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Field and Laboratory Observations of the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish, Acanthaster planci: Densities of Acanthaster planci in the Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Although there have been many reports of the large scale destruction of Pacific coral reefs by the crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci, little is known about the starfish's ecology and behaviour. We publish here reports of its population density in the Pacific Ocean, and studies of its locomotory and feeding behaviour in the laboratory.

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VINE, P. Field and Laboratory Observations of the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish, Acanthaster planci: Densities of Acanthaster planci in the Pacific Ocean. Nature 228, 341–342 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1038/228341a0

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