The next Crown-of-Thorns Starfish outbreak is coming

The next Crown-of-Thorns Starfish outbreak is coming

Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) are natural members of coral reef communities and their numbers erupt periodically into outbreaks. Adult starfish – which can reach more than 50 cm diameter – eat the living tissue of corals. When outbreaks occur, COTS consume...
Finding baby Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Finding baby Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Newly settled crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris, aka CoTS) have rarely been studied in the field. This knowledge gap in our understanding of CoTS population and outbreak dynamics has been my research focus for the past several years. My interest...
Early detection of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish outbreaks

Early detection of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish outbreaks

Early detection of population outbreaks in Crown of Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster solaris cf, aka CoTS) is a necessary precursor to containment. Excellent progress has been made over the past few years, especially in the deployment of DNA technology.  The five research...
Horror, wonder and science of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Horror, wonder and science of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

The Crown of Thorns Starfish (CoTS) invoke horror and wonder.  They also spur important science. Horror and wonder  CoTS (Acanthaster) are indigenous to the Great Barrier Reef.  They eat coral. In “normal” periods there are relatively few adult CoTS to be found and...