Incidence and severity of injuries among juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Wilmes, Jennifer C.; Hoey, Andrew S.; Messmer, Vanessa; Pratchett, Morgan S.

doi:10.1007/s00338-019-01845-1

Cited by 22 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Food web transfer of CoTS DNA, however, cannot be ruled out for some of the fish species, based on one positive detection in adult Common Coral Trout (P. leopardus), an obligate piscivore species when adult 37 . Nonetheless based on known diet information for the coral reef fish species examined, the presence of CoTS spines in some samples, combined with reported lethal predation on CoTS gametes 15,22,23 and larvae 24,26 and lethal 27 and sublethal 34,35 predation on settled individuals, our results strongly indicate that direct fish predation on CoTS may well be more common than is currently appreciated. www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ Traditional gut content analysis has been largely ineffective in identifying putative CoTS predators and this method often fails to find remains of Acanthaster spp.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 51%

“…Remains of CoTS have been confirmed in gut contents of five of these fish species, namely Spotted Porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix) 27 , Humphead Maori Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) [27][28][29] , Redthroat Emperor (Lethrinus miniatus) 27 , Spangled Emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) 30 and Queensland Grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) 31,32 , and reported but not confirmed for Yellowmargin Triggerfish (Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus) 33 . Lethal predation by fish in the field on settled and apparent healthy CoTS has only been observed sporadically, namely by Stars-and-stripes Puffer (Arothron hispidus), Titan Triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) and Spangled Emperor (L. nebulosus) 27 , with most studies reporting sublethal predation on CoTS arms 34,35 . Finally, Acanthaster planci DNA has been detected in gut contents using metabarcoding in a cardinal fish (Nectamia savayensis), Bigscale Soldierfish (Myripristis berndti) and Smallmouth Squirrelfish (Sargocentron microstoma) 36 .…”

Section: Reports On Crown-of-thorns Starfish Predation By Coral Reef mentioning

confidence: 99%

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DNA-based identification of predators of the corallivorous Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) from fish faeces and gut contents

Kroon

Lefévre

Doyle

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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The corallivorous Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (CoTS, Acanthaster spp.) has been linked with the widespread loss of scleractinian coral cover on Indo-Pacific reefs during periodic population outbreaks. Here, we re-examine CoTS consumption by coral reef fish species by using new DNA technologies to detect Pacific Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) in fish faecal and gut content samples. CoTS DNA was detected in samples from 18 different coral reef fish species collected on reefs at various stages of CoTS outbreaks in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, nine of which had not been previously reported to feed on CoTS. A comprehensive set of negative and positive control samples confirmed that our collection, processing and analysis procedures were robust, although food web transfer of CoTS DNA cannot be ruled out for some fish species. Our results, combined with the (i) presence of CoTS spines in some samples, (ii) reported predation on CoTS gametes, larvae and settled individuals, and (iii) known diet information for fish species examined, strongly indicate that direct fish predation on CoTS may well be more common than is currently appreciated. We provide recommendations for specific management approaches to enhance predation on CoTS by coral reef fishes, and to support the mitigation of CoTS outbreaks and reverse declines in hard coral cover.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 51%

Section: Reports On Crown-of-thorns Starfish Predation By Coral Reef mentioning

confidence: 99%

DNA-based identification of predators of the corallivorous Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) from fish faeces and gut contents

Kroon

Lefévre

Doyle

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Some juveniles were immediately able to transition to coral while this was delayed up to a month in others, as previously reported [9]. In nature, damaged juveniles are common in rubble habitat at the size at which they can consume coral [21,22]. Although this is likely due to mobile predators [22], our data show that corals are likely to be a major factor in sublethal predation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

The hidden army: corallivorous crown-of-thorns seastars can spend years as herbivorous juveniles

et al. 2020

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Crown-of-thorns seastar (COTS) outbreaks are a major threat to coral reefs. Although the herbivorous juveniles and their switch to corallivory are key to seeding outbreaks, they remain a black box in our understanding of COTS. We investigated the impact of a delay in diet transition due to coral scarcity in cohorts reared on crustose coralline algae for 10 months and 6.5 years before being offered coral. Both cohorts achieved an asymptotic size (16-18 mm diameter) on algae and had similar exponential growth on coral. After 6.5 years of herbivory, COTS were competent coral predators. This trophic and growth plasticity results in a marked age-size disconnect adding unappreciated complexity to COTS boom-bust dynamics. The potential that herbivorous juveniles accumulate in the reef infrastructure to seed outbreaks when favourable conditions arise has implications for management of COTS populations.

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“…The development of population and size-age relationship models are guided by the assumption that larval settlement and the post-larval diet of COTS is restricted to CCA [ 10 , 69 , 70 ]. The effects of different diets on growth complicates our ability to age juvenile COTS, Wilmes et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet flexibility and growth of the early herbivorous juvenile crown-of-thorns sea star, implications for its boom-bust population dynamics

et al. 2020

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The ecology of the early herbivorous juvenile stage of the crown-of-thorns sea star (COTS, Acanthaster spp.) is poorly understood, yet the success of this life stage is key to generating population outbreaks that devastate coral reefs. Crustose coralline algae (CCA) has been considered to be the main diet of herbivorous juveniles. In this study, we show that COTS can avail of a range of algal food. Juveniles were reared on CCA, Amphiroa sp., and biofilm, and survived for 10 months on all three diets. The juveniles fed CCA and Amphiroa sp. reached 15-16.5 mm diameter at~6 months and maintained this size for the rest the experiment (an additional~4 months). Juveniles fed biofilm grew more slowly and to a smaller maximum size (~3 mm diameter). However, when juveniles were switched from biofilm to CCA they resumed growth to a new asymptotic size (~13.5 mm, 13-20 months). In diet choice experiments, juveniles did not show a preference between Amphiroa sp. and CCA, but generally avoided biofilm. Our results show that juvenile COTS grew equally well on CCA and Amphiroa sp. and can subsist on biofilm for months. Some juveniles, mostly from the biofilm diet treatment, decreased in size for a time and this was followed by recovery. Flexibility in diet, growth, and prolonged maintenance of asymptotic size indicates capacity for growth plasticity in herbivorous juvenile COTS. There is potential for juvenile COTS to persist for longer than anticipated and increase in number as they wait for the opportunity to avail of coral prey. These findings complicate our ability to predict recruitment to the corallivorous stage and population outbreaks following larval settlement and the ability to understand the age structure of COTS populations.

show abstract

Incidence and severity of injuries among juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

Cited by 22 publications

References 47 publications

DNA-based identification of predators of the corallivorous Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) from fish faeces and gut contents

DNA-based identification of predators of the corallivorous Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) from fish faeces and gut contents

The hidden army: corallivorous crown-of-thorns seastars can spend years as herbivorous juveniles

Diet flexibility and growth of the early herbivorous juvenile crown-of-thorns sea star, implications for its boom-bust population dynamics

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