Up there amongst the worlds largest starfish, the crown of thorns is a sight to behold. the animal, which can be found in coral reefs all over the globe, is covered from end to end in venomous spines which can sometimes be very brightly coloured as shown above. The spines dont directly inject the creatures toxins (which are called asterosaponins) into an unfortunate victim but simply pierce the skin and allow fragments of toxic tissue to seep into the wound naturally. Spines may become embedded in the victims skin if they snap off and then have to be surgically removed. The crown of thorns asterosaponins can have a number of effects on any unfortunate human who doesnt tread carefully enough in the ocean. First and foremost comes a painful stinging sensation lasting for hours. The wound may also bleed profusely, as the toxin affects the coagulation of blood, meaning a clot cannot be easily formed at the wound. To add insult to injury, swelling and nausea may then persist for over a week. In short, dont step on one of these if you can help it. Oh and it can also grow its arms back, which is super cool if you like your deadly, venemous sea creatures to come with respawn capabilities.
Peter Austin initially joined WhatCulture as an occasional contributor to our Film, Gaming and Science sections, but made the mistake of telling us that he'd been making videos in his bedroom for over a decade. Since then he's been a vital member of our YouTube team and routinely sets the standard for smart-casual wear in the office.
