You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

[Lee Stewart]

The candiru is a species of parasitic freshwater catfish native to the Amazon Basin. The smaller species are known for an alleged tendency to enter the urethra of hapless swimmers and then lodging itself in place with sharp barbs. Next, it proceeds to feast on its victim from the inside—a horror story that is enough to keep your legs firmly crossed for days on end.

[Lee Stewart]

Killer snails? You better believe it! Carnivorous and predatory, cone snails stun their prey by injecting peptide neurotoxins called conotoxins. Because all 600 or so species of cone snail are venomous and capable of "stinging" humans, live ones should never be handled, as their toxic discharge will occur without warning and can be fatal. Two are known to have killed people: the geography cone and the textile cone (pictured

[Lee Stewart]

Streamlined, muscular, and extremely aggressive and capable predators who often hunt in groups, tigerfish are armed with interlocking razor-sharp teeth that would do a piranha proud. Despite their size, the species is highly agile: the African tigerfish is the first freshwater fish recorded and confirmed to attack and catch birds in flight!

[Lee Stewart]

Snakeheads are predatory fish that possess an amazing trait: they breathe air with gills, which allows them to migrate short distances over land. While native to parts of Africa and Asia, the introduction of this species into the United States has alarmed environmentalists. Snakeheads are highly invasive and scientists fear the fish is able to spread parasites or diseases.

[Lee Stewart]

The diving bell spider is the only species of spider known to live almost entirely under water. They do so by building a diving bell of irregularly constructed sheets of silk which they then inflate with air brought down from the surface. Humans unlucky to disturb this marine arachnid can expect a painful bite that causes localized inflammation, vomiting, and slight feverishness that disappears within a few days.

[Lee Stewart]

Of the many species of worms, the bristleworm is the most dangerous. They occur throughout the Earth's oceans at all depths, and in a varying range of temperatures. None of them should be touched with bare hands. Their bristles are very thin and will embed in your skin, causing a severe itch. Pictured is a rag worm, a species of bristleworm.

[Lee Stewart]

Many a unsuspecting beachgoer has fallen victim to the weeverfish. During the day, the fish bury themselves in sand in the shallows, just showing their eyes. Anybody unfortunate to step on one will undoubtedly receive a nasty sting inflicted by venomous spines on their dorsal fin and gills.

[Lee Stewart]

The water moccasin, a species of pit viper, is the world's only semi-aquatic viper, and is native to the southeastern United States. As an adult, it is large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite.

[Lee Stewart]

This sleek and streamlined fish is not aggressive, venomous, or poisonous, and it doesn't even have a fatal bite. Instead, the danger lies in its ability to become airborne. Needlefish are known to launch themselves out of water at great speeds. Anybody in the way of one of these aquatic missiles runs the risk of being seriously pierced.

[Lee Stewart]

There are approximately 5,000–10,000 known species of sponges found in the world's oceans. Most are harmless to humans but some, like the Caribbean fire sponge (pictured), cause a severe skin rash if handled.