Acanthaster

Acanthaster
Acanthaster planci
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Acanthasteridae
Genus: Acanthaster
Gervais, 1841
Species
2, See text.
Synonyms
  • Echinaster Gray, 1840
  • Echinities Müller & Troschel, 1844

Acanthaster is a bitypic genus of large and venomous starfish placed in its own family, Acanthasteridae. Its two members are known as crown-of-thorns starfish. Acanthaster are native to coral reefs in Indo-Pacific region.

The species in this genus are a contributor to coral reef degradation because they prey on a large amount of live coral at high density.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.