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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