Who doesn’t appreciate the artistry of toxins with no known cure but a complete blood transfusion? The crafty cone snail makes poison along with its beautiful housing. Its harpoon-like appendage delivers the payload by stabbing its prey (and entranced beachcombers who aren’t careful enough about checking for vacancies). Each lovely variety of cone snail makes its own blend of incredibly potent neurotoxins—strong enough to kill dozens of people—putting this creative creature on Oddee’s list of Top 10 Uniquely Deadly Animals in the World.
By the time these hit the high parts of the beach, they’re mostly empty…mostly. But if you're wading in the warm salt water and see one of these beauties, look before you touch!
Image via I Love Shelling.
I’m presently writing a novel set in Fort Myers Beach, Florida where it is illegal, for ecology sake, to take a shell off the beach if the occupant is still home. This is another good reason to obey the law.