Effects of conspecific cues on larval settlement in crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster cf. solaris) Data

Full description

These data are associated with a study investigating crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) settlement induction in response to a range of conspecific cues associated with early- and late-stage herbivorous juveniles, corallivorous juveniles and adults.

Two experiments were conducted to establish potential larval responses in respone to juvenile and adult cues, respectively. Experiments (larval settlement assays) were carried out at the National Sea Simulator at the Australian Institute of Marine Science in 2021 and 2022. R software was used to analyse and present this data in the associated publication.

The dataset consists of the following files:

1) COTS_conspecifics_juveniles_data_csv

2) COTS_conspecifics_adults_data_csv

3) COTS_conspecifics_Juv_size_data_csv

Treatments:

1) Juvenile data treatments (file abbreviations and explanations):

1.1 1-m (alg): 1-month old herbivorous juvenile (coralline algae spp.)

1.2 1-y (alg): 1-year old herbivorous juvenile (coralline algae spp.)

1.3 1-y (cor): 1 year-old corallivorous juvenile (Acropora spp.)

1.4 csw 1-m (alg): fsw conditioned with 1-month old herbivorous juveniles (1.1)

1.5 csw 1-y (alg): fsw conditioned with 1-year old herbivorous juveniles (1.2)

1.6 csw 1-y (cor): fsw conditioned with 1-year old corallivorous juveniles (1.3)

1.7 L. pro: 0.5 x 0.5 cm live coralline algae chip (Lithothamnion cf. proliferum) (positive control)

1.8 L. pro + csw: herbivorous 1-y-o juvenile conditioned fsw (1.5) added to coralline algae chip (1.7)

1.9 fsw: filtered seawater (negative control)

2) Adult data treatments (file abbreviations and explanations):

2.1 tube foot: adult tube foot obtained from single 20 cm diameter male

2.2 spine: adult spine piece (1.5 cm length) obtained from single 20 cm diameter male

2.3 csw: conditioned seawater from 1,200 L flow-through tank containing 12 males (15-35 cm diameter)

2.4 L. pro: 0.5 x 0.5 cm live coralline algae chip (Lithothamnion cf. proliferum) (positive control)

2.5 fsw: filtered seawater (negative control)

Other general notes:

"NUMBER" = settlement assay number (from 1 to n for each experiment)

"PLATE: = 6-well plate number (containing 6 numbers each; e.g. PLATE 1 contained assays NUMBER 1 to 6)

"WELL" = well number within each 6-well plate (from 1 to 6 for each plate)

"ID" = individual settlement assay ID (i.e., each well has an individual ID; letters represent treatments, numbers represent 12 replicates; e.g. treatment A with IDs A1 to A12)

"# settled" = number of individuals attached to the treatment or well bottom and commenced or completed metamorphosis, for each respective well/assay "# not settled" = number of competent larvae swimming in the water column, for each respective well/assay