If you have ever wondered what are the The 5 most dangerous marine animals in the world, in this article on our site we will tell you to show. Most of them are dangerous due to the toxicity of their venom, but some are also dangerous due to their jaws' ability to tear, as is the case of the white shark
Maybe you'll never see them, and almost for the best, because in most cases, a simple sting or prick can be fatal. In this article we show only 5, but there are many more that are also very dangerous. If you are interested in this subject and want more information, do not hesitate to read the dangerous animals of the Mediterranean or the 10 most poisonous animals in the world.
Sea wasp
Cubozoans, or more commonly called "sea wasps" or "marine wasps", are a type of cnidarian jellyfish whose sting it is deadly if its poison comes into direct contact with our skin. They are so called because they are cubic in shape (from the Greek kybos: cube and zoon: animal). They do not reach 40 species and are classified into 2 families: the chirodropidae and the carybdeidae. They live in the waters of Australia, the Philippines, and other tropical areas of Southeast Asia, feeding on tiny fish and crustaceans. Each year, the sea wasp kills more people than the sum of all the deaths caused by all marine animals combined.
Although they are not aggressive animals, they have the deadliest poison on the planet, since with only 1.4 mg of the poison of their tentacles, can cause the death of a human being. The slightest touch with our skin causes its poison to act rapidly on our nervous system, and after an initial reaction with ulceration and necrosis of the skin, accompanied by a terrible pain similar to that produced by a corrosive acid,a cardiac arrest occurs in the affected person, and all this happens in just 3 minutes. For this reason, divers who go swimming in any of the waters where these animals are found are recommended to wear a complete neoprene suit all over their body to avoid direct contact with these jellyfish, which are not only deadly, but also very fast, as they can travel 2 meters in a second thanks to their long tentacles.
Sea snake
Sea serpents or "sea cobras" (hydrophiinae), are the serpents that possess the most powerful venom in the animal world, even more so than the taipan snakes, their terrestrial namesakes. Although they are an evolution of their terrestrial ancestors, these reptiles are fully adapted to the aquatic environment, but still retain some physical characteristics. They all have their organs compressed laterally, which is why they have an appearance similar to that of eels, and in addition, they also have an oar-shaped tail, which helps them go in the desired direction when swimming. They live in the waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans, and feed basically on fish, molluscs and crustaceans.
Despite not being aggressive animals, since they only attack when provoked or feel threatened, these snakes have venom 2 to 10 times more powerful than that of a ground cobra Its sting causes muscle pain, jaw spasms, drowsiness, blurred vision or even respiratory paralysis. The good news is that since their teeth are so small, with a slightly thick neoprene suit, their neurotoxins would not be able to pass through it and reach our skin.
Stonefish
The stonefish (synanceia horrida), together with the puffer fish, are one of the most poisonous fish in the marine world. It belongs to the species of scorpeniform actinopterygian fish, since it has spiny extensions similar to those of scorpions. These animals perfectly blend in with the environment, especially with the rocky areas of the aquatic environment (hence their name), which is why it is very easy to step on them if you are doing scuba diving They live in the waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans, feeding on small fish and crustaceans.
The venom of these animals is located in the spikes of the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins, and contains neurotoxins and cytotoxins, more lethal than the venom of a cobra. Its prick produces swelling, headaches, intestinal spasms, vomiting and high blood pressure, and if not treated in time, muscle paralysis, seizures, cardiac arrhythmias or even cardiorespiratory arrest, caused by the strong pain that its poison produces in our body. If we prick ourselves with one of its spikes, we expect a slow and painful healing of the wounds…
Blue Ringed Octopus
Blue-ringed octopuses (hapalochlaena) are cephalopod molluscs that do not measure more than 20 centimeters, but have one of the deadliest poisons in the animal world. They are dark yellowish brown in color and are characterized by having blue and black rings on their skin that shine brightly if they feel threatened. They live in the waters of the Pacific Ocean and feed on small crabs and shrimp.
The neurotoxic poison from its sting initially produces itching and gradually respiratory and motor paralysis, leading to death. the person in just 15 minutes. There is no antidote for their bite, since thanks to bacteria secreted in the salivary glands of the octopus, these animals have enough poison to kill 26 human beings in a few minutes.
White shark
The Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is one of the largest marine fish in the world and the largest predatory fish on the planet. It belongs to the species of lamniform cartilaginous fish, it can weigh more than 2000 kilos and measure between 4, 5 and 6 meters in length. These sharks have about 300 large, sharp teeth and a powerful jaw capable of ripping apart human limbs. They live in the temperate and warm waters of almost all oceans and basically feed on marine mammals
Despite their bad reputation, They are not animals that usually attack humans In fact, more people die from bites of insects than by sharks, and furthermore, 75% of these attacks are not fatal but they do cause serious consequences for the injured. Yes, it is true that the victim may bleed to death, but it is very unlikely at the moment. Sharks do not attack people out of hunger, but because they consider them a threat, because they feel confused or by accident.