Some of the World’s most poisonous and dangerous animals are also some of the most beautiful. Let us show you some of our favourite species from the safety of your computer screen. Becausewith these deadly creatures it certainly is a question of look, but don’t touch.
Deathstalker Scorpion
The clue is very much in the name with this particular species. While these bright yellow scorpions may not be that deadly for human adults, the elderly and the very young are at risk if they were unfortunate enough to get bitten. They aren’t all bad though: Peptide chlorotoxin from their venom has shown promise in the treatment of brain tumours in humans, though with these grumpy little blighters you get the impression they wouldn’t be very pleased at that news.
Red Widow Spider
If you don't like the type of common house spiders you get over here in the UK, you will like these particular inhabitants of Florida even less. These red widows are in fact related to the black widow, and like its cousin is believed to be venomous, although it seems that danger to humans is very small.
The females tend to be twice the size of the males, and like to hide in inland sand dunes in central and southern Florida. So while they don't seem to pose much of a threat to us, it might still be worth having a look around if you plan on making a sandcastle on the beach just in case one of these took a wrong turn somewhere.
Pufferfish
Almost all pufferfish contain tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin that is very dangerous for humans. There is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans. So of course the natural thing to do would be to risk your life to eat a bit of them, right? As a delicacy in Japan (where it is known as fugu), even the most skilled and well-trained chef cannot guarantee eating it won't kill you. In fact, it was reported that in 1958, 176 people died eating it.
Golden Poison Dart Frog
While they look like they might be of a sunny disposition, this Golden Dart Frog sure isn't the easy-going friendly type. In fact, he's more of the 'touch me and you'll certainly die' type. Dwelling most commonly in the rainforests of the Pacific Coasts of Columbia, the poison lives in the skin glands of these frogs, and are only used for protection from predators, rather than to kill any prey.
Common Tiger Snake
There is quite a selection of different species of tiger snake in Australia, but we think the Western Tiger Snake is one of the most striking. All of the tiger snake species live in Australia, and can change colour depending on the season. They use venom to hunt and kill prey, and can grow to around 2m in length.
Mosquito
While there is no question that a mosquito is very dangerous - they can transmit malaria and other diseases which can kill up to 1 million people a year according to the World Health Organization But are they beautiful? Er, no not really. With their bodies swelling with blood and their long mouthparts and spindly legs they are the definition of sinister and are always best avoided.
Cone Snail
If you are fond of collecting pretty shells, then watch out for these guys.Usually cone snails use their powers of evil to kill small fish, but they are also capable of firing their own harpoon which is strong and powerful enough to penetrate wetsuits, and give you a nasty sting.
