Coral reef’s most wanted
A lineup of five of the top predators found on a coral reef
1. Blue-ringed octopus
Found on western Pacific reefs, this tiny octopus measures only 20cm (8in). It’s highly poisonous and uses toxins to immobilise and devour its prey.
2. Moray eel
A key reef predator, moray eels hide in crevices and lie in wait for their next meal. They have two strong sets of jaws: one for grabbing and another for eating their prey.
3. Crown-of-thorns starfish
This starfish has a huge appetite for coral. It feeds by extending its stomach over the polyps to liquefy and digest the tissue, leaving only skeletons behind.
4. Tiger shark
This shark species is a voracious predator and scavenger. They have excellent senses of sight and smell and seem to eat anything and everything they come across.
5. Reef stonefish
As a master of camouflage, the stonefish resembles an algae-encrusted rock. That is until it ambushes its victim by brandishing spines laced with deadly toxins.
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