Blue Ringed Octopus

The Blue Ringed Octopus is a tiny little creature that produces one of the most lethal venoms in the ocean, in fact, there is enough toxin inside this miniature octopus to kill at least 30 humans. They grow to be about 8 inches long and they feed mostly on shrimps and small crabs.

They have about 60 distinctive blue rings on their bodies that each measure about 2mm in diameter, which gives them their names. The rings are generally only noticeable when they are disturbed, feeding or threatened.
The Blue Ringed Octopus only lives for about two years so they need to mature early. When they are born they are the size of a small pea and grow to be about the size of a golf ball once adults. They will mate only once in their lifetime and the male will die after mating.

The female will take care of her 50-100 eggs, in her tentacles, for around 50 days before they eventually hatch, they will then float off to join the other plankton (small floating organisms) in the ocean. It is then that the female will die, as she has not been able to feed while looking after her eggs. They are found in the waters off Australia, but also Japan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

Dangerous Fact:
A sting from a blue-ringed octopus can completely paralyze and kill an adult human in a matter of minutes. There is still no antidote available and stings are usually fatal.

 

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