Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci). Starfish are marine invertebrates. This is a poisonous starfish that lives on coral reefs in the Indo-P

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Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci). Starfish are marine invertebrates. This is a poisonous starfish that lives on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. It has long spines on its upper surface, covered in epithelial cells with glands that release poison. The increase in numbers of this starfish, resulting from man's decimation of its chief predator, poses a serious threat to coral reefs. Photographed in the Indian Ocean in the Maldives.

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Size: 7237px × 4830px
Photo credit: © ALEXANDER SEMENOV/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, acanthaster, biological, biology, close-, crown--thorns, detail, echinoderm, fauna, indian, indo-pacific, invertebrate, maldives, marine, nature, ocean, planci, poisonous, reef, sea, spine, spines, starfish, toxic, tropical, tropics, underwater, water, zoological, zoology