Top 10 Deadliest Tiny Animals, from Fish to Insects

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Lions and sharks are always depicted as the most dangerous animals in the world. These big animals have sharp teeth and the ability to chase down their prey.

However, several species of fauna may look cute and tiny, but they are some of the deadliest. Some carry diseases with them while others can inject deadly venoms into our bodies. According to Britannica, here are the ten most dangerous tiny animals in the world.

1. Gila Monster

The Gila Monster is a type of lizard that can grow to 50 centimeters long. Its strong jaw allows it to clamp onto the victim and inject venoms. The Gila Monster is common in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Its bite, while not fatal, is extremely painful.

2. Tsetse fly

Tsetse flies are blood-sucking animals in Africa that are less than 2.5 centimeters long. It uses bladelike mandibles to penetrate the skin of humans and other animals. Even though they do not drain blood, Tsetse flies can transmit sleeping sickness, which if left untreated can cause swollen lymph nodes.

3. Stonefish

Stonefish like to roam in shallow waters near rocks and mud. This 33-centimeter fish resides in the Indo-Pacific region. Stonefish inject venom from its spines which can cause extremely painful and fatal reactions in humans. 

4. Boomslang

Boomslang snakes are 1.8 meters long and nest in sub-Saharan savannas. The venom from its bite can cause bleeding, kidney failure, and even death.

5. Pygmy slow loris

Tiny and adorable, the pygmy slow loris is one of the most dangerous animals in the world. This primate, measuring about 37 centimeters, which can be found in Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula, produces toxins near its elbows which can cause severe allergic reactions.

6. Starry Puffer Fish

In Japan, puffer fish or fugu is considered a delicacy. However, its meat must be prepared professionally as its organs are highly toxic. One wrong move and eating puffer fish liver can cause paralysis and even death.

7. Poison Frog

Some tribes in South America coat the tips of their arrows with mucus produced by blue-arrow poison frogs. The skin of this frog excretes a poison called batrachotoxin. These compounds can disrupt the body's nervous system and even cause heart failure.

8. Cone Snail

Cone snails are a type of sea snail that is often found in the Indo-Pacific region. Having a length of up to 16 centimeters, this shelled animal emits potent venom a harpoonlike dart. One cone snail sting can kill several people.

9. Sea Wasp

Sea wasps are a type of jellyfish that have a diameter of around 25 to 30 centimeters. A sea wasp’s sting can cause heart failure in just 30 seconds. Its translucent skin makes it difficult to spot. 

10. Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are one of the most dangerous animals in the world because they transmit diseases, such as dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, and filariasis. These tiny blood-sucking insects act as hosts for parasites that are transferred through their tiny bites. Diseases caused by mosquitoes kill millions of people each year.

MELYNDA DWI PUSPITA

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