaurs, individual individuals also live quite a long time - up to 60 years.

South coast

The southern part is flatter and more suitable for fishing. But there are no large fish in these areas. For it you will have to go to more extreme areas of Lake Baikal. In particular, it is better to visit the Small Sea, Posolsky Sor, the bed of the Selenga River, all the bays where there is a chance to catch grayling, burbot, and sloth.

Salmon family

Salmonids are widespread fish in Eastern Siberia. Five species of salmon have settled in Baikal. Some of them can be considered the hallmark of the lake. Well-known and popular types of fish in Baikal are, first of all, salmon.

Char

A species called Arctic char lives in Baikal; its system name is Savlelinus alpinus crythrinus. There are lake and migratory forms of this fish. Migratory loaches grow up to 80 cm and weigh 16 kg. The lake form is smaller - up to 40 cm and 1.5 kg.

Loaches look for food on coastal slopes, at depths of 20-40 m. Small loaches feed on larvae, crustaceans, and everything called zooplankton. The large one feeds on young fish and does not disdain cannibalism.

Migratory forms for spawning make their way up river streams, lake forms go to shallow water, to river mouths. Spawning takes place in the fall. Lake loaches live 10-16 years; in anadromous fish, old age begins at 18 years.

Taimen

The habitat of the common taimen begins in the south of the Far East and ends in North-Eastern Europe. Individual specimens of this species can weigh 30 kg; there are record holders who have reached the 60 kg mark. The fish of Baikal in the photo are most often represented by the mighty taimen.

Taimen is a predator with a large head and a thick, slab-like body. As a larva, it feeds on zooplankton. At a young age, it moves to insects and juvenile fish. Adults attack large fish and even waterfowl.

To spawn in early summer, fish 6 years of age and older rise into the rivers. Females lay tens of thousands of eggs. Incubation lasts 35-40 days. The emerging larvae seek refuge among algae and stones. By the end of summer they mature, move away from the shallow waters, and head down into the lake. It is believed that taimen can live up to 50 years.

Lenok

Evenly distributed throughout Lake Baikal. It lives in all medium and large rivers that feed the lake with their streams. The total number of fish is not significant. Commercial value is minimal. But lenok often acts as an object of sport fishing.

Baikal omul

Lake endemic, the most famous commercial fish of Baikal is the legendary omul. It is a species of whitefish - Coregonus migratorius. The fish is subject to moderate commercial fishing. Unbalanced production, poaching, destruction of the food supply and general warming have led to a drop in the number of omul herds.

Omul is represented by three populations:

coastal, living at shallow depths;
pelagic, preferring to live in the water column;
benthic, feeding at great depths, near the bottom.

Fish of the coastal population spawn off the northern shores of Lake Baikal and in the Barguzin River. The pelagic group of fish continues its genus in the Selenge River. The bottom-deep-water stock spawns in small Baikal rivers.

In addition to feeding and spawning areas, populations have some morphological features. For example, they have different numbers of rakers on their gill covers. The coastal population has 40–48 gill rakers, the pelagic population has 44 to 55, and the benthic population has 36 to 44.

The Baikal fish omul is not a large predator. A caught specimen weighing 1 kg is considered lucky. It is extremely rare to come across omul weighing 5-7 kg. The omul feeds on crustaceans and juvenile fish. A significant part of the diet consists of young yellowwing gobies.

They go to spawn in the fifth year of life. Spawning takes place in the first autumn months. The spawned eggs stick to the ground, and the larvae appear in the spring. The total lifespan of omul can reach 18 years.

Common whitefish

Presented in two subspecies:

Coregonus lavaretus pidschian is the common name for Siberian whitefish or, as fishermen call it, pidschian.
Coregonus lavaretus baicalensis - most often called the Baikal whitefish.

Pyzhyan is a migratory form; it spends most of its time in the lake and rises into the Baikal rivers to spawn. The Baikal whitefish is a residential form. It gains weight in the lake and spawns there. The morphological and anatomical differences between the subspecies are small.

