Underwater life is not as beautiful as the scene portrayed in Finding Nemo or The Little Mermaid. Animals under the sea or called as marine animals can also be dangerous. Make sure to read these dangerous marine animals in Australia too.
Some of them deliver venoms through their teeth while some others sting or bite. However, one thing you need to know is they do these behaviors as their defense mechanisms or as ways to help them hunt for food.
Many marine animals’ stings or bites are due to accidental contact. For instance, when you step on a stingray buried in the sand or even brush against jellyfish while swimming.
That’s why divers and fishermen should be knowledgeable of the marine animals that can sting as they have frequent and prolonged contact with the marine animals.
Let’s list down the 7 sea creatures you should avoid as they can sting you!
- Stingrays
Just as its name suggests, stingray can sting. Stingrays have venomous spines located on their tails. If you accidentally step on it, then it may respond by thrusting its tail into your leg or foot. Spend time reading most expensive freshwater fishes.
The venom and spine fragments can cause infection to the wound. The sting usually causes intense pain, nausea, weakness and even fainting. In some rare cases, the sting may cause difficulty in breathing and even death!
- Electric Eel
Electric eels are not eels at all, instead they belong to the family of carp and catfish. Electric eels can sting just like their names say! Their bodies are equipped with electric organs with about 6,000 specialized cells called electrolytes.
These electrolytes store power just like tiny batteries. When the electric eels are threatened, these cells will discharge simultaneously. Electric eel is also listed as one of the electric animals.
Though the cases of human death caused by electric eels are rare, multiple shocks they give will cause respiratory or heart failure. Many people have been known to drown in shallow water after experiencing a stunning jolt from this creature.
- Jellyfish
Jellyfish have tentacles and each of their tentacle is covered with individual stingers. The stingers are called nematocysts. Jellyfish typically fire their venomous stingers into the prey, but sometimes they come into contact with some divers or swimmers.
Jellyfish stings vary in severity. Most of the cases result in immediate pain and red, irritated marks on the skin However, some other jellyfish stings cause more whole-body illness and even life-threatening.
- Sea Urchins
Sea urchins are the other marine animals that can sting. They are small, spike-covered sea creatures which are mostly found in oceans throughout the world, both in warm and cold water.
Sea urchins are not aggressive as others, but their existence in shallow waters increases the chance of people getting contact with them. As a result, the sting cannot be avoided. Also see these other most dangerous sea creatures.
Despite their beautiful appearance, sea urchins are extremely painful to be touched. Most people get stung when they accidentally step or touch a sea urchin, which can be very easy to do in murky waters. In some cases, many people (especially the young children) may pick them up without realizing that this creature can sting.
A sea urchin has two defense system. One of which is always engaged as it is the natural and external body. The external is made up of long and venomous spikes that are really sharp to puncture the skin.
These spikes will easily break off inside your body once the sea urchin stings you. The second system is more active. They have jaws that can release venom. It’s called the pedicellariae.
- Stonefish
Stonefish belong to the member of scorpion fish, together with zebrafish and lionfish. These fish are really good at hiding in their surroundings. However, they are equipped with fins that carry toxic venom.
Stonefish is also known as one of the most venomous fish in the world as the stings can cause death if it is left untreated. Make sure to be careful not to step on this fish as doing that will forces the venom into the foot, along the spines and causes intense pain and severe damage to the foot.
The sting of stone fish is excruciating, causes swelling and could be deadly if it is not treated. Â
- Cone Snail
A cone snail has a cone-shaped shell, a fleshy foot, a head and tentacles. It mostly lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Caribbean and Red Seas and the coast of Florida. Generally, cone snails are not aggressive. Instead, they sting when divers deep in reef waters handle the snails.
Swimmers or divers do not commonly find cone snails in shallow intertidal waters, so when they find it on sandy beaches, they will be very excited. Avoid contact with this cone snail, the toxin is similar to the paralytic toxin of the puffer fish and blue-ringed octopus. You may also get interested to read these dangerous animals in Hawaii.