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Acanthaster
''Acanthaster'' is a bitypic genus of large and venomous starfish placed in its own family, Acanthasteridae. Its two members are known as crown-of-thorns starfish. Acanthaster are native to coral reefs in Indo-Pacific region. The species in this genus are a contributor to coral reef degradation because they prey on a large amount of live coral at high density. Species These species are listed in the World Register of Marine Species: *'' Acanthaster brevispinus'' Fisher, 1917 *''Acanthaster planci'' (Linnaeus, 1758) Some sources add ''Acanthaster ellisi'', (Gray, 1840) but it is now considered as a subspecies of ''A. planci'' in the eastern Pacific. Recent molecular work has suggested that ''Acanthaster planci'' is a species complex of up to 4 different species that have yet to be separately described (Vogler et al., 2008). Haszprunar, Vogler & Wörheide (2017) suggest to split "''A. planci''" in : * ''Acanthaster planci'' (Linnaeus, 1758) -- Northern Indian Ocean, always ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Acanthaster Planci
The crown-of-thorns starfish (frequently abbreviated to COTS), ''Acanthaster planci'', is a large starfish that preys upon hard, or stony, coral polyps (Scleractinia). 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. ''A. planci'' has a very wide Indo-Pacific distribution. It is perhaps most common around Australia, but can occur at tropical and subtropical latitudes from the Red Sea and the East African coast across the Indian Ocean, and across the Pacific Ocean to the west coast of Central America. It occurs where coral reefs or hard coral communities occur in the region. Description The body form of the crown-of-thorns starfish is fundamentally the same as that of a typical starfish, with a central disk and radiating arms. Its special traits, however, include being disc-shaped, multiple-armed, flexible, prehensile, and heavily sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
