Scientists backflip as research on ‘bag of gonads’ crown of thorns reveals more than dining habits

A reboot for marine science research is underway after Coffs Harbour experts disproved a long-held theory about crown of thorns and coral destruction. Find out more.

A two-week old crown-of-thorns starfish larvae viewed under a florescence microscope by marine science researchers at the University of Queensland and Southern Cross University’s Marine Science Centre at Coffs Harbour.

Marine science researchers have discovered some sea sawdust that is blowing long-held beliefs on the coral destroying crown of thorns out of the water.

The crown of thorns starfish larvae, it turns out, consider the sawdust a tasty treat making researchers reboot on what they had previously assumed.

Scientists have learnt population booms in the starfish, that lead to reef destruction as the starfish literally eats it away, are not due to periods of nutrient availability as previously thought.

An adult crown of thorns starfish held by some tongs as researchers gather data to learn more about their population booms.

Southern Cross University (SCU) Marine Science Centre at Coffs Harbour and the University of Queensland’s School of Environment’s latest research shows the crown of thorns larvae have been munching down on the sea sawdust all year round.

This suggests a lack of predators, not nutrients are likely causing the population boom and the hectic destruction of the east coast’s coral reefs.

Professor Symon Dworjanyn in the labs at Southern Cross University's National Marine Science Centre in Coffs Harbour.

SCU’s National Marine Science Centre researcher Professor Symon Dworjanyn said research suggests protection of coral reefs from the crown of thorns starfish is reliant on keeping up numbers of predatory fish.

“We need to get more fish back on the reefs to keep them under control,” he said.

Despite their nature to eat coral Professor Dworjanyn said they can grow up to about a metre and at that size “they produce literally billions of eggs”.

“They’re like one big bag of gonads,” he said.

“Some can be hermaphrodites, but mostly it’s males and females.

“They’re pretty cool critters.”

Originally published as Scientists backflip as research on ‘bag of gonads’ crown of thorns reveals more than dining habits