Blue-ringed Octopus
Hapalochlaena lunulata
Sighting evidence at Bus Stop Bommie, Neil Island (Andaman Islands)
Photo: uwkwaj · CC BY-NC
Blue-ringed octopus are among the most venomous animals on Earth, carrying enough tetrodotoxin in their salivary glands to kill multiple adult humans, yet they are small and docile animals that reserve their venom for hunting crabs and shrimp rather than defence. Their iridescent blue rings, which are normally invisible, light up in a spectacular defensive display when the animal feels threatened, serving as a stark warning of the danger it poses. On sandy bottoms around Bus Stop Bommie they hunt methodically through rubble, injecting paralysing venom before consuming immobilised prey.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Blue-ringed Octopus is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.