Animals / Starfish

Crown-of-thorns starfish

Acanthaster planci · Acanthasteridae

The crown-of-thorns starfish is a large starfish that preys upon hard coral polyps. The crown-of-thorns starfish, frequently abbreviated to COTS, receives its name from venomous, thornlike spines that cover its upper surface, resembling the biblical crown of thorns. It is one of the largest starfish in the world.

Where the Crown-of-thorns starfish lives

Recorded in Ashmore and Cartier Is., Fr. Polynesia, Mexico, United States of America, New Caledonia, Fiji, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Solomon Is., Micronesia, Maldives and Papua New Guinea (Oceania, North America, Asia and Seven seas (open ocean)).

Most records fall in Hawaii, Northern, Northern Territory, Sud, Windward Islands and Marinduque.

See the Crown-of-thorns starfish’s range on the globe

Conservation status

Not evaluated (NE). Scientists haven’t checked yet how at risk it is, so this doesn’t mean it is safe or in danger. Categories are the IUCN Red List as republished by GBIF.

Sources

The range is a density of 5,107 georeferenced GBIF records, not an expert-drawn map. Description from Wikipedia.