1 / 24

Crown-of-thorn Starfish

Crown-of-thorn Starfish. By: Amanda Barmore. Acanthaster planci. Phylum: Echinodermata Calcitic skeleton Water vascular system Mutable collagenous tissue Pentaradial body organization Class: Asteroidea True starfish Movement with tube feet Predators. Distribution.

caldwell-beasley
Download Presentation

Crown-of-thorn Starfish

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Crown-of-thorn Starfish By: Amanda Barmore

  2. Acanthaster planci • Phylum: Echinodermata • Calcitic skeleton • Water vascular system • Mutable collagenous tissue • Pentaradial body organization • Class: Asteroidea • True starfish • Movement with tube feet • Predators

  3. Distribution

  4. Crown of Thorn Starfish Appearance - 25-35cm, max 80cm - 12-19 arms - multicolored - GBR: reddish grey with red-tipped spines

  5. Behavior • Habitat • Coral Reefs • Movement • Tube feet • Feeding • Digestive enzymes

  6. Life Cycle • Fertilization • Embryo develops into larvae; feeds on plankton • Planktonic stages • At the mercy of the ocean • Gastrula Bipinnaria  Brachiolaria • Primordium – sack like structure

  7. Life Cycle • Settlement • Day 2: Juvenile starfish • Month 6: about 1 cm and feeding on coral • Year 2: 20 cm and sexually mature • Year 3-4: Senile, low growth and reproduction

  8. Outbreaks • Natural Hypothesis • Agricultural runoff creating algal blooms • Man interference • Removal of starfish predators

  9. Outbreaks • Type • Primary • Secondary • Duration • 1- 4 Years • GBR 15 Years

  10. GBR Outbreaks

  11. Healthy Habitats

  12. The Evil • Reef Destruction • 5-6 km yearly • 86% of GBR • Humans • Poisonous spines

  13. Destroyed Habitats

  14. Containment Problems • Gamete production • 65 million eggs • Larval size • Antibodies to track • Reef size • Needle in a hay stack

  15. Reef Protectors • Red Spotted Trapeze Crab • Giant Triton • Hawaiian Lined Fireworm • Divers

  16. Red spotted trapeze crab

  17. Giant Triton

  18. Hawaiian Lined Fireworm

  19. Divers • Cutting • Not practiced • Injections • Copper sulfate • Removing • Difficult

  20. Knowledge • Imprecise Science • 1960’s • Willingness • Attitude • Research • GBRMPA

  21. Research

  22. Pictures

  23. References • Google Images • Crown of thorn starfish Q&A, http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/reflib/cot-starfish/pages/cot-000.html • www.gbrmpa.gov.au/.../sotr/latest_updates/cots • http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/reflib/cot-starfish/pages/cot-f15.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown-of-thorns_starfish • Ecological Applications Textbook • http://www.divegallery.com/crownofthorns.htm • http://www.tellusconsultants.com/Thread/ACANTH.HTM

More Related