3) Marbled Cone Snail
Image VIA
Yup, a poisonous snail, who would have thought it? The marbled cone snail is considered to be one of the most poisonous animals on earth and is found off the coast of India, Madagascar, Fiji and the Marshall Islands.
The best bit about this snail is its method of applying the venom. It’s really quite sinister. The marbled cone snail has its very own barrage of poison filled harpoons which it can fire into the flesh of its prey. Once the harpoon is lodged in the fish, the poison is released and the snail drags the harpoon back with dinner in tow.
Like this:
Wow.
The toxin itself is made up of a cocktail of amino acids which it can deliver in varying recipes into the soon to be deceased. The toxin blocks nerve transmission and brings on paralysis and then death.
Just one drop of the marbled cone snail’s venom — conotoxin — could kill 20 strapping young lads, and to date we have no anti-venom. Sometimes the snail is referred to as the “cigarette snail” because once you’ve been harpooned you’ve got about the time it takes to smoke one fag before you kick the bucket.
