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Animals /
Marine Life Living

Crown-of-thorns Starfish

Acanthaster planci

A large, many-armed starfish that feeds on living coral tissue.

Crown-of-thorns Starfish
Photo: Matt Wright · CC BY 2.5

Overview

Crown-of-thorns starfish can occur at low densities as part of reef ecosystems, but population outbreaks may cause extensive coral loss. Their bodies are covered with long venomous spines.

Physical characteristics

Length25–80 cm
Weight0.5–3.0 kg
Typical lifespan8 years
DietCarnivore

Habitat & distribution

Habitats

Coral ReefMarine

Range

Indian OceanPacific OceanIndo-Pacific

Video

Crown-of-thorns starfish can have a significant impact on the Great Barrier Reef. AIMS conducts a long-term monitoring program aimed at tracking the number and distribution of these animals. www.aims.gov.auCredit: Australian Institute of Marine Science · CC BY 3.0Source ↗

Sounds

A verified sound recording has not been linked yet. Auto Sync will keep checking xeno-canto and Wikimedia Commons.

References

  1. GBIF Auto Sync GBIF
  2. WoRMS / Aphia World Register of Marine Species
  3. Wikipedia — Crown-of-thorns starfish Wikipedia

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