Snorkeller ‘lucky to be alive’ after finding out he was minutes from dying due to item in ‘harmless’ image

Just like how curiosity killed the cat, this 'very pretty' shell almost killed a naïve snorkeller.

While holidaying in Egypt and mucking around with his GoPro in the Red Sea, this bloke ended up picking up a highly venomous sea creature.

But he didn't have a clue that he was handling an ocean dweller with deadly potential until a few months later when he shared a snap of it on social media.

The snorkeller, who is said to be named Frank, shared the image in a few animal-related threads on Reddit in the hopes of identifying the stunning 'shell' which he had found.

He explained: "I thought I just found a very pretty seashell and was thinking about taking it home as a souvenir.

"But I noticed it's still alive, feeling some weight and movement inside, so I decided to at least take some pictures of it."

Frank said he was informed months later that grasping a random item from the seabed is a 'very bad idea', so he was keen to find out exactly what he'd been clinging onto.

In an appeal to social media users, he added: "Could you help me ID exactly what it was and what kind of danger I was really in? Was it realistically a threat to my life?"

Frank was unknowingly handling a seriously dangerous sea creature (Reddit)

The short answer is yes - as although it might look like a standard shell with an interesting pattern, it's actually something of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

It might be lovely to look at, but the last thing you want to do is touch one...as it's a textile cone snail, not a pretty shell.

These are 'one of the most venomous creatures on earth', according to non-profit Aquarium of the Pacific, which strike their prey with their harpoon-like hollow teeth.

It warns that they 'rapidly jab' their gnashers into their target to deploy toxic venom, which can cause severe pain, paralysis, and death.

Cone snails tend to live in the sand 'beneath the coral and rocks in shallow waters' and typically attack humans when they are stepped on in the ocean or picked up from the water.

Which just goes to show how you're inquisitiveness could cost you your life, or at least a hospital trip, if you are not careful.

Aquarium of the Pacific adds: "The venom of the textile shell is very toxic and the sting is known to have caused human fatalities."

Social media users couldn't believe their eyes after seeing Frank's holiday snap and flooded his post with comments reminding him just how lucky he is.

Textile cone snails might look pretty, but they're very dangerous (Getty Stock Photo)

One person wrote: "Dodged a NUKE."

A second said: "You're lucky and you're also foolish."

A third added: "I've heard that most of the deaths from cone snails have happened when people put shells into their pockets to take home. You are SO lucky."

A fourth joked: "Are you dead yet?"

While a fifth said: "Ok so now you know - DON'T TOUCH while scuba/snorkelling. This is a very good general rule not just for your safety (there are plenty of other unpleasant things that can happen besides death) but also necessary for health of the ecosystem that you’re enjoying."

In response to the backlash, Frank explained that he was a tourist from an unspecified landlocked country who was more concerned about sharks and jellyfish than cone snails.

"I didn't think for a moment about danger from this," he added. "I'll certainly never pick one up again."

If you were wondering what could have happened to Frank if he had been stung, apparently it's a seriously agonising experience.

The National Library of Medicine explains that each case depends on the species of snail and the victim themself, but the pain can range from 'a sharp pricking sensation to unbearable pain'.

The sting can lead to local numbness or it can spread to 'entire regions of the body', causing some pretty concerning symptoms.

It can result in 'initial weakness, sweating and visual changes to generalised muscle paralysis, respiratory failure, cardiovascular collapse and coma', to name a few.

The National Library of Medicine also warns: "If a patient is untreated, death is rapid and often occurs within one to five hours.

"Less severe envenomations, resulting from contact with a molluscivore and vermivorous species, are milder in their toxic effects. These effects are also variable and may include numbness, paresthesias, and limb immobility."

So next time you see a pretty shell, it's probably best to admire it from a distance rather than having a full photoshoot with it like Frank.