BLUE-RINGED OCTOPUS

Assalamualaikum J

Japan has discovered about this creature and many human fatal after been attacked by this creature

Based on the news above, all of you can guess what I will share in this entry, right? So, I would like to give bit information about this beautiful creature.

The tiny blue-ringed octopus

Blue-ringed octopus is usually found in the coral reefs of Indian and Pacific oceans ranging from Japan to Australia. In Australia blue ringed octopus is found in South Australia and New South Wales. Compare to the usually octopus that we all have known before, this octopus is much smaller than the others. They weigh only 28 grams with bodies to 5cm long and arms to 10cm. They are characterized by blue and black rings displaying on their yellowish skin. There are around 50 to 60 blue rings covering dorsal of mantle.

Furthermore, their predators are sharks, snappers, moray eels and groper. But, they have shells that provide protection to them in facing those possible predators. They also prey on tiny animals such as small shrimps and hermit crabs. They might also attack humans if they have been provoked.

Does they give simple wound? Doesn’t cause fatal?

I have one theory that I made based on my observation. ‘The tiny the creatures are, the higher necessary to be away from it’. Just like Tse Tse Fly and Puffer Fish, the blue-ringed also can cause fatal other negative effect when they feel we try to treat them.

Why makes them dangerous to humans?

When this creature attack or bite their victims, the victims will not feel any sickness. Thus they do not get any awareness of the danger on this creature because the bitten is painless. Actually the blue-ringed octopus contains tetrodotoxin that same with toxic in puffer fish.  This make more serious situation because of no pain they will get late treatment. Some of the common symptoms are:

1.       Numbness of the mouth and tongue

2.       Paralysis of nausea and legs

3.       Blurring vision

4.       Difficulty in speaking

5.       Loss of tactile sensation

6.       Difficulty in swallowing

So, it is safer for you to not pick or touch anything beautiful that you just meet at the first place. Especially the tiny one!