Top most dangerous sea creatures. The most poisonous sea animals. In case of defeat

Sea snake rarely bites humans - it uses its venom mainly when hunting and sometimes for self-defense. However, if something goes wrong, a sea snake bite will not be harmless. Their venom is very toxic. The victim does not immediately feel the effect; headache, vomiting and other symptoms appear only within an hour. And after a few hours, myoglobin appears in the blood, destroying muscles. If the necessary measures are not taken, kidney failure and heart attack occur, which can ultimately lead to death.

Barracuda- Swift, ferocious and capable of causing serious injury, this perch fish can seem like a real underwater devil. Long, like snakes, the barracuda has a powerful lower jaw with sharp teeth, like those of a piranha. The barracuda can reach 205 cm in length and reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. It is not surprising that she quickly overtakes her victim. Barracudas do not attack people very often - this usually happens in muddy or dark water, when there is a risk of mistaking a person for a fish. Such a collision does not bode well: a barracuda is capable of tearing out a piece of a human body. If suddenly this doesn’t scare you, know that their body contains a toxin that causes hallucinations and other side effects in humans.

Moray eels, representatives of eels, avoid contact with people. But if they feel threatened, it's all over. An eel bite is dangerous not only because it causes mechanical injury. This moray eel's mouth contains countless bacteria that instantly enter the wound. And if you, while underwater, decide to feed a moray eel by hand, remember - they have poor eyesight, and you can easily say goodbye, if not to your hand, then to your fingers.

Warts, a genus of ray-finned fish, in English they are called stonefish, i.e. “stone fish”, because it can easily pass for a small stone. This helps the fish camouflage well and easily misleads a person who might accidentally step on such a “pebble.” Alas, such an oversight is not painless: the sharp thorns of the wart dig into the foot, and a small dose of the neurotoxin penetrates the human blood, causing problems with the respiratory system and even heart failure. Remember that these fish can be out of the water for up to 24 hours, so keep your eyes peeled and on the shore.

Eagle ray not as harmless as it might seem. It is usually relaxed, but can seriously injure humans with its tail. The fact is that at the base of the tail these stingrays have spines (one or more), the length of which can reach 35 cm. The spine, in turn, is capable of releasing poison. A painful prick with a thorn is fraught with swelling, cramps, and bacterial infection. In 2006, an Australian naturalist and TV presenter was tragically killed by a stingray - a stingray wounded him in the heart, and the wound turned out to be fatal.

Tiger shark has a good appetite: her menu includes fish, seals, birds, squid, turtles, dolphins and even other, smaller sharks. It is not surprising that human remains are often found in the stomach of a tiger shark. It is believed that they do not specifically hunt humans as prey, but frequent encounters with humans in the area of ​​small reefs, harbors and channels, however, become fatal for people.

White shark- this is the answer to the question “who can be more dangerous than a tiger shark.” It is also called the “man-eating shark”, and for good reason. The impressive dimensions - about 5 m in length and weight from 700 kg to a ton - leave no chance for humans. White sharks have their own signature style: they attack their prey from below, opening their mouths wide so that their huge, sharp teeth can cause as much damage as possible. Have you seen the movie "Jaws"? This is about them.

Saltwater crocodile, also known as a man-eating crocodile, lives primarily in the Indian Ocean. The force of its bite is considered to be 10 times stronger than that of a white shark. In addition, unlike a shark, a crocodile can lie in wait for you on land. Crocodiles are not gourmets; they do not choose gourmet food for themselves, but eat whatever they can get their hands on. According to one version, more than 400 Japanese soldiers who crossed the river during their retreat during World War II became victims of saltwater crocodiles.

Blue-ringed octopus may seem like an unexpected participant on such a list. Its size does not exceed 12-20 cm, but a tiny and almost painless bite can kill a person within a few minutes. The venom of this octopus is extremely toxic - nausea, respiratory arrest, heart failure, complete paralysis or death: all of this can end your encounter with an octopus if emergency measures are not taken. The danger also lies in the fact that such a minor bite does not cause concern in a person until the first signs of poisoning appear.

Box jellyfish are definitely beautiful. And damn dangerous - after all, they have one of the most dangerous poisons of all living creatures. Deaths due to burns from box jellyfish bites occur every year. The worst thing is that this danger is difficult to control - jellyfish are almost transparent and swim very quickly, which is why there is a high risk of simply not noticing them.

If you have the opportunity to pick up these fish, you need to be wary of their spines, which are located at the bottom of the gill covers and are directed backwards. These fish are not poisonous, but pricks from the thorns are very painful, and the wound can become infected, so when handling them, you need to be careful, ideally avoid contact with them altogether - this will be better for both you and the fish themselves.

Amphiprions are sometimes called clownfish or Nemo. The peculiarity of these small fish is that, to protect themselves from their enemies, they use certain types of sea anemones, the tentacles of which are poisonous and fatal to small fish, and if they come into contact with them, you can get very painful burns. In the same time, amphiprions They have protection from deadly touches - their body is covered with mucus, and sea anemones do not cause them any harm. Amphiprions themselves are completely harmless, but they are so aggressive and so boldly defend their territory that they even drive away divers.

All species of surgical fish have sharp bony spines at the base of the tail, directed forward. They pose the greatest danger to snorkelers and divers. Surgeon fish They can be quite aggressive towards people. They seem to be playing with you at the very edge of the water, but this impression is deceptive. The fish themselves are not poisonous, and there is no poison in the thorns either, but the wounds inflicted by these thorns can be so deep that emergency assistance from a surgeon may be required.

Parrotfish They feed on coral and have powerful jaws and strong teeth, so the worst thing they can do is bite you. Although I can’t quite imagine how this could happen - this fish is not shy, pays little attention to snorkelers or divers swimming around it and will not come into contact with you.

So bright and beautiful red sea fish do not pose any danger if you yourself do not provoke them, try to catch them or pick them up.

Now let's look at the most dangerous inhabitants of the Red Sea and start with the scorpionfish family.

Scorpionidae
(Scorpaenidae). All representatives of this species are extremely dangerous! Don't try to touch them. If you are walking on a sandy bottom in a strip of offshore coral, be very careful not to step on a lying wart or Flathead scorpionfish. Although this is unlikely in the immediate vicinity of hotels, if you are forewarned, then you are forearmed - it is extremely difficult for the inexperienced eye to notice them, they lead a sedentary lifestyle, lying for a long time on the bottom and burying themselves in the sand, while they become overgrown with algae and small crustaceans, merging with stones and corals!

The sharp and hard spines of scorpionfish can easily pierce beach shoes and penetrate deep into the foot of a person who accidentally steps on the fish. After a short time, a person may lose consciousness from damage to vital nerve centers. If the poison gets into large blood vessels, death can occur!