The whitefish matures and can produce offspring at 5-8 years. Spawning, regardless of the subspecies, takes place in the fall. Larvae of winter fish appear in the spring. The total lifespan of both subspecies reaches 15-18 years.

Siberian grayling

Previously, grayling fish were classified as a separate family in the biological classifier. Now the genus of grayling, bearing the name Thymallus, is part of the salmon family. Baikal and the rivers flowing into it are inhabited by grayling of the species Thymallus arcticus, the common name is Siberian grayling.

But living conditions in Baikal are diverse, therefore, in the process of evolution, two subspecies emerged from one species, having morphological differences and living in different areas.

Thymallus arcticus baicalensis - the subspecies has the epithet “black” due to the dark color of its scales.
Thymallus arcticus brevipinnis - has a lighter color, which is why it is called white Baikal grayling.

Grayling prefer shallow coastal depths; black grayling is more often found in cold river currents than in lakes. Both species spawn in the spring. Graylings, like all fish of the salmon family, live no more than 18 years.

Sturgeon

Truly royal fish is called the Baikal sturgeon, a large fish (up to 100 kg in weight) with delicate black caviar, in adult females it can be up to nine kilograms.

About three centuries ago, a well-known supporter (zealot, preacher) of the Old Believer faith, Archpriest Avvakum Petrov, in “The Life Written by Himself,” assured that “the fish in it [Baikal] are very thick, much fatty, you can’t fry in a frying pan - everything will be fat...”. However, there cannot be “very dense” sturgeons in Baikal, because sturgeon prefers shallow waters, and in Baikal there are seven percent of them from the bottom area, and the Baikal sturgeon, as a result of overfishing, is listed in the Red Book.

Pike family

This is a very small family (lat. Esocidae), represented on Lake Baikal by one species - the common pike. Its scientific name is Esox lucius. A well-known predatory fish, the wolf of coastal waters. Always and everywhere it arouses interest and excitement among fishing enthusiasts.

Lives in Baikal bays and bays, loves the places where large streams and rivers flow into the lake. Hunts juveniles of any fish. Spawns with the first warming, in early spring. To do this, it enters rivers and makes its way upstream. Large females release up to 200 thousand eggs. After 1-2 weeks, 7 mm larvae appear. Some of them will live about 25 years.

LEGISLATION ON FISHING ON BAIKAL

We will try to talk as briefly and concisely as possible about the basic, but most important provisions regarding fishing on Lake Baikal.

The main legal act regulating fishing on Lake Baikal (as well as all rivers directly connected to it and lakes located within the boundaries of three subjects: the Irkutsk region, Buryatia and the Trans-Baikal Territory) is Order No. 435 of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia.

One important point should be noted. According to the above document, all these reservoirs are referred to in the law as the Baikal fishery basin (hereinafter referred to as BRB ).

Carp family

One of the most numerous and widespread fish families. It bears the scientific name Cyprinidae. In Baikal, cyprinids are represented by 8 genera. Most of them are sor fish of Lake Baikal, that is, inhabitants of the Baikal bays, separated from the main water area by a sandy influx, a spit.

crucian carp

A more famous fish is hard to find. Silver crucian carp is common in Baikal. The scientific name of this species is Carassius gibelio. In Siberian lakes, including Baikal, this fish can grow up to 1.5 kg. In reality, 300-gram specimens are caught. Which is very good for crucian carp.

Crucian carp spawn in the summer, when the water warms up to its maximum. Spawning occurs in several approaches, with a 2-week break. The emerging 5 mm larvae have a small chance to mature and live 10-12 years.

Minnows

There are 3 types of galyans living in Baikal:

Phoxinus phoxinus is the most common, common minnow.
Phoxinus pecnurus is a widespread lake minnow or moth.
Phoxinus czekanowckii is an Asian species, Czekanowski's minnow.

Minnows are small, slender fish. An adult fish barely reaches 10 cm. The main place of stay: shallow water, flowing streams and rivers, bays and litters. Plays a significant, sometimes decisive role as food for juveniles of larger Baikal fish.

