Lesser Weever with spines lying flat
Notice the yellow tail with a black edge
Lesser
weever with its poisonous spines
The spines are in the black dorsal fin
The
above photographs were taken on Coverack Beach and show the upturned mouth
and the eyes near the top of the head. There are also poisonous spines
near the gills. To the right you can see a close-up of the spines ready
to sting.
Weever
fish are found in the sea on sandy beaches. They wait for shrimps or other
small prey with just their eyes showing above the sand. If a bather treads
on one, as it lies hidden under the sand, the weever inflicts a very painful
sting.
What to do
The
recommended treatment is to place the foot in hot water to obtain relief.
When that is not available then everyone has their own supply of water
at body heat, if the severity of the pain is enough to overcome natural
modesty. The pain usually subsides gradually on its own after about twenty
minutes, but it is very severe while it lasts.