Bloke finds ‘exceptionally deadly’ creature as he cleaned wetsuit after snorkel

A bloke was lucky to escape after he found an 'exceptionally deadly' toxic creature as he cleaned his wetsuit following a swim.

Mat Rogerson shared a series of photos of the deadly octopus after discovering it clinging to his goggles while cleaning up the ocean in Perth, Australia, late last month. Worried Mat found the blue-ringed octopus, which is considered one of Australia's deadliest creatures.

The octopus has a potent venom, called tetrodotoxin, that can kill in minutes. Mat wrote online: "I didn't feel a bite."

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Posting in the Snorkelling Western Australia Facebook group he said he did not make the shock discovery until he got home.

He wrote in a post with over a thousand likes: "After I got home to wash my rash, wetsuit etc in freshwater…then watering the garden, I suddenly noticed a blue ring octopus crawled out of my snorkelling gear."

He said he took it back to the spot he was clearing rubbish from and set it free. He continued: "Either came out of my black snorkel, or blue rubber dog ball, with a hole in it, as other junk had no hiding places. I'll be far more careful what I tuck into my wetsuit in future."

The venom of blue-ringed octopus contains tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin claimed to be a thousand times more potent to humans than cyanide.

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They are commonly found in tidal pools and while the bites are often not painful, no more than a wasp sting, they fire a dart-like barb which delivers venom.

Venoms can cause paralysis and death from respiratory failure within 30 minutes, St John's Ambulance Western Australia says.

Blue-ringed octopus are well camouflaged and can be difficult to spot in clumps of seaweed and beach litter such as drink containers.

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