The 12 Most Dangerous Fish In The World
Fish are eminently aquatic vertebrates, ectotherms — they do not produce metabolic heat — and with gill respiration. Their surface is covered by scales, they have fins and their body is fusiform, as it is completely adapted to life and locomotion under water. More than 33,000 species have been recorded in this group, but do you know the most dangerous fish in the world?
In their natural habitats, fish tend to feed on small invertebrates smaller than themselves – zooplankton -, algae, debris and other species of fish. None of these animals have humans as their main prey, but some have teeth, toxins and other characteristics that could seriously injure one. Next, we show you the 12 fish that you do not want to meet while swimming.
1. Puffer fish
Puffer fish are not dangerous because of their jaws or fangs, but they do stand out for their ability to swell and the presence of strong external spines. In any case, the real danger of many of these species is the toxic substances they contain in their internal organs.
We are talking about tetrodotoxin, a powerful and fast acting deadly toxin. Studies have shown that this toxic compound is 160,000 times more potent than cocaine and rapidly blocks axonal conduction of sensory neurons. Poisoning in humans is caused by the accidental ingestion of puffer fish organs in restaurants that treat raw fish.
2. Lionfish
The lionfish does not include only one species, but 9 different ones, which are grouped together in the genus Pterois. Again, we are facing a group of fish that do not stand out for their physical weapons, but for the toxins they produce. The effect of its venom is inotropic – it affects muscle contractility – and chronotropic – it alters the heart rate. This animal injects toxins through its body spines.
3. White shark (Carcharodon carcharias)
White sharks are one of the most famous and feared animals in the world. It is not for less, because with its almost 6 meters in length on average, a specimen is capable of ingesting up to 14 kilos of meat with a single bite. Despite the fact that it contains about 3,000 teeth in its oral environment, it rarely uses them against humans. Attacks on people by this species are anecdotal.
4. Stonefish (Synanceia horrida)
This is another of the most dangerous fish in the world, but not because of its jaws, but because of its venom. The stonefish is the most poisonous actinopterygium in the entire marine environment. Due to its neurotoxins and cytotoxins, direct contact with the fins of a specimen of this species is capable of ending the life of a human being. In any case, it has been a long time since there has been a death from his action.
5. Tiger fish (Hydrocynus vittatus)
We move on to fresh water, as the tiger fish inhabit the terrestrial water masses of Africa, where temperatures are high and there is an abundance of prey. These animals reach up to 100 centimeters in length, have very powerful teeth and are capable of hunting birds that are in flight, jumping out of the water quickly and efficiently.
6. Piranhas
The term “piranha” encompasses several species of carnivorous fish that inhabit the fresh waters of tropical areas. The most problematic specimens are usually of the genus Pygocentrus , but almost all attacks on humans occur when there is blood in the water or the victim already has an open wound. In addition, most species do not pose any danger to our species.
7. Electric eel (Electrophorus electricus)
The next member of the list comes to break the mold, because their danger does not lie in their jaws or poisons. The electric eel is a problem due to its ability to produce electric discharges, based on the reactions that take place in the Sachs and Hut organs . Deaths from these animals are extremely rare, but they have happened.
8. Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
The white shark is the king of the seas, but its relative the tiger shark is the one that causes the most problems for humans. These cartilaginous fish venture into harbors, canals, and shores, making encounters with people much more common. There are multiple studies that have recorded the death of humans from attacks by these animals.
9. Barracuda
Barracudas are included in the genus Sphyraena, a group of fish that have lengths from 50 centimeters to just over 1 meter. They are the terror of the seas for small fish species, due to their unusual speed – from 0 to 90 kilometers / hour in a single start – and their pointed teeth do not give their prey a chance.
10. Alligator or alligator fish (Lepisosteus osseus)
Although a human being can only give a scare, the alligator is a fish that reaches 200 centimeters and is a super predator in the rivers that it inhabits, in the United States. These animals are extremely long-lived, as they can live between 15 and 20 years, with a recorded maximum of 39 years. As a curiosity, it should be noted that they are becoming popular as pets.
11. Stripes
Stingrays are a group of cartilaginous fish that belong to the order of the Rajiformes. Of the 4 families in which this group is split, only 2 of them have specimens that carry poisonous stingers in the first third of their tail. The greatest danger of this weapon does not lie in its toxic potential, but in its size, as it can reach up to 30 centimeters in length.
12. Brunettes
Moray eels are snake-shaped fish that can reach up to 150 centimeters in length. They are excellent predators that feed on marine invertebrates and small fish.
As you may have seen, attack and defense strategies in the aquatic environment are as fascinating as they are numerous. Interestingly, many of the world’s most dangerous fish pose a problem when ingested or in contact with them, not because of their potential predators. Certainly, in nature not everything is what it seems.
