Crown of Thorns Starfish facts: destroyers of the reef (?) | Animal Fact Files

The name 'crown-of-thorns starfish' is synonymous with the destruction of coral reefs, but how much do we actually know about these sea stars? These animals are some of the largest starfish in alive today and they come equipped with venomous spines that can reach up to 2 inches (5cm) in length! Sure, they eat coral, but not for their entire lives, and there's evidence to suggest that they can actually be beneficial to coral reefs. So why do humans paint them in such a negative light?

Scientific Name:
-crown-of-thorns sea star (Acanthaster planci)
-short spined crown-of-thorns sea star (Acanthaster brevispinus)
Range: Indo-Pacific marine waters
Size: up to 1.3 feet (40cm)
Diet: algae as juveniles, coral as adults; short spined eat mollusks like scallops
Lifespan: 5+ years

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Image and Video Credits:
JD -    • Pure Evil  
IRD -    • Acanthaster, la guerre d’une étoile d...  
Oceans -    • Acanthaster - Le fléau des coraux  
Australian Institute of Marine Science -    • Crown of Thorns Survey Video  


Matt Kieffer - https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattkie...
NOAA Photo Library - https://www.flickr.com/photos/noaapho... https://www.flickr.com/photos/noaapho... https://www.flickr.com/photos/noaapho...
Ryan McMinds - https://www.flickr.com/photos/1319671...
Bernard DUPONT - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bernied...
Matt Kieffer - https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattkie...
jon hanson - https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonhans...
Ryan McMinds - https://www.flickr.com/photos/1319671...


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Mudasir Zainuddin - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
JSLUCAS75 - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Sylvain Le Bris - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Photo22222 - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Frederic Ducarme - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Michel Dammeron - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Rore bzh - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Vardhan Patankar - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Nhobgood - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...


seawildearth - https://vimeo.com/56888989
Kris Mikael Krister - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...


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