Experts have found the first venomous crustacean - a centipede-like creature that lives in underwater caves.
The blind "remipede" liquefies its prey with a compound similar to that found in a rattlesnake's fangs.
It lives in underwater caves of the Caribbean, Canary Islands and Western Australia, feeding on other crustaceans.
The venom contains a complex cocktail of toxins, including enzymes and a paralysing agent.
The findings are detailed in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.
The remipede (Speleonectes tulumensis) breaks down body tissues with its venom and then sucks out a liquid meal from its prey's exoskeleton.
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