Juergen Freund / Horned sea stars {Protoreaster nodosus} in shallow water, Indo-Pacific

Georgette Douwma / Horned Sea Star / Chocolate Chip Sea Star (Protoreaster nodosus). Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Georgette Douwma / Horned Sea Star / Chocolate Chip Sea Star (Protoreaster nodosus) close up. Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Underside detail of Horned sea star / Chocolate starfish (Protoreaster nodosus) with commensal starfish shrimp (Periclimenes soror), Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Underside detail of Horned sea star / Chocolate starfish (Protoreaster nodosus) with commensal starfish shrimp (Periclimenes soror), Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Underside detail of Horned sea star / Chocolate starfish (Protoreaster nodosus), Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Split level of Horned sea stars / chocolate chip starfish (Protoreaster nodosus) in the shallow sandy area with island in the background, Komodo NP, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Horned sea stars / Chocolate chip stafish (Protoreaster nodosus) on sandy seabed in shallow water, split level with an island in the background, Komodo NP, Indonesia, Indo-pacific, August 2009.

Juergen Freund / Chocolate chip starfish / Horned sea star (Protoreastor nodosus) collected in their thousands for export as decorative objects and souvenirs, coloured with dyes. Indonesia, July 2008

Juergen Freund / Chocolate chip starfish / Horned sea star (Protoreastor nodosus) collected in their thousands for export as decorative objects, coloured with dyes. Indonesia, June 2006.

Juergen Freund / Chocolate chip starfish / Horned sea star (Protoreastor nodosus) collected in their thousands for export as decorative objects. Indonesia, June 2006.

Sue Daly / Chocolate chip starfish / Horned sea star (Protoreaster nodosus) Cebu, Philippines, March

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Horned seastar on sea bed. {Protoreaster nodosus} Tonga, Pacific ocean.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Horned sea star {Protoreaster nodosus} close up of skin, Sulawesi, Indonesia