Crown-of-thorns starfish

A large, venomous sea star covered in sharp spines that feeds mainly on reef-building corals. Population outbreaks can cause extensive coral loss.

Coral predation: The consumption of living coral tissue by animals. Crown-of-thorns starfish feed by everting their stomachs over coral and digesting its tissue.
Great Barrier Reef: The world's largest coral reef system, off northeastern Australia. Repeated outbreaks there have prompted extensive monitoring and control programs.
Crown-of-thorns starfish control: Methods used to reduce harmful crown-of-thorns starfish populations, including targeted culling. Control teams inject or remove starfish in outbreak zones to protect coral cover.
Crown-of-thorns starfish population dynamics: Changes in crown-of-thorns starfish abundance through reproduction, survival, and movement. Population models connect larval recruitment and survival to outbreak formation.
Echinoderm water vascular system: A fluid-filled canal network that powers movement and feeding in echinoderms. Tube feet supplied by this system help the starfish move and handle prey.
Coral bleaching: The loss of symbiotic algae or their pigments from corals, often under environmental stress. Bleaching and starfish predation can compound coral loss through different mechanisms.
Crown-of-thorns starfish monitoring: Surveys and detection methods used to track starfish abundance and distribution on reefs. Monitoring locates outbreak fronts and helps prioritize control effort.
Crown-of-thorns starfish larva: The planktonic developmental stage of a crown-of-thorns starfish before settlement and metamorphosis. Larval survival and settlement may determine how strongly populations increase.
Sea star digestion: The process by which sea stars digest food, often outside the body using an everted stomach. External digestion lets this species feed across broad coral surfaces.
Coral reef ecosystem: A diverse marine community built around reef-forming corals and their physical structures. The starfish's effects extend beyond individual prey to reef habitats and communities.

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