There are many people who experience fears or phobias towards different animals or insects; for example, arachnophobia or spider phobia. Sometimes this fear is produced by the appearance of some of these specimens, such as their large teeth or their strange appearance.

However, there are animals that we should fear and flee from as soon as possible, because their poison can be lethal . Animals that apparently could be harmless, but that hide toxins capable of producing an agonizing death.

.

The world’s most poisonous animals

But what are these dreaded species? Below you can find a list with the 15 most poisonous animals in the world .

  • You may be interested in: “Animal Intelligence: The Theories of Thorndike and Köhler”

15. Sea serpent with beak

Generally, when we think of a snake, we imagine the typical terrestrial reptiles such as the cobra or the python. However, there are also sea snakes that are capable of killing humans in a matter of minutes; for example, the beaked sea snake or “Enhydrina schistosa”, which is found in the waters of Southeast Asia.

It can measure up to 1.5m , and feeds mainly on catfish, although it can also eat puffer fish and occasionally other fish or squid species. With just 1.5 milligrams of poison it can kill a person. This species can often kill humans by coming into contact with fishing nets.

14. Black widow

The black widow is one of the most popular and most notorious spiders because of its dangerousness. It belongs to the genus Latrodectus , which contains 31 species recognized as poisonous spiders, this being the most deadly. These spiders receive this name because after mating they eat the male . In some cases the male manages to escape.

Black widows are usually very solitary, cannibalistic, night-time spiders. They only show social interest when they mate, although they do kill the male afterwards. Their venom paralyses the central nervous system and produces intense muscular pain. There is an antidote called Aracmyn that neutralizes the poison within 15 minutes.

13. Sidney’s spider

The Sydney spider is one of the deadliest spiders in the world. It has large fangs and sacs full of venom . Males grow up to 25 mm in length while females grow up to 35 mm. They are considered one of the most poisonous species on the planet, and their bite causes hyperthermia and acute fever, severe muscle pain and cardiorespiratory arrest that leads to the death of the victim.

12. Armadeira spider

The Brazilian armadeira or wandering spider (or banana) is one of the most poisonous spiders in the world. It is a fairly large arachnid species. It is also very aggressive, and while most spiders flee when faced with a predator, it faces its enemies. It is found in South America, specifically in Brazil, and its bite is lethal, causing tachycardia, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting , sweating, blurred vision… It can kill in less than half an hour.

11. Marble shell snail

Few can think of a snail as capable of killing, but the poison of the marble shell snail is one of the most lethal. It is found mainly in the Indian Ocean, and one drop of this snail’s venom can kill up to 20 adult humans. It usually uses its venom to trap its prey and rarely has contact with humans. The venom can cause loss of coordination, difficulty breathing, heart failure, double vision, coma or death . there is no antidote to its sting

10. Royal cobra

The cobra is one of the best known snakes, largely because of its characteristic stance when placed in an attacking position, and it reaches a great height. It is native to Asia, specifically Thailand. It is one of the largest poisonous snakes, and its bite contains a large amount of neurotoxins, and is very painful . In addition, their size means that these reptiles can bite from a great distance.

9. Blowfish

The puffer fish may seem harmless, but it is very dangerous . It is found in the waters around Japan, China and the Philippines and Mexico, and contains a toxin known as tetrodotoxin that produces a number of effects for people: nausea, headache, speech and coordination problems, convulsions, paralysis, cardiac arrhythmia and even death. Blowfish, although poisonous, are also edible.

8. Arrowhead frog

Frogs are animals that don’t seem to be able to kill a human being. Some of these frogs are also brightly colored, so they are really exotic. But far from this nice image, they also contain toxins . These types of frogs inhabit South and Central America, and the poison secreted by their glands is called batrachotoxin, a toxin that blocks nerve signals to the muscles, causing paralysis and death.

7. Snake of Taipan

Snakes are one of the most feared animals, because many of these reptiles are poisonous. One of the most dangerous is the Taipan snake, because its toxins are lethal. It lives in Australia , and its bite can kill a person in less than 45 minutes. Luckily, it has an antidote.

6. Black monkey

Another snake on this list, and the deadliest. The black mammal is found in Africa and usually measures about two and a half meters , although some specimens can reach four meters. The inside of its mouth is black, so it receives this name. It is the fastest snake on the planet, and can reach speeds of 20 km/h.

5. Stone fish

The stonefish is one of the strangest fish, and a species that people should be careful with. It camouflages itself on the bottom of the sea and can be confused with rocks. Its toxins cause swelling, paralysis and death . There is an antidote for this substance, but it is necessary to act quickly.

4. Death Worm

The death worm is a caterpillar called lonomia obliqua , which is found in Brazil, although it can be found in other areas of the Amazon. Cases have also been reported from Argentina. When a person comes into contact with the caterpillar, discomfort begins, similar to food poisoning, followed by a severe headache . After 8 hours it is possible to notice the presence of bruises, and after a few days the person dies due to internal bleeding.

3. Blue ring octopus

This animal is not very big, as it is the same size as a golf ball. But this tiny octopus is very poisonous, and is practically of the most deadly species we can find in the sea . They are found in Australia, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea. The poison of this animal can cause blindness, nausea, paralysis and respiratory failure, as well as death.

2. Sea wasp

The sea wasp has nothing to do with the land wasp. It is a huge jellyfish that can reach up to 3 m long and weigh 2 kg. It has between 40 and 60 tentacles full of venom that are capable of killing off individuals that cross its path. It lives in Australian waters.

1. Golden dart frog

The most poisonous animal in the world is the golden dart frog . It has a peculiar and attractive color, but the slightest contact with this frog can cause death. In fact, it is not even necessary for the amphibian to be present, as the toxin is still active outside. Cases of dead dogs after contact with some surface where the frog had landed have been reported. It can produce up to 28 grams of poison through its skin, capable of killing 1500 people.