Solvin Zankl / Close up of thorns of Crown of thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci} Sulawesi, Indonesia

Georgette Douwma / Crown of thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci} Andaman Sea, Thailand

Georgette Douwma / Crown of thorns starfish and butterflyfish on coral reef, Red Sea, Egypt.

Alex Mustard / Pair of crown-of-thorns sea stars (Acanthaster planci) feeding on a coral colony. La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Sea of Cortez, Gulf of California, East Pacific Ocean.

Shane Gross / Philippine dive guide looking at Crown-of-thorns sea star (Acanthaster planci) Malapascua, Philippines.

Nick Hawkins / Crown-of-thorns starfish, (Acanthaster planci). Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica.

Claudio Contreras / Crown of Thorns seastar (Acanthaster planci) detail, Espiritu Santo National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, February

Claudio Contreras / Crown of thorns seastar (Acanthaster planci) eating coral, Espiritu Santo National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, February

Claudio Contreras / Crown of Thorns Seastar (Acanthaster planci) eating coral, Espiritu Santo National Park, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, February

David Fleetham / Triton trumpet shell (Charonia tritonis) attacking a crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), Hawaii.

David Fleetham / Triton trumpet shell (Charonia tritonis) attacking a crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), Hawaii.

Jordi Chias / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) on the reef, Mozambique.

Bert Willaert / Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), Kimbe Bay, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Georgette Douwma / Martha Holmes with Crown of Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) on helmet. Australia. Filming for BBC NHU series Seatrek 1991

Georgette Douwma / Presenter Martha Holmes in bubble helmet with Crown of Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) Australia. Filming for BBC NHU series Seatrek 1991

Claudio Contreras / Crown-of-thorns Seastar (Acanthaster planci) detail, Socorro Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago Biosphere Reserve / Archipielago de Revillagigedo UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site (Socorro Islands), P...

Claudio Contreras / Crown-of-thorns Seastar (Acanthaster planci) detail, Socorro Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago Biosphere Reserve / Archipielago de Revillagigedo UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site (Socorro Islands), P...

Claudio Contreras / Crown-of-thorns Seastar (Acanthaster planci) San Benedicto Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago Biosphere Reserve / Archipielago de Revillagigedo UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site (Socorro Islands), Pac...

Georgette Douwma / Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) Malapascua Island, Philippines, September

Bertie Gregory / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster plancinorthern) at night, northern Red Sea.

Pascal Kobeh / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) eating the coral, an invasive species that damages coral reefs, Panama, Pacific Ocean

Georgette Douwma / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) next to a patch of coral it has preyed on. Only in Thailand are the Crown-of-thorns starfish this unusual colour. Andaman Sea, Thailand.

Georgette Douwma / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) next to a patch of coral it has preyed on. Only in Thailand are the Crown-of-thorns starfish this unusual colour. Andaman Sea, Thailand.

Pascal Kobeh / Diver in front of a Crown of Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) which is eating the polyps of a hard coral (Porites sp.) Egypt, Red Sea.

Franco Banfi / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on coral, Menjangan Island, Bali Island, Indonesia, Pacific Ocean

Alex Mustard / Diver injecting a toxin into Crown of thorn starfish (Acanthaster planci), which feeds on reef building corals. Buyat Bay, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Molucca Sea.

Juergen Freund / Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) on top of a coral and digesting it with its stomach. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia.

Juergen Freund / Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) on the side of a Platygyra coral and digesting it with its stomach. Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia.

Pete Oxford / Diver Marlen Zigler controlling population of Crown-of-thorns sea stars (Acanthaster planci) as this species can be very damaging to coral reefs. Koro Island, Fiji, South Pacific, April 2014.

Pete Oxford / Crown-of-thorns sea star (Acanthaster planci) on coral reef. Koro Island, Fiji, South Pacific.

Pete Oxford / Diver Marlen Zigler controlling population of Crown-of-thorns sea stars (Acanthaster planci) as this species can be very damaging to coral reefs. Koro Island, Fiji, South Pacific, April 2014.

Pascal Kobeh / Giant triton (Charonia tritonis) eating a Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) at night. New Caledonia. Pacific Ocean.

Pascal Kobeh / Giant triton (Charonia tritonis) eating a Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) at night. New Caledonia. Pacific Ocean.

Pascal Kobeh / Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) eating the polyps of soft corals, Baja California peninsula, Mexico. Sea of Cortez.

Pete Oxford / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) a damaging predator of coral reefs, Fiji

Pete Oxford / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) a damaging predator of coral reefs, Fiji

Pete Oxford / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) a damaging predator of coral reefs, Fiji

Pete Oxford / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) group being removed by Marlen Zigler, since the starfish is detrimental to the coral reef, Koro Island, Fiji

Pete Oxford / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) pair being removed by Marlen Zigler, since the starfish is detrimental to the coral reef, Koro Island, Fiji

Pete Oxford / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) group being removed by Marlen Zigler, since the starfish is detrimental to the coral reef, Koro Island, Fiji

Pete Oxford / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) being removed by Marlen Zigler, since the starfish is detrimental to the coral reef, Koro Island, Fiji

Roberto Rinaldi / Crown of thorn stafish / seastar (Acanthaster planci) on reef, Reunion Island, Indian Ocean.