You should also be careful not to try to swim or touch any species lionfish. The spines of these beautiful, slow and majestic fish contain poison. Bright color Radiant lionfish- this is a warning for her enemies, and perhaps she is the only exception to the statement at the very beginning that bright and beautiful fish are not dangerous, the sting of a lionfish is very painful. However, the spiny rays of the dorsal and anal fins contain very little venom, and although it is identical to cobra venom, the effect of the injection directly depends on the number of piercing rays. Lionfish poison causes severe pain, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, cramps, numbness, dizziness, diarrhea and excessive sweating in the human body. In addition, lionfish venom can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock, but no deaths have been recorded among injected people. For healthy people, it is dangerous due to its consequences, and the poisoning effect can last up to several days. For older people, children, people with weakened immune systems and people with allergies, the consequences can be much more serious. Therefore, given the pain shock, and possibly individual intolerance to the poison, you should not try to catch or touch this fish.

As first aid to a person injured by a lionfish injection, you should wipe the wound with alcohol and place the damaged area in hot water - at high temperatures the poison is neutralized. However, no self-medication is acceptable; you need to seek medical help so that the victim is given an antidote.

Gray reef shark- the most common species of reef shark in the Indian Ocean basin, which includes the Red Sea.

These animals are fast, agile predators, and due to their aggressive behavior, they are the dominant species among other reef sharks, even despite their small size - only about 2 meters in length.

Gray reef sharks are very curious and often approach divers. There are confirmed cases of unprovoked attacks, an attack is also possible with persistent pursuit and the diver's desire to get closer. The shark demonstrates aggression with a peculiar “hunched” pose: the predator raises its snout, lowers its pectoral fins and arches its back. In case of aggressive behavior, you should not try to photograph the shark; the flash may provoke an attack. We should not forget that, despite its modest size, the predator is capable of inflicting very serious wounds.

(Balistodes viridescens) is the largest representative of the triggerfish family, its length is about 75 cm, weight - up to 10 kg. It poses a particular danger to lovers of diving and snorkeling during the breeding season - the triggerfish builds a huge nest, about 2 meters in diameter and 75 cm deep, and selflessly protects it. The diver can be attacked when approaching and even at a sufficient distance from the nest. Triggerfish bites are not poisonous, but quite painful. The same can be said about another representative of the triggerfish - the Yellow-faced pseudobalista. It is slightly smaller than the Titanium Triggerfish, its length is no more than 60 cm, but almost everything that was said above is also true for the Yellow-faced Pseudoballista - the female builds a huge nest and also selflessly protects it. Therefore, meeting this “fish” during the breeding season does not bode well for a swimmer.

Moray eels- one type of these eel-like ray-finned fish suggests that it is better not to approach them; they are often presented as evil, ruthless aggressors. In fact, everything is somewhat different. Moray eels prefer to hide in the crevices of the base of the coral reef and not attack divers; we are not talking about snorkelers, because Moray eels lead a benthic lifestyle at depths of 10 meters. Known cases of attacks are usually associated with self-defense - moray eels attack only those who get too close to its hole and persist in irritating this predator. Another real possibility of being harmed by moray eels is hand-feeding during popular “attractions” for tourists offered by local diving companies. The fact is that moray eels have very poor eyesight and rely mostly on their sense of smell, so it doesn’t care what food (a piece of meat) or the fingers of a diver, when a moray eel bites, it hangs on the victim with a death grip, like a bull terrier, while shaking jaw, causing lacerations with sharp teeth. It is usually not possible to free yourself; help is required.


Stingrays They pose a danger to humans due to the prickly spine on their tail. Stingrays feed on mollusks, crustaceans, and sometimes small fish. They hunt by burying themselves in the sand, which makes them completely invisible to humans. The poisonous spike on the tail is used by stingrays only as self-defense. A person who accidentally steps on a stingray may receive a painful blow from its tail. Stingray venom causes severe pain, swelling, muscle cramps, and possible secondary fungal, bacterial or mixed infections. The tip of the poisonous spine often breaks off in the wound, and the victim requires surgery to remove it. However, a stingray strike rarely results in death, only in cases where a vital area is affected. So on September 4, 2006, the popular Australian naturalist Steve Irwin died after being hit in the heart by a stingray while filming the documentary “Deadly Creatures of the Ocean.”

Barracudas– of the 21 species existing in nature, 8 live in the Red Sea, including the large barracuda. This fish is known for its large size and very menacing appearance. A striking feature is the presence of a powerful lower jaw protruding beyond the upper jaw. Small, sharp teeth dot the visible part of the jaw, with larger teeth inside. Barracuda can reach more than 2 meters in length and weigh more than 50 kilograms.

It is believed that barracudas rarely attack people. However, similar cases have been recorded. This most often occurs in muddy or dark water, where they show significant aggression, mistaking a swimmer's legs or arms for prey. Sometimes barracudas are attracted to shiny objects (watches, metal jewelry, shiny parts of diving equipment). The sharp teeth of a predator can seriously injure a person, damage large blood vessels and cause severe bleeding.

Snail Cone. It would seem what a danger a shell, known to everyone since childhood as a souvenir with a mother-of-pearl inner coating and the sound of the sea surf, could pose if you put it to your ear. But! This is a large genus of predatory poisonous sea snails, a marine gastropod. There are about 550 species in total, with new species being added to the list every year. It got its name for the special shape of its shell in the form of a regular cone.

Distributed throughout tropical and subtropical seas, the greatest diversity of species can be found in the western Indo-Pacific region, which includes Red sea.

All cones are predators, some of them feed on sea worms, others on snails, and others on fish. Despite the fact that these predators are not very agile, they have adapted very successfully to hunt from ambush, burrowing into the sand. Having poor eyesight, the cone identifies its prey by smell. The mollusk hunts with the help of a long proboscis ending in a mouth. His teeth are turned into small harpoon-shaped needles with poisonous glands inside. Sensing the approach of prey, the cone shoots out one of its teeth, and holding it with its mouth, plunges into the body of the victim. The cone's venom is so toxic that the fish is paralyzed within a second.

It is the fish-eating cones that pose the greatest danger to humans. Cone venom consists of 50 different toxins called conotoxins and has no antidote. The most dangerous for humans: Geographic cone(Conus geographus) and Brocade shell or Textile cone(Conus textile) – in the photo.

The geographic cone is nocturnal and buries itself in the sand during the day. This is the most dangerous of all cones. All reliable descriptions of deaths are caused by an injection of this particular type. The mortality rate from geographic cone bites reaches 70%. The bite causes severe, increasing pain, convulsions, profuse salivation, difficulty swallowing, gastrointestinal upset, and difficulty speaking. In severe cases of poisoning, death can occur.

First aid to the victim consists of removing the thorn fragments, treating with alcohol and applying a bandage. Self-medication is impossible; you must immediately seek qualified medical help.

Starfish The crown of thorns (Acanthaster planci) is a multi-rayed starfish that gets its name from the poisonous spines that cover the entire surface of its body. The size of an adult star usually varies from 25 to 35 cm, although particularly large specimens with a diameter of up to 50 cm can be found. crown of thorns”has 12-19 rays, with age their number increases to 21-23. The star is colored in combinations of bright orange and purple, and the animal's strong yellow or pink spines exposed warn of the danger of close contact. The body of the Crown of Thorns is completely covered with long (up to 3 cm) needles equipped with poisonous glands.

