When it comes to deadly creatures, Australia seems to be the destination for the biggest, nastiest, venom-iest animals on Earth. These dangerous critters are both land and ocean based, and people wandering all over the continent have to literally watch every step they take. As further explained in this latest video from SmarterEveryDay the stonefish is one of those ultra deadly creatures that kills by injecting venom into people who aren’t paying attention to each step, obviously stinging divers and beachgoers who are unfortunate enough to just step in the wrong place. But considering how well these fish blend into their backgrounds, we could certainly see how so many people are stung.
The video, which we pulled off of Gizmodo, shows just how the stonefish does its damage. When folks step on any of the fish’s 13 venomous dorsal spines, the skin pulls back to reveal some nasty hypodermic style spines each with its own set of venom sacks. As pressure from the foot pushes down on the spine, obviously causing a puncture, the venom is expelled upward into the foot.
Unfortunately, the sting isn’t like that of a lionfish, which has been described as nothing more than a bad bee sting. The sting of the stonefish is deadly. If treatment in the form of anti-venom isn’t administered quickly, there is a good chance the victim could die.
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