Look but don't touch..

that's the advice for this guy.
The Blue Ringed Octopus.






This handsome gent is
native to the waters near Japan and Australia.
A proud resident of the Great Barrier reef as well.
and believe it or not,
he has the ability to kill you.

Those fancy blue rings are a warning,
normally he is a pale yellow color.
But when the rings come out
he may attack.
And while his bite may not hurt
he could be releasing his venom.

A website about the Great Barrier Reef
provides this morbid tidbit.
"The venom contains tetrodotoxin,
which blocks sodium channels and causes motor paralysis
and occasionally respiratory failure.
Though with fixed dilated pupils,
the senses of the patients are often intact.
The victims are aware but unable to respond."

There is no antidote.
Which means that he is best viewed from afar
because he means business.

Other interesting facts about the BRO
are that there are 2 kinds.
The first is about 8inches in length
and less common than the 4" one
who lives in the shallow coral and rock pools.
Their average life span is about 2 years.
And the females lay about 40 eggs,
which they incubate under their arms for 6 months!
No thank you.

I love this guy,
but he is not someone
that I'd like to meet in person.