Invertebrates

Acanthaster planci

Crown of thorns starfish

Family Acanthasteridae. It is a large starfish that inhabits coral reef. The body is covered with many sharp spines, moreover these spines have strong venom, if they spines stick, it is very dengerous. This species is famous as a starfish eating coral. In Okinawa, they increased explosively in the 1970's, and most corals were eaten by them, it became an object of public concern. In Kushimoto, recently, the number of these starfishes increases, and influence on the coral has been getting serious.

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