Australian scientists are hoping to recreate the smell of an oversized sea snail after discovering its scent strikes terror into the hearts of crown-of-thorns starfish.

If researchers can synthesise the smell of the giant triton it could one day be used to help control movements of the starfish, which pose a major threat to the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

Footage of lab studies show crown-of-thorns have a violent reaction when exposed to water the snails have been in. They immediately become agitated and try to scuttle away on their stumpy legs.

Dr Scott Cummins, from the University of the Sunshine Coast, says the scent could be a powerful weapon in fighting starfish infestations.

“It won’t kill the starfish but if we can disperse aggregations, particularly during spawning season where they need to be near each other to breed, that might significantly reduce numbers,” he says.

“We could also scare them away from particular parts of the reef, and even make them move to areas that are more accessible for divers to poison and remove them in the traditional way.”

The starfish is one of the greatest natural threats to the Great Barrier Reef, and has destroyed around 40% of coral cover in the last 30 years.

The giant triton, prized for its large shell, has been protected since the 1960s.

It is a natural predator to the starfish but only eats one per week, meaning breeding enough of the snails to control the crown-of-thorns is unfeasible.