Crown-of-thorns Starfish or COTS are marine invertebrates that are responsible for approximately 42 percent of the loss of coral on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (Cranston, 2015). Plagues of this starfish have destructed coral reefs world wide. Scientists have identified fossil evidence dating back to millions of years ago, however outbreaks have only been detected in the last 50 years (Cranston, 2015).
They are characterised by their venomous thorns and are capable of piercing through wetsuits of divers. Their spines are long and sharp and covered with an epidermis containing the venom ‘plancitoxin’ (Cranston, 2015). They are poisonous to sea animals and humans. they range in color from purplish blue to reddish-gray to green. While most star fish have five arms, COTS can present up to twenty-one arms and they are recognised as the second largest star fish in the world measuring between 25cm to 1m in size (Science in Public, 2012). When COTS feed, it emits a substance that lures other starfish to them. They are a threat to the coral because they feed on the coral polyps, which destroys the coral and when conditions are right, they can reach plague proportions and devastate hard coral communities (Cranston, 2015)..
COTS feeding choices and behavior patterns …show more content…
In healthy reef conditions COTS can play a productive role by eating some of the faster-growing corals and giving the slower-growing corals a chance to catch up and regenerate. An abundance of this starfish are located along the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem in the world. It spreads over 300,000 square kilometers and contains such biodiversity which makes it the most complex ecosystem on Earth. The coral reef is the major source of nutrition for this star fish and it also provides a place for young Crown of Thorns starfish to
They are characterised by their venomous thorns and are capable of piercing through wetsuits of divers. Their spines are long and sharp and covered with an epidermis containing the venom ‘plancitoxin’ (Cranston, 2015). They are poisonous to sea animals and humans. they range in color from purplish blue to reddish-gray to green. While most star fish have five arms, COTS can present up to twenty-one arms and they are recognised as the second largest star fish in the world measuring between 25cm to 1m in size (Science in Public, 2012). When COTS feed, it emits a substance that lures other starfish to them. They are a threat to the coral because they feed on the coral polyps, which destroys the coral and when conditions are right, they can reach plague proportions and devastate hard coral communities (Cranston, 2015)..
COTS feeding choices and behavior patterns …show more content…
In healthy reef conditions COTS can play a productive role by eating some of the faster-growing corals and giving the slower-growing corals a chance to catch up and regenerate. An abundance of this starfish are located along the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem in the world. It spreads over 300,000 square kilometers and contains such biodiversity which makes it the most complex ecosystem on Earth. The coral reef is the major source of nutrition for this star fish and it also provides a place for young Crown of Thorns starfish to