BYRON BAY, Australia — The Great Barrier Reef is literally being eaten alive.

Deadly starfish are feasting on parts of the world’s largest reef system, which is already threatened by rising ocean temperatures, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority said on Friday.

Crown-of-thorns starfish, a native species whose numbers occasionally grow so out of control they endanger the reef, have been detected on 37 sections of the southerly Swain Reef, more than 60 miles offshore, according to the park authority.

“Whenever coral in any location in the Great Barrier Reef is threatened or stressed, it is of concern,” said Fred Nucifora, a spokesman for the authority.

The reef is one of the planet’s largest living structures — big enough to be seen from space — and is home to thousands of species, including sharks, turtles and whales. Australia relies on it for about 70,000 jobs and billions of dollars annually in tourism revenue.