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.[2]
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.[2][3][4]
These species are listed in the World Register of Marine Species:[1]
Some sources add Acanthaster ellisi, (Gray, 1840) but it is now considered as a subspecies of A. planci in the eastern Pacific.[5]
Recent molecular work has suggested that Acanthaster planci is a species complex of up to 4 different species that have yet to be separately described (Vogler et al., 2008).
Haszprunar, Vogler & Wörheide (2017)[6] suggest to split "A. planci" in :
Acanthaster planci stricto sensu (Thailand).
![Lab hybrid of A. planci and A. brevispinus[8]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Acanthaster_brevispinus_hybrid.JPG)
Lab hybrid of A. planci and A. brevispinus[8]
Acanthaster planci "ellisi" from the Gulf of California.
Acanthaster planci "solaris" from Fidji.
Acanthaster planci "mauritiensis" from La Réunion.
Acanthaster benziei from Red Sea.
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.