An injection from the needles of this star is very painful and can cause serious poisoning in a person, accompanied by a rash, nausea, bleeding and inflammation. When providing assistance, first of all, it is necessary to remove fragments of thorns from the wound, immerse the affected limb in hot water and bandage it with a tourniquet at the bend to prevent further spread of the poison.

Reticulated fire coral(Millepora dichotoma) is a colonial marine organism that looks exactly like coral, but is not actually one. True corals belong to the class of coral polyps, while fire corals belong to the hydroid or polymedusa class.

Millepora or fire corals are widespread in tropical and subtropical waters of the World Ocean. They form extensive colonies on protruding reef slopes and in shallow waters with strong currents.

The colony consists of widely spreading flat bushes with short, double branches. The ends of the branches are rounded. Color yellow or brownish. Polyps 1 – 2 mm long. Feeds on plankton. Polyps live in symbiosis with zooxanthellae. Colonies grow very quickly. It settles in strong currents in well-lit areas of the reef. The defenders of the colony are dactylozoids, armed with many tentacles with stinging cells (nematocytes). This is what burns the fire coral.

Millepora colonies They look very picturesque and often make you want to take a piece with you as a souvenir. This is strictly forbidden. At the moment of contact, a person receives a very sensitive burn, the pain comparable to a burn from hot metal. After a few hours, a blister appears at the burn site, which bursts within a few days, revealing an ulcer. In turn, the ulcer heals for a very long time and painfully, and in its place a noticeable scar remains for life. A fire coral burn is not fatal, but can cause painful shock and loss of consciousness, which is very dangerous when diving. Sometimes the lymph nodes of victims become significantly enlarged. In some cases, an allergic reaction develops. If you were unable to avoid contact with fire coral, in the absence of medical assistance, the following actions are recommended: rinse the wound with sea water, remove visible remains of tentacles and treat with vinegar or alcohol.

A disease that occurs after eating certain types of reef fish, whose flesh accumulates a toxin secreted by dinoflaggelates, organisms that live on coral reefs and near seaweed. Coral and herbivorous fish become prey for larger predators at the top of the food chain, such as barracudas, moray eels, groupers, etc.

Ciguatera has been known for a very long time, the first mention dates back to the 7th century. Warm-blooded creatures, including humans, are much more sensitive to poison than fish and shellfish. Ciguatoxin, which causes the disease, is very heat-resistant and is not destroyed by cooking. Symptoms of the disease develop within 1-6 hours after consuming toxic fish and include gastrointestinal and neurological manifestations such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, muscle pain, numbness, dizziness, and hallucinations. The disease causes long-term disability. There is no specific antidote; treatment consists of detoxification and rehydration of the victim’s body.

Here are some other species of Red Sea inhabitants that pose a danger:

1. Enter the water, even on a sandy beach, only in special beach shoes. It will protect your feet from small sharp stones and pieces of coral, as well as from young and very small sea urchins that may wander onto the beach or shallows.
2. Avoid walking in shallow waters, especially on the outside of coral reefs. Remember that the length of sea urchin needles can reach 50 cm. And even if you don’t step on it, you can easily touch it with unprotected areas of your legs.
3. During low tides, do not go into large puddles left in shallow water; they may contain stingrays buried in the sand.
4. If you are snorkeling (i.e. snorkeling on the surface of the water), take the following precautions:

• Do not swim into areas where no one can see you and will not be able to come to your aid if necessary.
• Wear a T-shirt, or better yet, a special neoprene thin T-shirt. For the water temperature in the Red Sea at any time of the year, a T-shirt with a thickness of 1.5 mm is suitable. This, firstly, will protect you from sunburn, especially in the first days of rest, and secondly, it will protect you from small accidental contacts with corals, sea anemones and fish.
• Do not swim over the surface of a coral reef if it is less than one meter from the surface of the water. You might just get thrown onto the coral by a wave!
• Do not touch the corals, do not try to break them off or stand on them, it is better not to touch anything unless necessary. Even a light touch to coral can either burn you severely or cause cuts that will take a very long time to heal.
• Do not try to grab or touch various fish swimming near you, do not tease them - some species, even the most seemingly friendly and harmless, and, according to local residents, not dangerous to humans, can show aggression towards you, for example Elegant rhinoceroses or Arabian tangs, which have very sharp protruding spines.

October 24, 2013

Inhabitants of water spaces

The depths of the sea have always attracted people. This is an amazing world that holds many secrets. It’s as if a person finds himself in a parallel world: plants and animals of fantastic beauty fascinate curious researchers.

But meetings with the inhabitants of the seas and oceans can end very sadly: after all, many of them pose a great danger to humans. What creatures claim the title of "Most Dangerous Sea Animal"? The answer to this question is ambiguous, since many inhabitants of the aquatic expanses can be awarded this “honorary” title.

Jellyfish sea wasp

One of the most insidious inhabitants of the kingdom of Poseidon is the sea wasp. She has earned the right to the title of the most dangerous stinging creature. A wasp can kill a person in a few seconds. The poison of one such baby is enough to kill 60 people.

You can meet this jellyfish off the northwestern coast of Australia. At first glance, it seems completely harmless: an ordinary medium-sized jellyfish with elongated tentacles. In search of food, a jellyfish can come quite close to the shore. It is almost impossible to see in the water column. A meeting with her can be fatal for a person.

The sea wasp does not attack its prey, but patiently waits for shrimp, small crabs or crustaceans to swim to a fairly close distance. The prey itself stumbles upon one of the 60 tentacles of this mysterious creature and immediately receives a fatal blow from the stinger.

Although the wasp does not show aggression towards humans, even a careless touch to it threatens great trouble: after all, a tiny dose of its poison can paralyze the loser or even take his life. Considering that the sea wasp prefers to hide in shallow water, encounters with it can happen quite often.

The main danger for humans is that when diving, the likelihood of encountering several jellyfish at the same time increases. As a result of the bites, the human heart stops within 3 minutes. Sea wasps have killed more people in the last decade than sharks, snakes and crocodiles combined.

Irukandji jellyfish

Another small jellyfish that can kill a person is the Irukandji. It lives mainly in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Despite its absolutely tiny size, irukandji poses a mortal danger to humans. Its tentacles are literally strewn with stinging cells, which produce supertoxic poison.

It can cause paralysis, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, severe back and muscle pain, and even cause death. Unfortunately, no antidote has yet been found for Irukandji poison. It is noteworthy that even severed tentacles react to stimuli and can deliver a fatal blow.

People started talking about Irukandji after a number of mysterious deaths off the coast of Australia. At first they were considered a new species, then they remembered that representatives of the local Irukandji Aboriginal tribe (they gave the name to this dangerous baby) from time to time fell ill with an unknown disease.

At first there was a sharp pain in the back and stomach, spreading to the legs, which began to tremble. All these phenomena were accompanied by terrible vomiting and very strong sweating. People suspected that they had been bitten by some creature, but due to the tiny size of the jellyfish, they could not find it for a long time, until finally Dr. Jack Barnes caught it as a result of a six-day underwater hunt for this creature.

Great white shark

Another very dangerous sea animal is the great white shark. It is often called the perfect killing machine. The powerful jaws of this monster are capable of cutting in half not only a person, but also thick-skinned sea creatures. Their pressure force is 1 ton per cubic centimeter, and their teeth are sharper than a razor.

