List of World's Deadliest and Most Poisonous Marine Animals

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The ocean holds a lot of beauty, from white sandy beaches to colorful coral reefs. Although it is home to many stunning sea creatures, it also holds many hidden dangers. There are many poisonous, dangerous, and deadly marine animals deep in the ocean.

Many think the deadliest marine animal is a shark. But one does not need to be huge and drab to be deadly, as some of the deadliest sea creatures are small and colorful.

The Deadliest Marine Animals

1. Blue Ringed Octopus

The blue-ringed octopus is a beautiful small marine animal with striking blue rings and a deadly venom. The blue-ringed octopus's venom is 1,000 times stronger than cyanide and can kill 26 adults in a matter of minutes.

2. Australian Box Jellyfish

The small box jellyfish in Australia is considered the most venomous animal in the ocean. This jellyfish has tentacles equipped with thousands of stinging cells filled with poison that can cause severe pain, paralysis, heart attack, and death in a matter of minutes. They are generally found in the waters of Australia and Southeast Asia.

3. Beaked Sea Snake (Enhydrina Schistosa)

The beaked sea snake, also known as the hook-nosed sea snake, can be found in the waters off the coast of India, Australia, Africa, and the Arabian Sea. This snake is non-aggressive and only attacks when provoked. Venom from the bite of a beaked sea snake is eight times more toxic than cobra. With just 1.5 milligrams of its venom, this snake can kill a human, while a full dose can kill around 22 people.

4. Stonefish

Stonefish holds the title of the most venomous fish in the ocean. Stonefish have 13 spines on their backs that release venom under pressure. The sting causes excruciating pain, swelling, necrosis (tissue death), and even death.

5. Marbled Cone Snail (Conus Marmoreus)

This marbled cone snail with a brightly colored shell often entices people to pick it up, without realizing that this animal is one of the most venomous sea creatures in the world. Marbled cone snails can be found in the waters of Okinawa, the southern tip of India, and southeastern parts of New Caledonia and Samoa. The sting contains poison of a mixture of deadly neurotoxins that can cause muscle paralysis and respiratory failure. 

6. Portuguese man-of-war

The Portuguese man o'war is a highly venomous predator often seen floating or stranded on beaches. Many people think of this animal as a jellyfish, but it’s actually a siphonophore or an animal consisting of a colony of organisms that function as one unit. This animal has poison that can trap fish and small creatures to paralyze and kill them for food. Although man-of-war stings are not fatal to humans, they can still cause a lot of pain.

7. Pufferfish

Pufferfish can inflate itself when threatened, has venom 1,200 times more toxic than cyanide, and can kill at least 30 adults. This neurotoxin makes pufferfish taste bad when eaten, and can even cause death.

8. Striped Pajama Squid (Sepioloidea Lineolata)

This marine animal does have a cute shape, but this cephalopod is among the few of its species to be poisonous. Small glands under its skin produce venomous saliva containing tetrodotoxin. The striped pajama squid lives in shallow coastal waters, usually camouflaged under sand or mud.

9. Lionfish 

This fish has poisonous spines all over its body. This fish's poison can cause severe pain, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, paralysis and death. Lionfish are now an invasive species thriving in the southeastern United States and the Caribbean.

10. Irukandji Jellyfish

Barely larger than a matchhead, this tiny jellyfish is one of the most dangerous sea creatures. The venom of the Irukandji jellyfish is 100 times more potent than that of the cobra and can cause severe discomfort and death if left untreated.

RIZKY DEWI AYU

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