Don't Bite Me!

alarming
The pacu, also known as sheephead, is an alarming fish with human-like teeth.

The appearance of a Brazilian fish has sent a chill through summertime swimmers in Sweden and Denmark. The alarming fish is the pacu, a cousin of the piranha, which has large teeth and a reputation for biting men's testicles.

One half of shark attacks are attributable to great whites. New research finds that great whites, who are naturally curious, are "sample biting" and then releasing their victims rather than hunting humans.

Small and docile, this species is recognized as one of the world's most venomous animals. The bite is small and painless, so victims often have no forewarning.

While a fearsome reputation precedes them, in reality the tarantula's bite is only as harmful as it looks. What venom they may inject is weaker than that of the average bee.

Don't let the bedbugs bite. The salivary fluid injected by the parasitic insect causes the skin to become irritated and inflamed, and chronic attacks can lead to delusions of infestation.

Anopheles mosquitoes carry the malaria parasite. The blood-seeking females inject these microscopic invaders, each bite acting like an infected hypodermic needle.

Spider venoms work on one of two principles. They are either neurotoxic, attacking the nervous system, or necrotic, attacking tissues surrounding the bite.

Among the most venomous of snakes, the king cobra can deliver enough neurotoxin in a single bite to kill 20 people, or even an elephant!

The Black widow is notorious for its bite, as its venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake.

It is peak mosquito season, and while some lucky outdoor venturers seem unperturbed by the tiny insects, others appear to be relentlessly assaulted. Scientists are trying to understand why.