Sharks hunt mainly dolphins and sea lions, but an encounter with them can end very badly for a person. It is found in all oceans and poses the greatest danger to humans among its fellows.

Scientists say that a person is of no interest to the white shark as prey: by attacking him, the marine predator wants to understand what it is. Many manage to escape after the attack of this bloodthirsty killer, since after the first bite the shark waits for the victim to weaken. Death may result from significant blood loss.

Scorpionfish also pose a great danger to people. When they are wounded by rays or thorns, an unbearable burning pain occurs, which gradually spreads and intensifies so much that the victim can die from pain shock.

Sea dragons are especially dangerous. After being pricked by their thorns, excruciating pain occurs, which can last up to 24 hours or more. It is so strong that a person can even try to throw himself overboard. In the absence of help, an encounter with a baby dragon can result in complete paralysis of the affected limb or even death of the victim.

Fans of boating, diving and fishermen should remember that in the sea they are just guests, and the owners are all the creatures that live in it. When meeting them, you should be especially careful and always be on alert.

Red Sea- transparent, crystal clear - elemental. The sea is quiet and deep, joyfully calling and quietly whispering, telling old oriental tales. The sea, I am in the transparent emerald-colored depths, the sun refracts its rays on the foamy spray, the sea is in me and I am inside the sea. An endless expanse of water, and down there in the depths there is an amazingly beautiful underwater world, living its own unsolved life, attracting millions of people seeking to know the unknown. Among them there are harmless and aggressive, fearful and poisonous. So who are these dangerous inhabitants of the Red Sea? Today we'll talk about them. Let's start with the most harmless ones:

10. Corals They are brightly colored and you just want to touch them, but there is a special reticulated fire coral (Millepora dichotoma) that, although it looks like coral, is not one. Fire corals are hydroid species or polyjellyfish that form large colonies on reefs in tropical waters where there is strong current and plenty of light. They grow very quickly and look like flat bushes with short double branches. Millepores look very picturesque. Bright yellow or brown colors, nice roundness at the end of the branch. You just want to break off a piece as a souvenir, but it is there that the stinging cells (nematocytes) are located, with which the fire coral burns. The burn site does not heal for a long time and brings a lot of discomfort to its owner. It swells, a blister appears and the lymph nodes become very enlarged. It is better to immediately rinse such a wound with sea water, removing all remnants of coral and treat it with vinegar or alcohol, and if necessary, consult a doctor. It is also worth paying attention to sea sponges. Sponges– although these multicellular creatures are primitive, some species, such as Redbeards and Fire Sponges, can cause allergic reactions in humans in the form of a rash. Providing assistance is the same as for a coral burn.

9. Starfish, colorful and so harmless, always attract the interest of divers. Among these species, only one species, “Crown of Thorns” (Acanthaster planci), can actually harm humans. The color scheme of these not small creatures (their length is from 25 to 35 cm, although there are particularly large specimens with a diameter of up to 50 cm) can be very different from gray-blue to brown, from bright orange to poisonous yellow. Typically, the “Crown of Thorns” has 12–19 rays, and with age their number can increase to 23. The entire body of the star is covered with long poisonous needles up to 3 cm long. The injection can be quite painful and may cause swelling, rash, nausea and bleeding. The first thing to do is to immerse the limb in hot water and apply a bandage to prevent further spread of the poison, then see a doctor.

8 Sea urchins. They look like prickly balls that pierce any neoprene. If you come across a sea urchin, you will experience burning pain, shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat at the injection site. First aid is the same as for a starfish injection: remove the needles, disinfect, keep in hot water and apply a tourniquet, go to the doctor.

7. Clearfin Lionfish belongs to the scorpionfish family (Scorpaenidae) - a majestic and leisurely fish. There are many species of this family, and you can often find fish underwater - the zebra (Common Lionfish) and the Russells Lionfish. These are night hunters who hunt down small fish like a pack of wolves. And they love to swim on the edge of light and shadow. Their bodies are painted with bright stripes, and their luxurious fins hide sharp, poisonous spines. The injections of these insidious creatures cause severe pain, up to anaphylactic shock. A person may experience cramps and rapid heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, numbness, dizziness, diarrhea, and excessive sweating. Some experts claim that lionfish venom is not inferior to cobra venom, although not a single death has been recorded from this creature in official medicine! In any case, it is better to stay away from all representatives of the scorpion family and carefully watch your step.

6. Sea snakes- the name alone is already chilling, and although the venom of sea reptiles is 10 times stronger than its land relative - the cobra, it acts on the human body very slowly. Do not think that sea snakes rush at people at the first opportunity. In fact, they rarely attack them and in most cases they try to swim away from annoying divers. However, if you like to dive in dense underwater thickets, then you may simply not notice the snake there. Only a few hours after the bite may muscle spasms and drooping of the eyelids begin. Apply a tourniquet above the bite site and consult a doctor as soon as possible.

5. Gray reef shark(and you thought we forgot about it?) is the most common type of reef shark in the Red Sea. Usually the gray reef shark lives at depths of up to 270-280 meters. She loves clean water with a strong current. Often lives on the leeward side of the reef. The gray reef shark has an average size of 1.5 to 2.5 meters. The gray reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) is a curious creature, but unless provoked, it is unlikely to attack. It is easy to anger a shark during the mating season, when it may consider you a competitor. Sharks also do not like camera flashes. The shark expresses its aggression quite clearly; it arches its back, raises its muzzle and lowers its pectoral fins. In this case, you should not hesitate; it is better to leave its territory without fuss, swimming away facing the shark. If it continues to swim towards you, try to dodge to the side when approaching. And although a person is quite a big prey for her, she can cause serious wounds.

You need to provide first aid to the victim slowly, clean the wound, but be careful, the person may experience a painful shock and your actions will cause an even stronger reaction from the victim. The wound may bleed heavily, so it is necessary to stop the bleeding before a doctor appears. To do this, you must use the direct pressure method. A pressure bandage or tourniquet is best. An equally effective method will be if you simply wrap the limbs in a circular tug. Of course, in an emergency you may not have a tourniquet at hand, but this is exactly what happens in 99% of cases; you can use any available material. This could be a rubber tube, scarf, belt, rope, etc.

After you have tried to stop the bleeding, the wound must be treated. This should be a solution of iodine, potassium permanganate, alcohol, vodka, cologne. If you have a cotton swab or gauze, wet them with one of the solutions and treat the edges of the wound from the outside.

There is no need to pour anything into the wound itself. This will not only increase the already severe pain, but will also damage the tissue, slowing down the healing process. If you were wounded in the stomach, you cannot eat or drink anything. After treatment, a bandage is applied to the abdomen.

