Dangers and Beauty of the Great Barrier Reef: The Blue Ring Octopus

When visiting the Great Barrier Reef, which is breathtakingly beautiful, you must be aware of the dangers in the blue green waters. One thing to keep an eye out for is the sea life, especially the Blue Ring Octopus. This creature is extremely dangerous when confronted. They are found in South Western Australia to southern and northern Tasmania. The only deadly octopus any where in the world is found in Australia.

There are two species: Hapalochkaena lunulata which is the larger size, it grows up to twenty centimeters (eight inches) measured across its tentacles. The second more common type Hapalochkaena maculosa is smaller. It weighs twenty-eight grams (just one ounce). You can find these below the water, on the bottom under rocks, where they like to dig in for protection and also hunt for crabs.

The Blue Ring Octopus is yellow or brown in color while resting. They are soft- bodied animals that have eight tentacles with suckers along the sides. They live up to two years and can be found in depths of zero to twenty meters. It is not aggressive unless threatened and you my friend are a threat! It has blue rings that light up when it is frightened and that is when it will strike. If you are close enough to see the rings turn iridescent, it is too late for you. These small octopus are quite deadly, they carry enough toxin to kill twenty-six adults within minutes.

As I said they feed on crabs but they carry two types of venom. One to kill their food and the other is for anything or anyone who threatens them. It is not really known how they kill their food, whether the octopus secretes poison near the prey and wait for them to be affected or if it bites its prey directly. Once it kills its food it starts eating it with its beak-like mouth.