Poisonous Animals - Creatures that Summon Death

Number 5: Inland Taipan

The Inland Taipan, also known as Small Scaled Snake or Fierce Snake, inhabits in Australia and is regarded as the most venomous land snake in the world. The Inland Taipan has a dark tan which range from dark brown to olive green depending on the seasons for them to adapt to the environment through thermo-regulation.  They feed on rodents, small mammals and birds and can reach up to a length of 2.8 meters.

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia 

They have a very accurate and rapid strike, and unlike other venomous snakes, the Inland Taipans deliver eight venomous bites in a single attack. With the powerful venom containing mostly neurotoxin, Taipans paralyze the victims waiting for them to die before returning to consume the meals. And yes, their venom is so powerful that one bite is enough to kill 100 people! However, no reported case of human being killed by the venom of the snake due to effective anti-venom treatment available.

Number 4: Blue Ring Octopus

Colorful and beautiful as it seems, the illusionist regarded as one of the world’s most venomous creatures, the Blue Ring Octopus. Inhabiting in tide pools and coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, from Japan and Australia, they can be recognized by their pale brown to yellow color and their trademark blue and black rings. The 50-60 blue rings that cover the Blue Ring Octopus will only ‘light up’ when agitated or being threatened.

Photo Courtesy of BBC 

The Blue Ring Octopus hunts for small crabs, hermit crabs and shrimps, and may bite other animals including humans when provoked. The toxin that it uses to paralyze its victims is known as Tetrodotoxin and is somewhat similar to that found in the pufferfish and cone snail. Interestingly, the toxin is produced by bacteria that are found in the salivary gland of this creature. Currently there is still no known antidote for its venom.

Number 3: Marbled Cone Snail

Looking at its beautiful shell, one might think that it’s harmless but it’s actually rank third in this post of the most poisonous animals.

Photo Courtesy of Worlds Most Unique 

Being a master of deception, the Marbled Cone Snail camouflages itself making others unable to spot it. Waiting patiently, the unknowing prey steps on the snail and is being attack by the snail with the powerful venom and then turns the animal into its sumptuous meal.

It’s venom? Like any other potent venom, contains neurotoxin that attacks the nervous system or nerve cells and in turn paralyses its victim. 

Number 2: King Cobra

I believe that almost everyone know or have heard about cobras, specifically the existence of our next contestant...

King Cobra, being the longest venomous snake in the world reaches up to 5.5 meters in length and weigh up to 9kg. It can be found in the rainforests of India, Southern China and Southeast Asia. The King Cobra feeds on a wide range of animals including other snakes, lizards, small animals and also eggs. Fortunately, humans are avoided by King Cobras whenever possible but are fiercely aggressive when cornered.

Being the longest among snakes, their venom however, is not the most potent. Even so, the amount of neurotoxin (toxins that attack the nervous system or nerve cells) it can deliver in one bite (roughly 7 millimeters) is more than enough to kill 20 people or an adult elephant.

Photo Courtesy of National Geographic 

King Cobras are quite a good parent as they are the only snakes in the world that build a nest for their egg. Besides building, they also guard the nests and their eggs ferociously until the hatchlings emerge.

Number 1: Box Jellyfish

The Box Jellyfish, also known as sea wasp and marine stinger, can be found in the waters off Northern Australia and Indo-Pacific. They are pale blue and transparent with a cube-like shape of their bells thus getting the name Box Jellyfish. They can grow up to 15 tentacles and reach up to 3 meters in length.

Photo Courtesy of National Geographic 

Being a carnivore, it stuns or kills its prey with powerful venom before feeding on them. Humans are also one of the victims of the Box Jellyfish attack. The venom attacks the heart, nervous system and the skin. Due to the overwhelming and excruciating pain of the sting, a human normally goes into a shock and drown or some die of heart failure immediately. Survivors are able to experience certain amount of pain lasting for weeks and also scarring on the areas where the tentacles made contact.

Although the venom of the Box Jellyfish is so powerful, there’s a creature which is the nemesis of the jellyfish and it’s none other than the sea turtles. Surprisingly, the sea turtles are unaffected by the sting and immune to the venom of the Box Jellyfish and often eats them.

Ball Cutters - Ultimate Man Castration

Have you ever wonder why the Pacus are notorious as “Ball Cutters”? The only reason for the given name is the fish has been reported biting off the testicles of fishermen and men!

Pacus have teeth resemble human’s teeth, meaning that their teeth are supposedly made for crushing. The fish originated from rivers and streams in Amazon, and have been recently introduced to river systems of Papua New Guinea where the cases of man-castration have been reported. The fish use their teeth to crush nuts and seeds in their native habitat, however, after introducing into a new habitat lacking the suitable vegetation for survival, Pacus turn from herbivore to omnivore, converting their nuts-chombing ability into balls-chombing ability.

Ball-cuter's teeth (resembles human's teeth)

Pachus are relatives to the piranha, this explains their ability to "chomb" off their preys (including men's testicles). So guys, before going for a swim in the wild, make sure there isn’t any Ball-cutters looming out there, or else, put on your armor as you swim, I bet you wouldn’t want a 40pounds Ball-cutter going after you!

You may NEVER want this 'Tongue' - Cymothoa exigua

At the first sight, many people may find this little parasite adorable (or is just me?). In the above image, Cymothoa exigua (yes, this is the creature's scientific name), looked exactly harmless, so tiny and cowardly hiding in the mouth of a fish.

However, in the view point of the host, this is totally NOT a pleasant experience. So, what harm can the little creature inflicts?

Guess it?

Cymothoa exigua is the first known parasite that replaces hosts' body parts upon parasiting. In this case, is the poor fish's tongue.

This little creature enters a fish mouth through the gills. Discovers its way to the tougue and attaches itself to the base of the tongue. After that, it happily sucks blood from the veins on the tongue using claws on its 3 pairs of legs at the front.

A fully grown Cymothoa exigua can be up to 3 to 4cm in length. Imagine the amount of blood it will need (also think of the size of the tongue of the fish). Eventually, the tongue withers due to lack of supply of blood and shrink till it loses its original function.

Cymothoa exigua is not that cruel to let the fish carry on its life without a tongue. As a result, the little parasite replaces itself as the tongue of the fish by attaching to the muscles of the tongue stub. Interestingly, the fish can freely use its "new tongue" at its control.

In the mean while, Cymothoa exigua survives by either the blood of the fish or the mucus of the fish. Other than having a whole new tongue, the creature does not inflict any other damage to the host fish. An extra tongue, anyone?