4. Moray eels- belong to the eel-shaped ray-finned fish and are always shrouded in secrets and legends. Either the creepy appearance of moray eels or their secrecy prompts our creative consciousness to attach all sorts of evil labels to them. In fact, moray eels are shy and hide in the crevices of reefs. The Red Sea is home to quite a few species of moray eels, for example: Giant moray, Yellowheaded morey, Yellowmouth morey, Undulate morey, Dragon morey, Zebra moray (Zebra morey), White-eyed morey, Peppered morey, Honeycomb morey, Yellow-edged morey, etc. Unfortunately, recently cases have become more frequent when To attract clients, local diving clubs offer divers to hand-feed moray eels. For everyone who values ​​their hands, remember that moray eels see poorly, but they sense meat perfectly and they don’t care whether it’s a piece of food or a diver’s fingers. A hundred people will feed her and everything will be fine, but 101 will pay for everyone. This is not a pet. Moray eels are smart predators and if something gets into their mouth, they practically do not unclench their jaws, digging into their prey with a bulldog grip. If they help you get rid of her grip, urgently disinfect the wound and go to the doctor to treat the wound and head.

We've reached the top three. Let's find out more about them!

3. Stingrays belong to the class of chordates - Elasmobranchii - Cartilaginous fish.

Electric rays (Torpediniformes) range in size from small – 12-15 cm long, to large – up to 2 m long and weighing up to 100 kg. Unlike other rays, electric rays are often brightly colored. On the sides of the head there are paired electrical organs formed by modified muscle tissue. Animal electricity is condensed in the electrical organs. The discharge is carried out arbitrarily under the influence of brain impulses. A single discharge lasts 0.003-0.05 s, but usually the stingray produces a series of 20-30 discharges in quick succession. The discharge voltage can reach from 60 to 300 volts with a current of up to 5 amperes. Such a shake causes paralytic shock, severe pain, swelling, and muscle cramps. The victim of an electric stingray strike must be pulled out of the water, placed in the shade and given peace. Another representative of this species that is dangerous to humans is the stingray (Dasyatidae) which has a wide disc, a powerful tail at the base and a thinning tail at the end. In the middle part of the tail, these creatures have dagger-shaped spines that can grow up to 37 cm long. The tail strike is similar to the attack of a scorpion - the tail bends forward and the stingray delivers a powerful blow with a whip-like movement. The poison, penetrating the wound, causes sharp pain, a drop in blood pressure, tachycardia, vomiting, and paralysis. A thorn that gets into the wound should only be removed surgically, because often it breaks off in the wound and can cause a secondary fungal, bacterial or mixed infection. After the injection, the wound must be cleaned, disinfected, the damaged part of the body should be kept in very hot water (at least 50 C), and then a pressure bandage should be applied and urgently consult a doctor.

2. Cones. Cone clams, the shells from which we listen to the sound of the sea and enjoy memories of vacation, may not be so safe. The marine gastropod hides in its beautiful mother-of-pearl shell and, in case of danger, releases its spine located at the edge of the shell. Their habitat is quite large, including the western part of the Indo-Pacific region, which includes the Red Sea. All cones are predators and feed on snails, sea worms and even fish. These latter ones are the most dangerous for people. Despite poor eyesight, the cone has very developed olfactory organs. Burying itself in the sand, it waits for the victim, sensing the approach of prey, and plunges its proboscis into it, in which there are many small teeth - harpoons. Instantly injects toxic poison and paralyzes its victim. Cones have a special poison that includes 50 different types of toxins and has no antidote. The most dangerous of them is the Geographical cone (Conus geographus), which is nocturnal. According to statistics, out of 10 bites, three are fatal. The bite causes severe, increasing pain, convulsions, profuse salivation, difficulty swallowing, gastrointestinal upset, and difficulty speaking. The victim must be urgently hospitalized, and before that, examine the wound, remove the remains of the thorn, treat with alcohol and immobilize the affected part of the body, apply a pressure bandage.

1. The leader of our TOP 10 “The most dangerous inhabitants of the Red Sea”, is…

Stonefish or wartfish(Red Sea Walkman - “Red Sea Pedestrian”) - master of camouflage. Buried in the sand, it can lie motionless on the bottom for hours. It blends in so well with its environment that it is almost impossible to notice it, and it is this camouflage that makes it the winner of our rating “The most dangerous inhabitants of the Red Sea.” Its back can be deadly to humans , because it has a number of spines that release poison. The pain from the injection is so severe that the person wants to cut off his wounded limbs. If the poison enters the vessel, then without medical assistance, death occurs within 2-3 hours. The main symptoms are pain, shock and death of the limbs, depending on the depth of penetration. Injured people may continue to experience unpleasant symptoms for a long time. By the way, the English name for wart is “pedestrian”. When she gets tired of lying on the bottom, she uses the rays of her pectoral fins to “walk” along the seabed and often leaves noticeable grooves in the sand behind her. When injecting any representatives of scorpionfish, the wound must be washed, disinfected, to neutralize the poison, hold the damaged part of the body in very hot water for half an hour and apply a pressure bandage. After first aid, consult a doctor immediately.

He who is forewarned is forearmed! Your safety is in your hands:

1. Wear special shoes. Neoprene slippers have an affordable price, but they can give you much more - the safety of your feet. But even wearing them, you shouldn’t walk in shallow water on the outside of the reef. The spines of some sea creatures are very long and can accidentally hit an unprotected part of the body.

2. Do not splash around in puddles during low tide; some types of fish, such as stingrays, can bury themselves in wet sand and wait for the tide.

3. Divers are prohibited from swimming alone, but some daredevils still break the rules. While diving, do not feed the fish or attract their attention with fresh blood. If you cut yourself somewhere or have wounds that may bleed, it is better not to take risks and not swim in the water. If the fish behaves aggressively in the event of an attack, hit it on the head or snout - these are the most vulnerable places; if it feels resistance, it can swim away on its own.

4. Removing any needle spikes from wounds must be done very carefully so that they do not break or crumble further. Take a soft rag or some kind of napkin and carefully remove the foreign object. Even if you were not able to remove everything, limestone needles or thorns dissolve in our body over time and come out of it without consequences. The main thing in such cases is to thoroughly disinfect the wound so that infection does not begin.

5. It would be nice to be able to do artificial respiration and know the basics of first aid for bites, cuts, etc.

6. Be sure to take a first aid kit with you, which should contain ointments such as tetracycline, erythromycin, as well as iodine and brilliant green. In Arab countries, the names of medications are written in Arabic and it is not a fact that they speak English in the pharmacy.

7. Those who like to swim with a mask and snorkel should not swim into unfamiliar areas, it is better to wear short swimming trunks, and a special thin neoprene T-shirt (1 - 1.5 mm will be enough) for protection from sunlight and accidental contact with the poisonous inhabitants of the Red Sea, choose for swimming reefs, so that the depth is at least 2 meters, do not feed, do not pet the fish, do not kiss the fish for selfies, do not break, do not unscrew, do not even touch the corals, and if unforeseen troubles happen to you, save calm down and seek help.

Undersea world red sea beautiful and everything in nature is harmonious. Man discovers the water element to contemplate, enjoy and explore the unknown. Don't kiss moray eels or feed sharks - they're not pets. We are just guests in this world, and we will be polite and reasonable, and then we will not be afraid of any poisonous creatures. Even dives to everyone.

Original taken from billfish561 in Beautiful, but dangerous inhabitants of the seas and oceans.

