Where does the crown-of-thorns starfish live?
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Where does the crown-of-thorns starfish live?
Crown-of-thorns starfish (also known as COTS) are marine invertebrates that feed on coral. They occur naturally on reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region, and when conditions are right, they can reach plague proportions and devastate hard coral communities.
What does Acanthaster planci eat?
Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) (Acanthaster planci) are a naturally occurring corallivore (i.e., they eat coral polyps) on coral reefs. Covered in long poisonous spines, they range in color from purplish blue to reddish-gray to green.
What is the most poisonous starfish?
The crown-of-thorns starfish receives its name from venomous thorn-like spines that cover its upper surface, resembling the biblical crown of thorns. It is one of the largest starfish in the world….
| Crown-of-thorns starfish | |
|---|---|
| Family: | Acanthasteridae |
| Genus: | Acanthaster |
| Species: | A. planci |
| Binomial name |
What phylum is crown-of-thorns starfish?
EchinodermCrown-of-thorns starfish / PhylumAn echinoderm is any member of the phylum Echinodermata. The adults are recognisable by their radial symmetry, and include starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers, as well as the sea lilies or “stone lilies”. Wikipedia
What is the largest starfish in the world?
The sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) is the largest known starfish, breaking multiple records. It has the longest arm spread of any sea star, measuring about 40 inches from tip to tip, and it is also the heaviest, weighing up to 11 pounds. It also has the most arms of any animal known to science.
Are crown-of-thorns native to Australia?
Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) are a native coral predator. On an ‘average’ reef on the Great Barrier Reef it takes as few as 5-6 adult COTS per hectare to cause a decline in coral cover. But COTS outbreak densities are frequently much higher than this and result in massive reductions in coral cover.
How many eggs can one cots produce?
Each female can produce up to 60 million eggs during a single spawning season.
