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Though scientists have only explored five percent of the world's oceans, they've already discovered, according to the World Register of Marine Species, nearly 230,000 various nautical creatures, with still new ones identified every year. And while some of these animals—like dolphins and whales—have given us everything from Hollywood blockbusters to IRL medical advances, other ocean dwellers have brought us nothing more than fear and fatalities. And no, we're not talking about sharks.
Take the fearsome stonefish, for instance. This rock-resembling creature has a sting that one man described as feeling like "hitting your toe with a hammer and then rubbing over it again and again with a nail file." Or what about the wildly dangerous blowfish, whose venom is like cyanide—times a thousand. Before you splash in the sea this summer, it'll behoove you to bone up on the deadly and dangerous sea creatures potentially lurking in the depths. And if you happen to encounter that most ballyhooed one (you know: the shark), know that This Is What Experts Say You Should Do if You're Attacked by a Shark.
"While the chances of a shark attacking you while diving are very rare, the odds are better regarding the feisty Titan triggerfish," the folks at diving website Undercurrent warn. Found in coral reefs everywhere from Australia to Thailand, the creatures will bite through divers' fins and flesh, and often even when they haven't been provoked. Titan triggerfish are beautiful and bold, but divers know to keep their distance. And to learn about creepy creatures living on land, don't miss the 30 Most Dangerous Bugs in America.
In 2006, conservationist and iconic animal-themed TV personality Steve Irwin famously died at the hands (or tail) of a stingray. Though you can pet the sea rays at most aquariums, the ones in the wild still have their stingers in tact—and if Irwin's death is any indication, they aren't afraid to use them if they feel threatened.
Don't let this sea urchin's beauty fool you. Each of its "flowers" is actually a tentacle with a little jaw (called a pedicellaria) that can inject toxic venoms and potentially kill you. Let's just say there's a reason that this ferocious "flower" was named the most dangerous sea urchin in the 2014 Guinness Book of World Records. And for more fears from the seven seas, check out the 30 Reasons Why the Ocean Is Scarier Than Space.
The electric eel—not actually an eel, by the way—gets its name from the way it attacks and kills its predators and prey. Its body contains organs filled with nearly 6,000 electrolytes that store electricity like small batteries; when something (like, say, a human) gets close, the not-actually-an-eel will discharge volts of electricity and shock the intruder, sometimes to death.
Though shell collectors lust after the complex carapace of the textile cone snail, even the bravest and brashest wouldn't dare get too close to a live one. Though tiny, these vicious snails can inject venom through their radular teeth capable of paralyzing and killing a human.
At first glance, the blue-ringed octopus seems completely harmless. It's vibrantly colored, smaller than a candy bar, and doesn't look like it could hurt a fly. But in reality, according to the folks at Ocean Conservancy, this small sea creature has venom 1,000 times more powerful than cyanide, and at any given time it's carrying enough to kill 26 humans in just minutes. The venom will paralyze you until you stop breathing, so if you see one of these, stay far, far away.
Snakes on land are scary, sure, but when it comes the fear factor, sea snakes are on an entirely different playing field. Take the Dubois sea snake, for instance. This Australian serpent is the most venomous sea snake out there, and one of the top three most dangerous snakes in the world. And if snakes make your skin crawl, then you'll relate to these 20 Childhood Fears That Stick with You Until Adulthood.
actually i made this yesterday but forgot to post it hope you have fun