There are quite a lot of creatures living in sea and ocean waters, an encounter with which can cause a person trouble in the form of injury or even lead to disability or death.

Here I have tried to describe the most common sea inhabitants that you should be wary of when you encounter them in the water, while relaxing and swimming on the beach of a resort or while diving.
If you ask any person "...Which inhabitant of the seas and oceans is the most dangerous?", then we will almost always hear the answer “... shark..." But is this so? Who is more dangerous, a shark or an outwardly completely harmless shell?

Moray eels

It reaches a length of 3 m and a weight of up to 10 kg, but as a rule, individuals are found about a meter long. The fish has bare skin, without scales. They are found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and are widespread in the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Moray eels live in the bottom layer of water, one might say at the bottom. During the day, moray eels sit in crevices of rocks or corals, sticking their heads out and usually moving them from side to side, looking for passing prey; at night they get out of their shelters to hunt. Moray eels usually feed on fish, but they also attack crustaceans and octopuses, which are caught from ambush.

After processing, moray eel meat can be eaten. It was especially valued by the ancient Romans.

Moray eel is potentially dangerous to humans. A diver who has become a victim of a moray eel attack always somehow provokes this attack - he sticks his hand or foot into the crevice where the moray eel is hiding, or chases it. A moray eel, when attacking a person, inflicts a wound that is similar to the bite mark of a barracuda, but unlike a barracuda, the moray eel does not immediately swim away, but hangs on its victim like a bulldog. She can grab the arm with a bulldog death grip, from which the diver cannot free himself, and then he can die.

It is not poisonous, but since moray eels do not disdain carrion, the wounds are very painful, do not heal for a long time and often become inflamed. Hides among underwater rocks and coral reefs in crevices and caves.

When moray eels begin to feel hungry, they jump out of their shelters like an arrow and grab a victim swimming by. Very gluttonous. Very strong jaws and sharp teeth.

Moray eels are not very attractive in appearance. But they do not attack scuba divers, as some believe; they are not aggressive. Isolated cases occur only when moray eels are in mating season. If a moray eel mistakes a person for a source of food or he invades its territory, then it may still attack.

Barracudas

All barracudas live in tropical and subtropical waters of the World Ocean near the surface. There are 8 species in the Red Sea, including the large barracuda. There are not many species in the Mediterranean Sea - only 4, of which 2 moved there from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal. The so-called “malita”, which has settled in the Mediterranean Sea, provides the bulk of the entire Israeli catch of barracudas. The most ominous feature of barracudas is the powerful lower jaw, which protrudes far beyond the upper jaw. The jaws are equipped with fearsome teeth: a row of small, razor-sharp teeth dot the outside of the jaw, and a row of large, dagger-like teeth inside.

The maximum recorded size of a barracuda is 200 cm, weight is 50 kg, but usually the length of a barracuda does not exceed 1-2 m.

She is aggressive and fast. Barracudas are also called “living torpedoes” because they attack their prey with great speed.

Despite such a formidable name and ferocious appearance, these predators are practically harmless to humans. It should be remembered that all attacks on people occurred in muddy or dark water, where the moving arms or legs of a swimmer were mistaken by the barracuda for swimming fish (This is exactly the situation the author of the blog found himself in in February 2014, when he was on vacation in Egypt, Oriental Bay Resort Marsa Alam 4+* (now called Aurora Oriental Bay Marsa Alam Resort 5*) Marsa Gabel el Rosas Bay . A medium-sized barracuda, 60-70cm, almost bit off the first f alang of the index finger on the right hand. A piece of a finger was hanging on a 5mm piece of skin (dive gloves saved me from complete amputation). At the Marsa Alam clinic, the surgeon put 4 stitches and saved the finger, but the rest was completely ruined ). In Cuba, the reason for attacking a person was shiny objects such as watches, jewelry, knives. It will not be superfluous if the shiny parts of the equipment are painted dark.

The barracuda's sharp teeth can damage the arteries and veins of the limbs; in this case, the bleeding must be stopped immediately, since blood loss can be significant. In the Antilles, barracudas are more feared than sharks.

Jellyfish

Every year, millions of people suffer from “burns” from contact with jellyfish while swimming.

There are no particularly dangerous jellyfish in the waters of the seas washing the Russian shores; the main thing is to prevent these jellyfish from coming into contact with mucous membranes. In the Black Sea, the easiest jellyfish to encounter are Aurelia and Cornerot. They are not very dangerous, and their “burns” are not very strong.

Aurelia "butterflies" (Aurelia aurita)

Cornermouth jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo)

Only in the Far Eastern seas does it live enough cross jellyfish, dangerous to humans, the poison of which can even lead to the death of a person. This small jellyfish with a cross pattern on its umbrella causes severe burns at the point of contact with it, and after a while causes other disorders in the human body - difficulty breathing, numbness of the limbs.

Cross Medusa (Gonionemus vertens)

consequences of a cross jellyfish burn

The further south you go, the more dangerous the jellyfish are. In the coastal waters of the Canary Islands, a pirate awaits unwary swimmers - the “Portuguese man-of-war” - a very beautiful jellyfish with a red crest and a multi-colored bubble-sail.

Portuguese man of war (Physalia physalis)

The "Little Man of Portugal" looks so harmless and beautiful at sea...

And this is what the leg looks like after contact with the "Portuguese man-of-war"....

Many jellyfish live in the coastal waters of Thailand.

But the real scourge for swimmers is the Australian “sea wasp”. She kills with a light touch of multi-meter tentacles, which, by the way, can wander on their own without losing their murderous qualities. You can pay for getting acquainted with the “sea wasp” with severe “burns” and lacerations at best, and with life at worst. Sea wasp jellyfish have killed more people than sharks. This jellyfish lives in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans, and is especially numerous off the coast of Northern Australia. The diameter of its umbrella is only 20-25 mm, but the tentacles reach a length of 7-8 m and they contain venom similar in composition to cobra venom, but much stronger. A person who is touched by a “sea wasp” with its tentacles usually dies within 5 minutes.

Australian box jellyfish or "sea wasp" (Chironex fleckeri)

burn from jellyfish "sea wasp"

Aggressive jellyfish also live in the Mediterranean and other Atlantic waters - the “burns” caused by them are stronger than the “burns” of Black Sea jellyfish, and they cause allergic reactions more often. These include cyanea ("hairy jellyfish"), pelagia ("little lilac sting"), chrysaora ("sea nettle") and some others.

Atlantic cyanide jellyfish (Cyanea capillata)

Pelagia (Noctiluca), known in Europe as "purple sting"

Pacific sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens)

Jellyfish "Compass" (Coronatae)
Compass jellyfish chose the coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea and one of the oceans - the Atlantic - as their place of residence. They live off the coast of Turkey and the United Kingdom. These are quite large jellyfish, their diameter reaches thirty centimeters. They have twenty-four tentacles, which are arranged in groups of three each. The body color is yellowish-white with a brown tint, and its shape resembles a saucer-bell, which has thirty-two lobes, which are colored brown at the edges.
The upper surface of the bell has sixteen brown V-shaped rays. The lower part of the bell is the location of the mouth opening, surrounded by four tentacles. These jellyfish are poisonous. Their venom is potent and often leads to the formation of wounds that are very painful and take a long time to heal..
Yet the most dangerous jellyfish live in Australia and its adjacent waters. Burns from box jellyfish and Portuguese man-of-war are very serious and often fatal.

