CROWN OF THORNS 

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As we crossed the dangerous yet beautiful great barrier reef we chose a very specific starfish called the crown of thorns for our report. The reason we chose this specific creature is beacause it is polluting most of the coral in the northeast coast of Australia.  The crown of thorns starfish eats coral or anything else that gets in the way of them.  How they eat is they regurgitate their stomach over live coral which sucks the life out of the coral.  They eat 13 square meters per year.  These killer can eat faster than they can reproduce.  They start eating when they are three years old.  They will eat corals over 300 years old in a week.  

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The only predator of the crown of thorns are the trumpet triton, helmut snail, wrasse, trigger fish and puffer fish.  They will also die from injection of vinegar and ...

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The crown of thorns range in size from 25-35cm They have up to 21 arms and are normally bland in color ranging from white brown to green or gray.  However, some can have vibrant colors of purple, red and others.  the crown of thorns has spines all over its bodies and with its cirlcle shaped boby there is now wonder why it in called a crown of thorns.  

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The crown of thorns can travel at a speed of 21 km/hour which is about 10 knots or about our maximum boat speed.  They are part of the Acantheisteridae family which includes other star fish.

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THE PICTURE BELOW IS OF A RESEARCH SCIENTIST TEACHING US ABOUT THE CROWN OF THORNS FROM HIS RESEARCH STATION ON LIZARD ISLAND IN QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA.  THE STATION IS BUILD ON AN ISLAND THAT RESTS OFFSHORE IN THE GREAT BARRIER REEF