10 Most Dangerous Creatures On Earth

The Indo-Pacific native stonefish is the most venomous fish in the world and quite possibly the ugliest. It has 13 spines protruding from the dorsal fin, each connected to an individual venom sac that can inject the most venomous toxin found in a fish. The venom causes intense pain and excruciating swelling to whoever is unlucky enough to be on the receiving end. The toxin is fast acting and can cause the death of a human in as little as an hour.

The stonefish does not use the venom to hunt, but purely as a defence mechanism for when they have been attacked.

What makes the stonefish so dangerous is its ability to blend right into the background, usually on the floor of a reef or ocean bed giving it the element of surprise. The fish is almost indistinguishable from surrounding rocks and coral.

There is an anti-venom for stonefish poison which can reduce swelling and fight the toxin, but this has to be done as soon as physically possible.