These cute cephalopods\u00a0that\u00a0fit in the palm of your hand could kill you in minutes with a venom a thousand times stronger than cyanide,\u00a0says\u00a0Melissa Hobson.<\/p>\n
Blue-ringed octopus are a genus of octopus known for their\u00a0iridescent blue markings. These iconic patterns only reveal themselves when the little octopus \u2013 which are smaller than a human hand \u2013 get annoyed or feel like they\u2019re in danger, which can lead to cases of mistaken identity when the animals are calm.<\/p>\n
They kill prey and defend themselves with their famous bite, which contains a venom one thousand times more toxic than cyanide. This paralyses their prey so they can gobble them up, but it also has a deadly effect on humans. If you get on the wrong side of this tiny creature, you could end up fighting for your life in hospital. Thankfully, bites are rare as blue-ringed octopus aren\u2019t aggressive.<\/p>\n
They are found in the tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans<\/p>\n
These miniature cephalopods grow no larger than 22cm and weigh up to\u00a0100g. Some adults are the size of a golf ball. Although these little critters\u00a0easily fit into the palm of your hand, they\u2019re not to be underestimated. Blue-ringed octopus are one of the most venomous creatures on the planet.<\/p>\n
Like other octopuses, they\u00a0are marine\u00a0molluscs. They have a large mantle (head) which contains their organs and eight flexible arms with strong suckers that they use to move and grab onto things. Underneath their body \u2013 where these eight arms converge \u2013 is the octopus\u2019 mouth.<\/p>\n
They have a hard beak \u2013 like a parrot \u2013 that\u2019s capable of crunching through hard-shelled prey. If you get too close to a blue-ringed octopus, this beak is the part that will do you in.\u00a0Their bite might feel like nothing more than a small peck\u00a0\u2013 reportedly, it\u2019s no more painful than a\u00a0bee sting, if you feel it at all \u2013\u00a0but their saliva contains a\u00a0venom\u00a0that can kill you within hours, or even minutes.<\/p>\n
Usually,\u00a0these little octopus are a brown, tan or creamish-yellow colour\u00a0to help them blend into the seabed around them.\u00a0They only show off their blue rings when they feel in danger. When dazzling sapphire rings appear all over their body, they\u2019re warning predators to keep away.\u00a0This is called\u00a0aposematism.<\/p>\n