Top 5 of the Ocean’s Most Poisonous Creatures

1. The Box Jellyfish
This non-threatening looking transparent blue creature often no bigger than a bowl, tops our list of the ocean’s most poisonous creatures. Having claimed the lives of over 6000 people over the years, the chances of surviving an encounter with one of the Box Jellyfish’s 15 odd lethal tentacles is slim at best. The Box Jellyfish’s primary habitat lies in the waters around, Australia, Philippians, Hawaii, and Vietnam.

2. Stonefish
Found in the coastal reefs along the indo-pacific regions, Stone fish are high up in our list of top poisonous creatures. Stonefish secrete powerful neurotoxins from the base of their dorsal fin spine, which is extremely lethal to human beings. What makes the Stonefish even more dangerous is its stone like appearance that allows it to camouflage itself perfectly with its surrounding reef. This has been the main cause for so many unsuspecting divers coming in contact with the sting of the Stonefish which is extremely painful and can cause tissue death, shock, and paralysis.

3. Blue Ringed Octopus
The blue ringed octopus found in the pacific primarily among the shallows of Australia and Japan, and feeds on a diet of primarily crab and shrimp. However this tiny golf-ball sized creature possesses venom powerful enough to kill 26 adult humans within minutes. And with no known antivenin available, the blue-ringed octopus is currently one of the most toxic known sea creatures known to man.

4. Beaked Sea Snake This creature found mostly off the cost of India, Australia, Africa and the Arabian Sea, is a non-aggressive creature, and will only strike if provoked.The Beaked Sea Snake has the most toxic venom, of all snakes, almost eight times more toxic than the venom of a cobra. The Toxin attacks the muscles of the body and causes excruciating pain and death if untreated within 24 hours. The Beaked snake which is also known as the common sea snake, can dive up to a 100m deep and remain underwater for up to 5 hours on end while hunting fish. This creature graces our list as it frequently end up getting caught in fisherman’s nets which has resulted in several human fatalities.

5. The Marbled Cone Snail This brightly colored attractive, seemingly innocent creature is often picked up by people without realizing the potential of getting stung by its harpoon-like neurotoxin laden tongue. The Marble Cone Snail uses its harpoon like proboscis to paralyze other small fish which it then can devour at its own leisure. The symptoms of a sting include intense pain, swelling, numbness and tingling. Severe cases involve muscle paralysis, changes in vision and respiratory failure that can lead to death. There is no antivenin currently available for its sting.