Stingrays

Stingrays of the stingray family and electric rays can cause trouble. It should be noted that the stingrays themselves do not attack a person; injury can be caused if you step on him when this fish is hiding at the bottom.

Stingray stingray (Dasyatidae)

Electric Stingray (Torpediniformes)

Stingrays live in almost all seas and oceans. In our (Russian) waters you can find a stingray, or otherwise called a sea cat. It is found both in the Black Sea and in the seas of the Pacific coast. If you step on a stingray buried in the sand or resting at the bottom, it can cause a serious wound to the offender, and, among other things, inject poison into it. He has a barb on his tail, or rather a real sword - up to 20 centimeters in length. Its edges are very sharp, and also jagged, along the blade, on the lower side there is a groove in which dark poison from the poisonous gland on the tail is visible. If you touch a stingray lying at the bottom, it will strike with its tail like a whip; at the same time, it sticks out its spine and can cause a deep chopped wound. A wound from a stingray blow is treated like any other.

The Black Sea is also home to the sea fox stingray Raja clavata - large, up to one and a half meters from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, it is harmless to humans - unless, of course, you try to grab it by the tail, covered with long sharp spines. Electric stingrays are not found in the waters of Russian seas.

Sea anemones (anemones)

Sea anemones inhabit almost all the seas of the globe, but, like other coral polyps, they are especially numerous and diverse in warm waters. Most species live in shallow coastal waters, but they are often found at the maximum depths of the World Ocean. Sea anemones Usually hungry sea anemones sit completely calm, with tentacles widely spaced. At the slightest changes occurring in the water, the tentacles begin to oscillate, not only they stretch out towards the prey, but often the entire body of the sea anemone bends. Having grabbed the victim, the tentacles contract and bend towards the mouth.

Sea anemones are well armed. Stinging cells are especially numerous in predatory species. A volley of fired stinging cells kills small organisms and often causes severe burns in larger animals, even humans. They can cause burns, just like some types of jellyfish.

Octopuses

Octopuses (Octopoda) are the most famous representatives of cephalopods. “Typical” octopuses are representatives of the suborder Incirrina, bottom-dwelling animals. But some representatives of this suborder and all species of the second suborder, Cirrina, are pelagic animals that live in the water column, and many of them are found only at great depths.

They live in all tropical and subtropical seas and oceans, from shallow waters to depths of 100-150 m. They prefer rocky coastal zones, looking for caves and crevices in the rocks for habitat. In the waters of the Russian seas they live only in the Pacific region.

The common octopus has the ability to change color to adapt to its environment. This is explained by the presence in his skin of cells with various pigments that, under the influence of impulses from the central nervous system, can stretch or contract depending on the perception of the senses. The usual color is brown. If the octopus is scared, it turns white; if it is angry, it turns red.

When enemies approach (including divers or scuba divers), they flee, hiding in rock crevices and under stones.

The real danger is an octopus bite if handled carelessly. The secretion of the poisonous salivary glands can be injected into the wound. In this case, acute pain and itching is felt in the bite area.
When a common octopus bites, a local inflammatory reaction occurs. Heavy bleeding indicates a slowdown in the blood clotting process. Usually, recovery occurs within two to three days. However, there are cases of severe poisoning in which symptoms of damage to the central nervous system occur. Wounds caused by octopuses are treated in the same way as injections from poisonous fish.

Blue-ringed octopus (Blue-ringed Octopus)

One of the contenders for the title of the most dangerous marine animal for humans is the octopus Octopus maculosus, which is found along the coast of the Australian province of Queensland and near Sydney, found in the Indian Ocean and, sometimes, in the Far East. Although the size of this octopus rarely exceeds 10 cm, it contains enough poison to kill ten people.

Lionfish

Lionfish (Pterois) of the family Scorpaenidae pose a great danger to humans. They are easily recognized by their rich and bright colors, which warns of the effective means of protection these fish have. Even marine predators prefer to leave this fish alone. The fins of this fish look like brightly decorated feathers. Physical contact with such fish can be fatal.

Lionfish (Pterois)

Despite its name, it cannot fly. The fish got this nickname because of its large pectoral fins, which look a little like wings. Other names for lionfish are zebra fish or lion fish. She got the first due to the wide gray, brown and red stripes located throughout her body, and the second due to her long fins, which make her look like a predatory lion.

The lionfish belongs to the scorpionfish family. The body length reaches 30 cm, and the weight is 1 kg. The coloring is bright, which makes the lionfish noticeable even at great depths. The main decoration of the lionfish is the long ribbons of the dorsal and pectoral fins, which are what resemble a lion’s mane. These luxurious fins conceal sharp, poisonous needles, which make the lionfish one of the most dangerous inhabitants of the seas.

The lionfish is widespread in the tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific oceans off the coasts of China, Japan and Australia. It lives mainly among coral reefs. lionfish Since it lives in the surface waters of the reef, it therefore poses a great danger to swimmers, who can step on it and be injured by sharp poisonous needles. The excruciating pain that occurs is accompanied by the formation of a tumor, breathing becomes difficult, and in some cases the injury leads to death.

The fish itself is very voracious and eats all kinds of crustaceans and small fish during the night hunt. The most dangerous include puffer fish, boxfish, sea dragon, urchin fish, ball fish, etc. You only need to remember one rule: the more colorful the fish and the more unusual its shape, the more poisonous it is.

In the Black Sea there are relatives of the lionfish - the noticeable scorpionfish (Scorpaena notata), it is no more than 15 centimeters in length, and the Black Sea scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus) - up to half a meter - but such large ones are found deeper, further from the coast. The main difference between the Black Sea scorpionfish is its long, rag-like flaps, supraorbital tentacles. In the noticeable scorpion fish these outgrowths are short.

conspicuous scorpionfish (Scorpaena notata)

black sea scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus)

The body of these fish is covered with spines and growths, the spines are covered with poisonous mucus. And although the scorpionfish’s venom is not as dangerous as that of the lionfish, it is better not to disturb it.

Among the dangerous Black Sea fish, the sea dragon (Trachinus draco) should be noted. An elongated, snake-like, bottom-dwelling fish with an angular large head. Like other bottom-dwelling predators, the dragon has bulging eyes on the top of its head and a huge, greedy mouth.

sea ​​dragon (Trachinus draco)

The consequences of a poisonous injection from a dragon are much more serious than in the case of scorpionfish, but not fatal.

Wounds from scorpionfish or dragon thorns cause burning pain, the area around the injections turns red and swells, then general malaise, fever, and your rest is interrupted for a day or two. If you have suffered from ruff thorns, consult a doctor. Wounds should be treated like regular scratches.

The “stone fish” or wart (Synanceia verrucosa) also belongs to the order of scorpion fish - no less, and in some cases more dangerous than lionfish.

