Poisonous Animals
What is the most poisonous snake?
- The Asian Tiger snake is the only snake that is both venomous and poisonous. This snake stores poison in its skin that is obtained from its toad prey. The Asian Tiger snake also produces toxins for its bite.
What is the most poisonous bird?
- The Hooded Pitohui harbors a neurotoxin in its skin and feathers that causes numbness and tingling in humans, but can be dangerous to smaller animals. The poison is thought to originate from the bird's diet of beetles.
What is the most poisonous turtle?
- Hawksbill Sea Turtle's are known to have toxic flesh as their diet consists of toxic sponges and algae. People who eat this meat will experience marine turtle poisoning which leads to many stomach issues.
What is the most poisonous toad?
- Cane Toads' glands produce one of the most poisonous toxins in the world: bufotoxin. The toxin is so powerful it can kill a large variety of animals, and even the tadpoles are dangerous.
What is the most poisonous beetle?
- The Spanish Fly is a type of blister beetle that produces a toxin to protect itself from predators. When our skin comes into contact with the toxin, it immediately causes burning and blistering. If eaten, the toxin can cause internal bleeding.
What is the most poisonous starfish?
- Comb Stars contain tetrodotoxin, which is so toxic it can cause paralysis and eventual death due to respiratory failure. There is no known antidote to this toxin. For every gram of a Comb Star's flesh, there is enough toxins to kill 520 mice.
What is the most poisonous newt?
- Rough-Skinned Newts are one of three poisonous salamanders. Like the Comb Stars, Rough-Skinned Newts contain tetrodotoxin. These creatures put off a rancid smell to warn predators away, but those who pursue experience numbness and cardiac arrest.
Which of the following is poisonous?
- Striated Surgeonfish gain toxins from the algae they eat. Their toxins cause ciguatera fish poisoning, which can affect 20,000 - 50,000 people a year. Ciguatera fish poisoning mimics the symptoms of food poisoning, but it can last months or even years.
What is the most poisonous frog?
- The Poison-Dart frog is small and colorful. It's beautiful color and patterns is a warning to predators to not eat it. This frog has so much poison, it is dangerous to anyone who eats or touches it.
Which delicacy can also be poisonous?
- The organs of pufferfish contain nerve toxins that are very poisonous to humans. While some countries cook the pufferfish as a delicacy, if prepared wrong, the toxins can be fatal.
