Page 31 - (DK) Danger! Open with Extreme Caution!

CATFISH

There are more than 1,600 venomous species
of these finned fatales. Venom glands are located
alongside their bony spines. When defending itself
from attack, the killer catfish locks its spines into
place, stabs its predator, and releases its terrible
toxins into the open wound. Bad kitty!

SEA SNAKE

An aquatic relation of the cobra,
this slippery customer lives in
the shallows, feeding on fish and
eel and popping up for a gulp of
air from time to time. If provoked,
it may sink its venom-laced
fangs into your leg. In
a matter of minutes, your
muscles stiffen, your jaw
spasms, your vision is
blurry, and you struggle
BLUE-RINGED OCTOPUS to breathe.
Do not disturb this rock-pool dweller. If you do step
on it or pick it up, someone is going to get hurt.
Its bite isn’t painful, but its saliva carries a venom
powerful enough to kill—and there is no antivenin.
Within minutes, you feel woozy, your vision dims, your
senses of touch and speech disappear, and you stop
breathing as paralysis sets in.
CRENULATED FIRE CORAL

This yellowish pore-covered sea coral branches out
on reefs or attaches itself to walls, cement pilings,
or other solid objects under the water. There is
only one thing you need to know about
it: reef it alone. Should you touch it, your skin
will burn and erupt in a painful, blistery rash.

ANIMALS IN THE SHALLOWS 31
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.