"stone fish" or wart (Synanceia verrucosa)

Sea urchins

Often in shallow waters there is a risk of stepping on a sea urchin.

Sea urchins are one of the most common and very dangerous inhabitants of coral reefs. The hedgehog's body, the size of an apple, is studded with 30-centimeter needles sticking out in all directions, similar to knitting needles. They are very mobile, sensitive and react instantly to irritation.

If a shadow suddenly falls on a hedgehog, it immediately points its needles towards danger and puts them together, several at a time, into a sharp, hard peak. Even gloves and wetsuits do not guarantee complete protection from the formidable peaks of the sea urchin. The needles are so sharp and fragile that, having penetrated deep into the skin, they immediately break off and it is extremely difficult to remove them from the wound. In addition to spines, hedgehogs are armed with small grasping organs - pedicillariae, scattered at the base of the spines.

The venom of sea urchins is not dangerous, but it causes burning pain at the injection site, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and temporary paralysis. And soon redness and swelling appear, sometimes there is loss of sensitivity and secondary infection. The wound must be cleaned of needles, disinfected, and to neutralize the poison, hold the damaged part of the body in very hot water for 30-90 minutes or apply a pressure bandage.

After meeting a black “long-spined” sea urchin, black dots may remain on the skin - this is a trace of pigment, it is harmless, but it can make it difficult to find the needles stuck in you. After first aid, consult a doctor.

Shells (molluscs)

Often on the reef among the corals there are wavy valves of bright blue color.

tridacna clam (Tridacna gigas)

According to some reports, divers sometimes get caught between its doors, as if in a trap, which leads to their death. The danger of tridacna, however, is greatly exaggerated. These clams live in shallow reef areas in clear tropical waters, so they are easy to spot due to their large size, brightly colored mantle, and ability to spray water at low tide. A diver caught in a shell can easily free himself by inserting a knife between the valves and cutting the two muscles that compress the valves.

Poisonous Clam Cone (Conidae)
Do not touch beautiful shells (especially large ones). Here it is worth remembering one rule: all mollusks that have a long, thin and pointed ovipositor are poisonous. These are representatives of the conus genus of the gastropod class, having a brightly colored conical shell. Its length in most species does not exceed 15-20 cm. The cone injects with a needle-sharp spike that protrudes from the narrow end of the shell. Inside the thorn there is a duct of the poisonous gland, through which very strong poison is injected into the wound.

Various species of the genus cone are common on coastal shallows and coral reefs of warm seas.

At the moment of the injection, a sharp pain is felt. At the site where the spike was inserted, a reddish dot is visible against the background of pale skin.

The local inflammatory reaction is insignificant. A feeling of acute pain or burning appears, and numbness of the affected limb may occur. In severe cases, there is difficulty speaking, flaccid paralysis quickly develops, and knee reflexes disappear. Death may occur within a few hours.

In case of mild poisoning, all symptoms disappear within 24 hours.

First aid consists of removing thorn fragments from the skin. The affected area is wiped with alcohol. The affected limb is immobilized. The patient is taken to the medical center in a supine position.

Corals

Coral, both living and dead, can cause painful cuts (be careful when walking on coral islands). And the so-called “fire” corals are armed with poisonous needles that dig into the human body in case of physical contact with them.

The basis of the coral is made up of polyps - marine invertebrate animals measuring 1-1.5 millimeters or slightly larger (depending on the species).

As soon as it is born, the baby polyp begins to build a cell house in which it spends its entire life. Micro-houses of polyps are grouped into colonies from which a coral reef ultimately appears.

When hungry, the polyp sticks out tentacles with many stinging cells from its “house”. The smallest animals that make up the plankton encounter the tentacles of the polyp, which paralyzes the victim and sends it into the mouth. Despite their microscopic size, the stinging cells of polyps have a very complex structure. Inside the cell there is a capsule filled with poison. The outer end of the capsule is concave and looks like a thin spirally twisted tube called a stinging filament. This tube, covered with tiny spines directed backwards, resembles a miniature harpoon. When touched, the stinging thread straightens, the “harpoon” pierces the victim’s body, and the poison passing through it paralyzes the prey.

Poisoned coral harpoons can also injure humans. Dangerous ones include, for example, fire coral. Its colonies in the form of “trees” made of thin plates have chosen the shallow waters of tropical seas.

The most dangerous stinging corals from the genus Millepora are so beautiful that scuba divers cannot resist the temptation to break off a piece as a souvenir. This can be done without “burns” and cuts only with canvas or leather gloves.

Fire coral (Millepora dichotoma)

When talking about such passive animals as coral polyps, it is worth mentioning another interesting type of marine animal - sponges. Typically, sponges are not classified as dangerous marine inhabitants, however, in the waters of the Caribbean there are some species that can cause severe skin irritation to a swimmer upon contact with them. It is believed that the pain can be relieved with a weak solution of vinegar, but the unpleasant consequences from contact with the sponge can last several days. These primitive animals belong to the genus Fibula and are often called touch-me-not sponges.

Sea snakes (Hydrophidae)

Little is known about sea snakes. This is strange, since they live in all the seas of the Pacific and Indian oceans and are not among the rare inhabitants of the deep sea. Maybe it's because people just don't want to deal with them.

And there are serious reasons for this. After all, sea snakes are dangerous and unpredictable.

There are about 48 species of sea snakes. This family once left land and completely switched to an aquatic lifestyle. Because of this, sea snakes have acquired some features in the structure of the body, and in appearance they are somewhat different from their terrestrial counterparts. The body is flattened laterally, the tail is in the form of a flat ribbon (in flat-tailed representatives) or slightly elongated (in swallowtails). The nostrils are located not on the sides, but on the top, so it is more convenient for them to breathe, sticking the tip of the muzzle out of the water. The lung stretches throughout the body, but these snakes absorb up to a third of all oxygen from the water with the help of the skin, which is densely permeated with blood capillaries. A sea snake can stay underwater for more than an hour.

The venom of the sea snake is dangerous to humans. Their venom is dominated by an enzyme that paralyzes the nervous system. When attacking, the snake quickly strikes with two short teeth, slightly bent back. The bite is practically painless, there is no swelling or hemorrhage.

But after some time, weakness appears, coordination is impaired, and convulsions begin. Death occurs from paralysis of the lungs within a few hours.

The great toxicity of the venom of these snakes is a direct result of their aquatic habitat: to prevent the prey from escaping, it must be immediately paralyzed. True, the venom of sea snakes is not as dangerous as the venom of snakes that live with us on land. When a flattail bites, 1 mg of poison is released, and when a swallowtail bites, 16 mg is released. So, a person has a chance to survive. Out of 10 people bitten by sea snakes, 7 people remain alive, of course, if they receive medical assistance in time.

True, there is no guarantee that you will be among the last.

Among other dangerous aquatic animals, especially dangerous freshwater inhabitants should be mentioned - crocodiles that live in the tropics and subtropics, piranha fish that live in the Amazon River basin, freshwater electric stingrays, as well as fish whose meat or some organs are poisonous and can cause acute poisoning.

If you are interested in more detailed information about dangerous species of jellyfish and corals, you can find it at http://medusy.ru/