Siberian roach

In Baikal and in the adjacent basin there is a subspecies of the common roach, which in everyday life is called chebak or soroga, and in Latin it is called Rutilus rutilus lacustris. This omnivorous fish can reach a weight of 700 grams in Baikal conditions.

Fry and juvenile roach are eaten by all predatory fish living in the lake and inflowing rivers. Thanks to rapid reproduction, the roach population is quite large, so much so that it has some commercial importance.

Elets

These carp fish are represented in the ichthyofauna of Lake Baikal in two varieties:

Leuciscus leuciscus baicalensis - chebak, Siberian dace, megdym.
Leuciscus idus - ide.

The usual size of an adult dace is 10 cm. Some individuals exceed the size of 20 cm. Siberian dace feeds in shallow waters, in litter. For the winter it goes into the lake and survives bad weather in pits. Spawns in the spring, moving up streams and rivers.

Ide is larger than Siberian dace. It can grow up to 25-30 cm. It goes to spawning grounds in early spring, when the Baikal ice has not completely melted. It rises into rivers and large streams, traveling 25 km or more. It is fertile, the female lays 40 - 380 thousand eggs. Siberian dace and ide live for about 15-20 years.

Amur carp

Subspecies of common carp. The names of Baikal fish usually have an epithet related to their habitat: “Baikal” or “Siberian”. The name of this fish indicates its Amur origin.

Carp came to Baikal relatively recently. Beginning in 1934, fish were introduced into the aquafauna of Lake Baikal in several stages. The goal of turning carp into a commercial species was partially achieved. Nowadays, there is no commercial fishing for this fish.

Tench

One of the largest carp fish living in Baikal. The length of the tench reaches 70 cm, and its weight reaches 7 kg. These are record figures. In real life, adult fish grow up to 20-30 cm.

All carp fish are similar in appearance. The body of the fish is thicker, the caudal fin is shorter. Otherwise, tench differs little from crucian carp. Spawns in summer, when the water warms up to 18 °C. Females release up to 400 thousand eggs. Incubation is short. After a few days, the larvae appear.

Siberian gudgeon

Small bottom fish. Subspecies of the common gudgeon. An adult specimen extends 10 cm in length. Sometimes specimens of 15 centimeters in length are found. The body is elongated, rounded, with a flattened lower part, adapted to life at the bottom.

Spawns in early summer in shallow water. The female produces 3-4 thousand eggs. Incubation ends after 7-10 days. In autumn, grown young minnows move to deeper places. Minnows live 8-12 years.

Eastern bream

He is also a common bream, scientific name is Abramis brama. Not a native of Lake Baikal. In the last century, it was released into the Baikal lakes located in the water system of the Selenga River. Later it appeared in the litter of Baikal and the lake itself.

A cautious fish with a disproportionately large body height, accounting for more than a third of the fish's length. Lives in groups, at depth it selects food from the bottom substrate. Overwinters in pits, reduces feeding activity, but does not lose.

Spawns at the age of 3-4 years in spring in shallow water. The female can spawn up to 300 thousand small eggs. After 3-7 days, embryo development is completed. The fish grows up quite slowly. Only at 4 years old does she become capable of producing offspring. Bream live up to 23 years.

Loach family

Loaches are small bottom-dwelling fish. Their main feature is developed intestinal and skin-surface respiration. This allows fish to exist in water with low oxygen levels.

Siberian char

The main habitat of char is the Baikal rivers and lakes that are part of their system. It bears the scientific name Barbatula toni. Adult specimens reach up to 15 cm in length. They have a rounded, elongated body. He spends the day almost motionless, hiding between the stones. At night it selects food from the ground.

Spawning takes place in early summer. The larvae, and then the fry, gather in schools. Juveniles, like adult Siberian char, feed on larvae and small invertebrates. Benthic foragers live for about 7 years.

Siberian spined loach

A small bottom-dwelling fish that prefers places in Baikal bays, rivers, and litters with silty, soft substrate. The main way to preserve life is to bury it in the ground.

It breeds in early summer. Individuals over 3 years old participate in spawning. Spawning lasts approximately 2 months. The eggs are large - up to 3 mm in diameter. Larvae and fry feed on phyto- and zooplankton.

