Top 10 deadliest fish most feared Sea Creatures
Whenever we think of the deadliest and the most dangerous fishes on earth the first image that comes to our mind is that of the Great White Shark. With its large jaws this predator can eat even humans if triggered.Usually calm these creatures can attack if provoked. Divers, swimmers or people around the coastal areas often face the fury of these dangerous marine animals. This page will show you some of these feared predators from the sea. From the deadliest to the most venomous creatures. Please take this article as a guide to handling fish, whenever you are fishing or close to water remember there are numerous fishes which are deadly only a few of them are listed here.
The Stonefish:- Synanceia is fish from Synanceiidae family, also known as the Stonefish. It is one of the most poisonous fish on earth. The Stonefish is found in the costal regions of the Indo-Pacific oceans. They are mostly found in sea or oceans, at times can also be found in rivers. The deadly neurotoxin in their glands is injected in the enemy through the needle like dorsal fin spines which erect when threatened or suspect danger. Their camouflage is very effective. At times divers have stepped on them thinking they are stones. The Toxin from this fish can cause temporary paralysis and death if left untreated.
Box Jellyfish:- Box Jellyfish are pale blue or transparent in color. They have bell or cube shaped body with four distinct sides hence the name box Jellyfish. Box Jellyfish may seem soft and harmless but they are equipped with venomous stings. Their venom causes acute pain and leaves the person in shock. These Box Jellyfishes are 20cms along each side of the cube or bell and can have 15 tentacles each of which can grow 3 meters in length with up to 5000 nematocysts (stinging cells). The Box Jellyfish shoots itself along up to speeds of 4 knots in a jet-like motion
Tiger Shark:- The Tiger Shark or Galeocerdo Cuvier is one of the species of Shark. These sharks can grow upto 5 meters in length. They are usually found in tropical or temperate oceans. These deadly Tiger Sharks are found near central Pacific islands and are mostly night time hunters. These savage predators can eat anything from fish, seal, small sharks and even birds flying above the water. The Tiger Sharks have powerful jaws which they can easily crush a sea turtle or any other marine mammal. They have excellent vision and sense of smell which allows them to find a drop of blood in the football ground.
Puffer Fish:- These funny looking Puffer fish are the second most poisonous vertebrates on earth after the Golden Poisonous frog. The puffer's skin and certain internal organs are highly toxic to humans. Deadly poison called Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is contained Puffer fish. Toxins are more powerful than cyanide resulted in difficulty in breathing on a person before leading to death. Still in some parts of Japan and Korea chef's remove the poisonous part and meat allowing it to be served as meal.
Sea Snakes:- Snakes be it on land or water are deadly. The water snakes have to paralyze their enemies so that they do not run away after once been hit as water allows a good shelter to their preys. An adult sea snake can grow from 120 cms to 150 cms in length, with the largest, Hydrophis spiralis, reaching a maximum of 3 m (9.8 ft).
Moray Eels:- Moray eels mostly live in salt water. They can grow upto 4 meters in length. The body of Moray Eel generally patterned. Camouflage is also present inside the mouth. Their jaws are wide, framing a protruding snout. They possess large teeth, designed to tear flesh as opposed to holding or chewing. Morays hide from humans and would rather flee than fight. Morays are shy and secretive, and attack humans only in self-defense or mistaken identity (for example, a finger placed in a crevice where a moray resides may resemble a prey-item). Most attacks involve accidental bites during human-initiated interaction. Morays cannot see very well and rely mostly on their acute sense of smell.
Stingrays:- Stingrays are inhabitants of shallow water, they have ray shape but are hard to find until they are swimming they usually hide under sand and wait for their prey to come close to them. They can grow large in sizes. They have stingers which have deadly poison in them when threatened these Sting rays attack with these stingers which can reach upto 35 cms in length causing fatal damage.
The sting ray was in news when it stung biologist and host of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin in 2006. Stingray's tail that is shaped like a spear and contains many toxins, had stabbed Steve and caused him a heart failure. Steve later died due to delay in medical attention.
Lionfish:- A Lionfish is one of the venomous fish which looks beautiful yet dangerous. The Lion fish have long and separated spines and have a generally striped appearance red, green, navy green, brown, orange, yellow, black, maroon, or white. Divers should be extremely cautious and avoid contact with the venomous spikes of the Lionfish. Usually, Lionfish are not aggressive toward humans and will almost always keep their distance. In addition, their stings are not deadly, but they are very painful.
Blue-Ringed Octopus:- Octopus are shown in various mythological books as giant animals bringing down ships. Yes they are dangerous but not to that extent, there are three species of the blue-ringed octopus, all of which live in the Pacific. The Blue-Ringed Octopus are beautifully colored creatures,but are most venomous animals in the world. The octopus usually stays camouflaged, waiting to prey on its preferred dinner of small crabs and shrimp. Provoke it though, and it'll quickly turn yellow and show off its bright blue markings. Then it will sting you and you'll die. Ok, you might not die, but the tiny octopus carries enough venom to kill 26 adults in its body. The most dangerous effect of its venom is respiratory failure. If you're stung by the octopus, you're probably going to need rescue breathing until you can start to breathe on your own, which might not be for several hours.
Sea snails:- Snails found in salt water and some in rivers are venomous too, probably the most poisonous the reason being that these creatures are slow and most of their prey are fast if the venom is not quick in paralyzing the prey it can run away. Recently the venom is being used as a pain killer. Sea snail venom consists of a cocktail of peptides, known as Conotoxins. These act to immobilise prey by blocking nerve-cell conduction, but in mammals the peptides are an effective analgesic.
