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Novel rubble-dwelling predators of herbivorous juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster sp.)1.30 MB
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Novel rubble-dwelling predators of herbivorous juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster sp.)
Coral reefs, Vol.42, pp.579-591
04/2023
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Source: InCites
Abstract
Crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) are a pervasive coral predator prone to population outbreaks that have damaged coral reefs across Australia and the wider Indo-Pacific. CoTS population control through predation has been suggested as a primary mechanism that suppresses their outbreaks. However, the nature and rates of predation on CoTS are poorly resolved, especially for early life-history stages where they are expected to be most vulnerable. Here, we provide results from the first investigation of predators of CoTS during their rubble-dwelling, herbivorous, juvenile phase. We assessed the capacity of 104 common species of the rubble cryptofauna found across Heron Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, to consume early-stage juvenile CoTS (0.8-3.8 mm) using controlled feeding experiments with laboratory-raised juveniles. We identified 26 novel CoTS predators, but only 10 species that regularly consumed juvenile CoTS in their entirety. Most cases of predation resulted in severed bodies and missing arms (i.e. sublethal predation) but not total consumption. We highlight one crustacean predator, Schizophrys aspera, the red decorator crab, which consumed whole juvenile CoTS in 89% of feeding trials and in excess of 5 CoTS d(-1) in natural rubble mesocosms with alternative prey. This work emphasises the importance of predators at the critical juvenile stage that may control the build-up of CoTS populations prior to being detectable as an outbreak population.
Details
- Title
- Novel rubble-dwelling predators of herbivorous juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster sp.)
- Creators
- Amelia A. A. Desbiens - The University of QueenslandPeter J Mumby - The University of QueenslandSymon Dworjanyn - Southern Cross UniversityEva E. Plaganyi - CSIROSven Uthicke - Australian Institute of Marine ScienceKennedy Wolfe - The University of Queensland
- Publication Details
- Coral reefs, Vol.42, pp.579-591
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- CAUL
- Identifiers
- 991013101612202368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s) 2023. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article