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The animal kingdom is full of varied creatures, all built for the kill. Nature has bestowed on them some amazing weapons for defence and for killing prey. This applies to underwater creatures too.Here are a few of the deadliest animals that lurk beneath your feet when you are in the water.
The deadly Box Jelly fish
Who would have thought that the Box Jelly fish is one of the deadliest creatures found in the waters of the coat of North Western Australia?
Anyone not familiar with this creature can be forgiven for believing it to be completely harmless. However, this jelly fish has some deadly neurotoxins that can kill a human being in less than two minutes. The Box Jelly fish has several long tentacles and they contain specialized cells that inject the neurotoxin. Even if you get so much as a scratch from these tentacles, you could be in severe pain. The pain is so excruciating that even adults start writhing on the ground. Vinegar helps to relieve the pain to some extent.
The stone fish
The stone fish belongs to the scorpion fish family and to the genus ‘Synanceia’. The stone fish is usually found in shallow waters. It is called so because it appears like a stone. You could easily step on a stone fish, mistaking it to be a piece if stone underwater. However, that one single step could be fatal. It is probably the most poisonous fish known to man. This fish is mostly found in warmer waters of the Caribbean and the Pacific coastal regions around the Asian continent.The stone fish has thirteen spines on its dorsal fin. They are connected to glands that secrete toxins when pressure is brought to bear on the spines. If you accidently stop on the spines, it automatically releases the toxin. Once the toxin is released, it takes a while for the glands to regenerate the toxin.Once the toxin enters the blood stream, it causes excruciating pain and rapid swelling. Shock and paralysis follow if treatment is not commenced immediately. The best immediate treatment is to apply a hot press or hot water to the affected region. Often hospitalization becomes necessary. Medication for pain and swelling is usually administered intravenously. In extreme cases, even death is a possibility.The stone fish is well camouflaged, as it looks muddy in colour. It strikes with lightening speed when small fish and shrimps go by.
The tiny but deadly Irukandji
You may not have heard of another killer lurking beneath the waves off the coast of Queensland in Australia. This is the tiny but deadly Irukandji. This jelly fish is about a centimetre in length. It is bell shaped with four tentacles hanging loosely from the bell. These tentacles can grow up to a meter in length. The venom of an Irukandji is believed to be about a hundred times more toxic than the venom of a cobra. This should give you an idea of what a punch it packs. In order to catch its prey, it can paralyze the prey within seconds and then devour it.The deadliest aspect of an Irukandji is that it can actually fire stingers from it bell shaped head and from its tentacles. This makes it even more dangerous.The symptoms of a sting from an Irukandji include sever back pain, muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, an increase in heart rate, increase in blood pressure and a feeling of doom.If treated quickly in a hospital, it is not likely to prove fatal. However, fatalities have been reported and it is far better to seek immediate treatment.
Morey eel in Hawaii is a clever and ruthless hunter. The creature has two lethal sets tooth, and can eat fishes larger that itself. The US is home to a diverse species of animals and marine creatures. If you are a wildlife enthusiast, apply for an ESTA visa today in order to travel to the US.
