The blue ring octopus, though small, carries a lethal venom 1,200 times more toxic than cyanide, capable of paralyzing and killing a human within minutes. There is no antidote for its venom, and the ...

"Mating ended when the females regained control of their arms and pushed the males off," the researchers noted.

Male blue-lined octopuses inject females with venom to paralyse them before mating and avoid being eaten after sex.

Male blue-lined octopi (Hapalochlaena fasciata) have been found to use venom on their sexual partners, as well as for the ...

similar to their close relatives, the blue-ringed octopus. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday.

Several blue-ringed octopus species use tetrodotoxin as a powerful weapon to quickly immobilise and kill their prey. Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to ...

The species, closely related to the blue-ringed octopus, uses symbiotic bacteria to sequester the tetrodotoxin venom in its salivary glands. Scientists have previously documented the octopus using ...

But while other octopus species have evolved longer mating arms that allow them to maintain a safe distance during copulation and avoid this fate, blue-lined octopuses have a comparatively short ...

The small blue ring octopus is extremely venomous, with toxin 1,200 times more powerful than cyanide. Its bite can swiftly paralyze, potentially leading to death within 20 minutes. There is no ...