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AN IRISH TOURIST has said he had no idea at the time that an octopus he put on his arm for a photo was one of the most venomous marine creatures in the world. 

John Paul Lennon (24) has been travelling around Australia and fishing with friends when he came across the deadly creature at Burnett Heads in Bundaberg, north of Brisbane.

Speaking to 7 News Brisbane, Lennon and his friend Ross Saunders examined explained that Lennon has been trying to get photographs with as many animals as possible while in Australia. 

“We realised it was an octopus, we didn’t realise what kind of octopus it was,” Ross told the news channel. 

He’s been trying to get pictures with koalas, that kinda stuff. And he wanted a picture with the octopus on his arm.

The venomous blue-ringed octopus carries enough venom to kill 26 adult humans within minutes. It’s venom is called tetrodotoxin, which is 1,000 times more deadly than cyanide.

Usually, the effect of a  blue-ringed octopus sting on humans is a total paralysis that can last for hours. 

Lennon said he asked those around him if the octopus was dangerous and they said it wasn’t.

“I didn’t know at the time I was asking everyone was it anything dangerous and everyone told me no, so I thought it would have been alright to get a photo,” he said.

“It’s been on my mind constantly thinking what could have happened…. It’s just lucky I didn’t keep it on my arm for the photo.”