Baikal algae

Along the steep shores of Lake Baikal, the coastal areas of the deep-sea slope are devoid of flowering plants. However, algae live there. If you look closely at the rocks along the surf line in July, August and September, you will see a thick green moss-like plant on them - ulocrix. A little deeper, the rocks are covered with yellowish fibers of algae called didymosphenia, and even deeper (3-10 meters) you will see small bushes of Baikal draparnaldia, which once formed dark green thickets. At this depth other algae are visible.

Exceptionally rich and diverse are phytoplankton - tiny algae that mainly live in the upper layer of water, where they receive more light. These are diatoms, ancient golden algae. Many types of these algae grow intensively in early spring, when the lake is still covered with a layer of ice. Among them are also cold-loving diatoms: melisira, cyctotella, sinedra. Ice and cold-loving advanced algae are especially abundant under patches of transparent ice.

In the summer, when the water warms up, cold-loving algae produce too many warm-loving varieties - green, blue-green, golden and some other types of diatoms. The amount of algae on Lake Baikal varies depending on the season.

Catfish family

Catfish are a family of peculiar bottom-dwelling fish. There is one species in Baikal - the Amur or Far Eastern catfish. Its scientific name is Silurus asotus. Som is not a local resident. It was released into Lake Shakshinskoye for breeding purposes and traveled along the rivers to Lake Baikal.

The lower part of the body is flattened. The head is flattened. It grows up to 1 m in length. With this size, the weight can be 7-8 kg. At the beginning of summer, catfish that have reached 4 years of age begin spawning. The female can produce up to 150 thousand eggs. Catfish live quite a long time - up to 30 years.

Groups of fish

The population of Baikal inhabitants includes three groups of fish. In total, scientists count over fifty species of fish in the lake. These are 5 orders and 15 families. As for the groups, Siberian, Siberian-Baikal and exclusively Baikal fish species live in Baikal.

Cod family

Burbot is the only cod species that lives in fresh water. The subspecies living on Lake Baikal has the scientific name Lota lota lota. In everyday life it is simply called burbot.

The burbot's body is designed for bottom life. The head is flattened, the body is laterally compressed. The length of an adult burbot can exceed 1 m. The weight, in this case, will be close to 15-17 kg. But these are rare, record figures. Fishermen come across much smaller specimens.

Burbot spawns in winter; perhaps this is due to the fact that female burbots do not participate in reproduction every year. Spawning takes place in January. The eggs are swept into the water column and carried by the current. By spring, larvae appear. The life of burbots grown from them can exceed 20 years.

North coast

This is a steep shore, which is approached by boat or speedboat. You can catch golomyanka in these waters, but it is not a commercial fish, so it is of no interest to fishermen. Bream, perch and other types of commercial fish are much more in demand.

Perch family

The only species from this family that inhabits the waters of Lake Baikal and its flowing rivers is the common perch. Its system name is Perca fluviatilis. This is a small predator, no more than 21-25 cm long, with modest weight characteristics: up to 200-300 g. Heavier specimens are rarely found.

Perch lives and feeds in bays, bays, and Baikal litters. Its prey is juvenile fish, invertebrates and other small aquatic life. Three-year-old and older fish go to spawn in early spring.

Larvae emerge from eggs released in shallow river water after 20 days. Having grown to the state of fry, perches gather in schools and begin to feed intensively near the lake shores. Perch can live 10-15 years.

Grayling

In spring, the rivers are free of ice. Swift, clean, “talkative”, they are “waiting” for grayling to spawn.

Baikal is inhabited by a subspecies of Siberian grayling of two forms: black and white, which, in a bright (nuptial) plumage, will go to spawn in the fast tributaries of Baikal, with graceful jumps over waterfalls and creases up to a meter high. After 14-17 days, larvae form from the eggs and roll into Baikal.

Slingshot family

This large family bears the scientific name Cottidae. Widely represented in the lake. Some of the species are amazing fish of Lake Baikal . Usually all these fish are called gobies due to their appearance and bottom lifestyle. Slingshots or sculpins are divided into several subfamilies.

