With their mottled camouflage and habit of lingering on muddy or rocky bottoms of marine environments, they are easy to step on. Like the cone snail, stonefish are another animal that an unsuspecting swimmer might fall foul of. Stonefish ( Synanceia genus) Stonefish in the Eden Island aquarium, Seychelles © Raimund Franken/ullstein bild via Getty The uses of other components of the venom are currently being investigated, for the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer's and epilepsy, as well as pain relievers for cancer and HIV patients. Scientists have isolated a particular toxin from one species of cone snail and from it derived a non-opioid painkiller that is many times stronger than morphine. ![]() However, cone snails are another creature whose venom has potential benefits for medicine. Most commonly, cone snail stings come from divers handling them. ![]() In fact, marine cone snail venom is so potent it can cause respiratory failure, muscle paralysis, vision impairment and even death. Please note that this video may include external ads. The snail then opens up its mouth and sucks its helpless quarry inside, alive and paralysed. They live on the sea bed and hunt fish by sending out a hollow, venom-filled 'harpoon', thus immobilising any curious passers-by. But cone snails do more than just slither over rocks. Looking at sea snail shells washed up on the beach, you wouldn't think a marine snail could be deadly. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. We named the funnel web spider one of the deadliest spiders in the world Cone snail (including Conus magnus) Cone snail (Conus striatus), hunting blueband goby (Valenciennea strigata). Scientists have discovered that one particular molecule found in the venom could be used as a time-buying heart attack treatment, blocking the ‘cell death message’ and preventing further damage. This often deadly venom could however be lifesaving, too. This is because these animals produce antibodies that bind to and neutralise the toxins that, unfortunately, primates cannot. The funnel web spider produces a potent venom that is extremely toxic to humans and other primates, but interestingly harmless to many other animals. The gila monster is not the only animal whose venom has medicinal potential in humans. Sydney funnel web spider ( Atrax robustus) Image credit: Getty Images Fascinatingly, scientists have found a hormone in this toxic saliva that can be used to treat type 2 diabetes in humans. The venom, a fairly mild neurotoxin, is produced in the lizards’ salivary glands. However, despite the pain, no bite has been known to result in a human death. One unfortunate journalist who got too close described it as “like hot lava coursing through your veins”. The bite of the gila monster, a venomous lizard native to the USA and Mexico, is considered to be the most excruciating of any vertebrate. © Gettyįrom the deadliest to perhaps the most painful. ![]() Gila monster ( Heloderma suspectum) The world's most venomous lizard, the gila monster.
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