Reef bad boy could perish as climate warms

Crown-of-thorns starfish are a major threat to the Great Barrier Reef but their days may be numbered (PR HANDOUT IMAGE PHOTO) (AAP)

The bad boy of the Great Barrier Reef could go from villain to victim as climate change warms the ocean, new research suggests.

The coral-munching crown-of-thorns starfish is a major threat to the Great Barrier Reef alongside climate change, which is warming the ocean to levels that can kill coral.