Yellowfly subfamily

Mostly deep-sea fish. They live in Baikal and adjacent lakes. They grow to small sizes: 10-15, less often 20 cm. All fish are indigenous inhabitants of Baikal. All yellowwings have a rather strange, sometimes frightening appearance.

Baikal big-headed broadhead. Scientific name: Batrachocottus baicalensis. Fish endemic to Lake Baikal . Lives and feeds at depths from 10 to 120 m.
Pied-winged broadhead. This goby searches for food at depths from 50 to 800 m. It spawns at a depth of 100 meters. Batrachocottus multiradiatus is the scientific name of this fish.
Fat broadhead. Latin name - Batrachocottus nikolskii. It lives at the bottom, located below 100 meters. It can reside at a depth of more than 1 km.
Shirokolobka Talieva. In the biological classifier it is present under the name Batrachocottus talievi. Most often present at a depth of 450-500 m. It can dive up to 1 km.
Severobaikalskaya broadhead. Latin name: Cottocomephorus alexandrae. The juveniles of this fish do not fall below 100 m. Adults feed at a depth of 600 meters.
Yellowfly. Named because of the mating colors of the male. During the pre-spawning period, its fins acquire a bright yellow color. Scientific name: Cottocomephorus grewingkii. It lives not only at the bottom, but in pelagic zones at depths from 10 to 300 m.
Long-winged broadhead. The fish is so named because of its particularly long pectoral fins. In summer it lives at the bottom at a depth of up to 1 km. In winter, it migrates vertically to shallower depths. Cottocomephorus inermis - present under this name in the biological system classifier.
Rock shrew. It lives on rocky soils at a depth of 50 meters. The juveniles move to shallow water, where they become desirable prey for hungry fish. Scientific name: Paracottus knerii.

Subfamily Golomyankov

This subfamily includes a unique fish of Baikal - golomyanka . System name: Comephorus. Presented in two types:

big golomyanka,
Golomyanka Dybovsky or small.

One third of the body of these fish consists of fatty deposits. They do not have a swim bladder and are viviparous. Adult golomyankas grow up to 15-25 cm. They live in the pelagic zone at decent depths - from 300 to 1300 m.

The most interesting thing is that golomyanka is a transparent fish of Lake Baikal . She implements a unique strategy for preserving life - she tries to become invisible. But this doesn't always help. Golomyanka is a common prey for most fish species and the Baikal seal.

Big Golomyanka

This fish was discovered at the end of the 18th century by Russian scientists. It has a large reserve of fat. There are 2 species: the large golomyanka reaches 23 cm in size, and the small one - only 16 cm. They live quite a long time, and the weight of the fish ranges from 50 to 100 g. Golomyankas live at the very bottom of Baikal, making up up to 80% of the biomass of the reservoir. This is the most numerous species, which often serves as food for larger predators.

Baikal fishing 2021: what kind of fish can be caught and where is the best place to fish?

The magic of Baikal is so strong that it attracts fishermen and travelers not only from all over Russia, but also from all over the world. A majestic lake in the middle of pristine nature gives not just a feeling of freedom...

This is a true unity with the history of this region, its culture. And of course, for many guests, Baikal fishing comes first.

The coastline of the lake stretches for as much as 2 thousand kilometers, and the colossal depths once again excite the imagination of fishermen. What if you are destined to catch the biggest omul?

Where and how to fish on Lake Baikal?

It so happens that a significant part of fishermen concentrates on the southern coast of Lake Baikal. The reason for this is the relative inaccessibility of the northern part of the lake.

To do this, you will have to look for a watercraft, and renting a boat or yacht may require considerable financial costs. Therefore, you can safely settle on the generally accepted coasts and prepare to meet at least 40 species of local fish.

Baikal is ready to give its guests excellent summer and winter fishing. So, the summer season begins around July and lasts until the 15th of August. But in winter the periods are much longer due to the peculiarities of the local climate. You can fish in the hole from December until the last days of May.