Roberto Rinaldi / Detail of the suckers of Crown of thorn starfish (Acanthaster planci) Reunion Island, Indian Ocean.

D. Parer & E. Parer-Cook / Atlantic Trumpet Triton (Charonia tritonis) feeding on Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci), Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

Jeff Rotman / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) grazing on coral at night, Red Sea, Egypt

Juergen Freund / Tubbataha Reef rangers collecting thousands of Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), an invasive species that has spread in the lagoon in epidemic proportions. Tubbataha Reef National Marine...

Juergen Freund / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) in the reef. Tubbataha Reef rangers collect thousands of these invasive animals which have spread in the lagoon in epidemic proportions. Tubbataha Reef Na...

Juergen Freund / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) collected by a snorkeler. Tubbataha Reef rangers collect thousands of these invasive animals which have spread in the lagoon in epidemic proportions. Tub...

Juergen Freund / Close up of spines of Crown-of-Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Juergen Freund / Close up of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on Acropora coral, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

Juergen Freund / Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on Acropora coral, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

Sue Daly / Crown of Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) on hard coral, Cebu, Philippines, March

Sue Daly / Crown of Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) on hard coral, Cebu, Philippines, March

Jeff Rotman / Arm and tubed feet of Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) at night, Red Sea, Egypt

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on coral. Komodo, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) and Blue starfish (Linckia laevigata) on coral reef. Komodo, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on coral. Komodo, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on coral. Komodo, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on coral, Komodo, Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) crawling over sandy area between reefs, Komodo, Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on coral, Komodo, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Snorkler collecting Crown of thorns starfish {Acathaster planci} Underwater Indo-Pacific

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) on coral reef, Red Sea, Egypt.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on coral, Red Sea, Egypt.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) on coral reef, Red Sea, Egypt.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-Thorns cardinal fish (Siphamia fuscolineata) sheltering amongst spines of Crown-of-Thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci}, commensalism, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-Thorns cardinal fish (Siphamia fuscolineata) sheltering amongst spines of Crown-of-Thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci}, commensalism, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) on coral reef, Egypt, Red Sea.

Jeff Rotman / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci), close-up of spines. Egypt, Red Sea.

Jeff Rotman / Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) mouth and feet. Egypt, Red Sea.

Jeff Rotman / Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on coral at night. Egypt, Red Sea.

Juergen Freund / Diver with Crown of thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci} Indo-Pacific ocean

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Table coral showing damage caused by Crown of Thorns starfish Red Sea Egypt

Constantinos Petrinos / Giant Triton trumpet shell (Charonia tritonis) natural predator of Crown of thorns starfish, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Doug Perrine / Crown of thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci} feeding on coral, Similan Is, Thailand

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown of thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci} Red Sea, Egypt

Doug Perrine / Scalefin anthias ready to shelter in Crown of Thorns starfish, Papua New Guinea

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown-of-Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeds on coral, Irian Jaya / West Papua, Indonesia (West Papua).

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown of thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci} Red Sea

Fred Bavendam / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on coral reef, Red Sea, Egypt

Chris Newbert / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) leg detail showing sharp toxic spines above and suction-cup feet below, Kona, Hawaii

Chris Newbert / Atlantic Trumpet Triton (Charonia tritonis) shell and Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci), Kona, Hawaii

Norbert Wu / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) eats coral and leaves behind bleached skeleton, Philippines

Chris Newbert / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) detail, Kona, Hawaii

Norbert Wu / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) population explosion, venomous starfish feed on and damage coral reefs, cause of explosion is a mystery, Palau

Norbert Wu / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeds on and kills coral colony, Seychelles, Indian Ocean

Norbert Wu / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) close-up of venomous spines kills coral, Similan Islands, Thailand

Norbert Wu / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) are cleared by Ron Leidich since they damage coral reefs, cause of population explosion is unknown, Palau

Norbert Wu / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) feeding on corals, Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico

Fred Bavendam / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci), Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

Fred Bavendam / Crown-of-thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci), Red Sea, Hurghada, Egypt

Jeff Rotman / Close up of spines and skin of Crown of Thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci} Red Sea.

Jeff Rotman / Poisonous spines of Crown-of-thorns starfish {Acanthaster planci} Cocos Is,

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown of Thorns starfish. Australia, Great Barrier Reef

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown of Thorns starfish. Australia, Great Barrier Reef

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Crown of Thorns starfish, Australia Great Barrier Reef