The following fish species live in the waters of Lake Baikal:
• taimen and sorog,
• perch and pike,
• burbot and grayling,
• ide and catfish.

You can fish with any (legal) gear, from old-fashioned donks to noble fly fishing. Fishermen often rely on the use of passive gear, such as “boat”, “circles”, and “track” fishing. However, this can significantly increase the chance of catching large prey.

The most fishy places in Lake Baikal in 2021

When you first come to Lake Baikal, it is extremely difficult to choose a place for future fishing. In order not to waste time, it is better to enlist the support of a local guide or fraternize with a local resident who will tell you about all the secrets and intricacies of fishing in the waters of Lake Baikal.

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If this opportunity is not provided, then you can successfully position yourself on the so-called “sore” - these are muddy shallows with abundant aquatic vegetation. Here you can not only relax and enjoy exquisite views of nature, but also catch plenty of traditional and favorite pike, bream, and perch.

For this case, such places as Posolsky Sor, Arangutai, the Selenga River, Proval and Chivyrkuisky Bays are famous among fishermen. If you want to retire and distance yourself from civilization, then go to the Small Sea, which is separated from the main lake by an entire island.

If you came exclusively for valuable representatives of the Baikal ichthyofauna, then rent a boat and go to the most remote corners of the lake along its northern coast.

Advice from Velesovik

Baikal to this day remains a true pearl of Russia and is worth visiting at least once. There you can not only test your fishing skills, but also feel the energy of Nature, Water and Air in the most intimate way. And when a noble, handsome taimen lands on the lure, you know that Baikal received you with all its hospitality!

The smallest inhabitants of Lake Baikal

The smallest organisms inhabiting Baikal include unicellular protozoa: ciliates, rhizomes, flagella and sporeforms. In no other lake is there such a great importance of ciliates in the life of organisms inhabiting the depths of the water. Some types of ciliates are found even at a depth of 600 meters! Some ciliates live independently in water (84 species). Others live parasitically or cohabitate in the mantle cavities of mollusks. But all protozoa serve as food for more highly organized forms.

In summer, when the water surface is calm, vast thickets of bright, dark green freshwater sponges of various shapes can be seen through the water, each with a unique shape.

All Baikal sponges live on rocky soil in open open areas of the lake. Research conducted by the deep-sea submersible Pisces shows that they live at depths reaching 1000 meters. The Baikal sturgeon uses sponge as food.

Among the wide variety of worms that inhabit Lake Baikal, the unusual flat ciliary worms (turbilaria in Latin) are abundant. Such worms, as well as sponges living in the vicinity of the Frohlich hot springs, contain about 60 percent of ancient carbon. This Baikal turbilaria shows wide variations in color and size. They have bright patterns in various shades and can reach a size of about 30 centimeters in length and 4-5 centimeters in width when unfolded. All of these worms are endemic; they live exclusively in open areas of Lake Baikal.

Baikal worms feed along the bottom of the lake, where they search for prey, paralyze it, then envelop it in mucus and slowly draw it into the body. By feeding on sick and weakened organisms, flatworms function as medical attendants.

Under the rocks on the clay and, to a lesser extent, on the sandy areas of the lake bottom, from surface level to the deepest water, live worm-like worms - oligocetes. This group of worms includes at least 70 species, 90 percent of which are endemic and live in the open waters of Lake Baikal.

Among benthic inhabitants, Oligocetes occupy a leading position. A small part of oligichs are predatory; most of them are harmful. They usually serve as food for other more highly organized animals. Timid worms play a fairly significant role in the biological processes of the lake. I. Izosimov believes that oligichets are a relict of the tertiary fauna, which formed long ago and became endemic, while Baikal gave birth to a number of new species with their specific accommodative properties, allowing them to live in this great body of water.

In addition to the scarecrow species, the lake is home to a curious representative of the worm-like worms - policheta maasayunkia baikalica. It lives in small tubes built from particles of silt and sand held together by a certain substance. This typical representative of marine or fresh water bodies lives on coastal muddy soils, in spongy fields, on plant branches and in other places. It is still unclear how he got to Baikal, but there are several interesting assumptions on this matter.