Data

Settlement cue selectivity by larvae of the destructive crown-of-thorns starfish

Name: Settlement cue selectivity by larvae of the destructive crown-of-thorns starfish
Published: 2026

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)

Viewed: [[ro.stat.viewed]] Cited: [[ro.stat.cited]] Accessed: [[ro.stat.accessed]]

ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2FANDS&rft_id=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/300dade6-edde-4d2e-bcff-8b48e1f840ad&rft.title=Settlement cue selectivity by larvae of the destructive crown-of-thorns starfish&rft.identifier=https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/300dade6-edde-4d2e-bcff-8b48e1f840ad&rft.publisher=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)&rft.description=This study assessed the relative capacity of a diversity of coralline algae to induce COTS settlement in order to test the hypothesis that the alga Lithothamnion cf. proliferum promotes higher settlement rates than the other species. Western Pacific COTS (Acanthaster cf. solaris) larvae were reared at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) National Sea Simulator. Larval development was microscopically examined until metamorphic competency 14 days post-fertilization was determined. Experimental treatments included 14 living coralline algae species and one living Peyssonneliaceae alga plus structural control (sterile aragonite) and filtered seawater (FSW) control treatments. 12 replicate settlement assays were conducted for each of the 17 experimental treatments with six well cell culture plates, and fully randomised distrubution of all replicate assays among the 204 wells. After adding 10 ml FSW and a single chip of one of 15 different algal species or sterile aragonite to the wells, approximately 10 competent COTS larvae per well were introduced using glass pipettes. All well plates were kept in a temperature-controlled room (28°C) matching the light conditions during larval rearing (12 L : 12 D, light–dark).Larval settlement was scored 24 and 48 h after larvae were introduced using stereo microscopes. Scoring included: the number of competent late-brachiolaria larvae remaining in the water column (= swimming) he number of individuals that had successfully attached to the treatment chip or well bottom and commenced or completed metamorphic transformation into a juvenile with radial symmetry (= settled)Statistical analyses were performed using R software (v. 4.1.3). The molecular sequences for each algal species can be accessed in the GenBank database under accession numbers OP830444 to OP830473species | psbA GenBank accession No. | rbcL GenBank accession No.Melyvonnea cf. madagascariensis | OP830452 | OP830467Neogoniolithon fosliei | OP830450 | OP830465Adeylithon bosencei | OP830454 | OP830469Hydrolithon cf. reinboldii | OP830457 | OP830472Lithophyllum cf. insipidum | OP830456 | OP830471Lithothamnion cf. proliferum | OP830448 | OP830463Titanoderma cf. tessellatum | OP830447 | OP830462Amphiroa foliacea | OP830453 | OP830468Sporolithon sp. | OP830455 | OP830470Ramicrusta sp. | OP830458 | OP830473Lithophyllum cf. pygmaeum | OP830449 | OP830464Porolithon sp. A | OP830446 | OP830461Porolithon sp. B | OP830444 | OP830459Lithophyllum cf. kotschyanum | OP830451 | OP830466Porolithon sp. | C OP830445 | OP830460Experimental assay data and description are available from the Dryad Digital Repository linked below.Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded&rft.creator=Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) &rft.date=2026&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.642509452165; southlimit=-18.808168051573745; eastlimit=147.642509452165; northlimit=-18.808168051573745&rft.coverage=westlimit=147.642509452165; southlimit=-18.808168051573745; eastlimit=147.642509452165; northlimit=-18.808168051573745&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.8618072939739; southlimit=-19.152303385533735; eastlimit=146.8618072939739; northlimit=-19.152303385533735&rft.coverage=westlimit=146.8618072939739; southlimit=-19.152303385533735; eastlimit=146.8618072939739; northlimit=-19.152303385533735&rft_rights=Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/&rft_rights=Use Limitation: All AIMS data, products and services are provided as is and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.&rft_rights=Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2023). Settlement cue selectivity by larvae of the destructive crown-of-thorns starfish. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/300dade6-edde-4d2e-bcff-8b48e1f840ad, accessed[date-of-access].&rft_subject=oceans&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data

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Use Limitation: All AIMS data, products and services are provided "as is" and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.

Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: "Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2023). Settlement cue selectivity by larvae of the destructive crown-of-thorns starfish. https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/300dade6-edde-4d2e-bcff-8b48e1f840ad, accessed[date-of-access]".

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Full description

This study assessed the relative capacity of a diversity of coralline algae to induce COTS settlement in order to test the hypothesis that the alga Lithothamnion cf. proliferum promotes higher settlement rates than the other species.

Western Pacific COTS (Acanthaster cf. solaris) larvae were reared at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) National Sea Simulator. Larval development was microscopically examined until metamorphic competency 14 days post-fertilization was determined. Experimental treatments included 14 living coralline algae species and one living Peyssonneliaceae alga plus structural control (sterile aragonite) and filtered seawater (FSW) control treatments. 12 replicate settlement assays were conducted for each of the 17 experimental treatments with six well cell culture plates, and fully randomised distrubution of all replicate assays among the 204 wells.

After adding 10 ml FSW and a single chip of one of 15 different algal species or sterile aragonite to the wells, approximately 10 competent COTS larvae per well were introduced using glass pipettes. All well plates were kept in a temperature-controlled room (28°C) matching the light conditions during larval rearing (12 L : 12 D, light–dark).

Larval settlement was scored 24 and 48 h after larvae were introduced using stereo microscopes. Scoring included:

the number of competent late-brachiolaria larvae remaining in the water column (= swimming)

he number of individuals that had successfully attached to the treatment chip or well bottom and commenced or completed metamorphic transformation into a juvenile with radial symmetry (= settled)

Statistical analyses were performed using R software (v. 4.1.3).

The molecular sequences for each algal species can be accessed in the GenBank database under accession numbers OP830444 to OP830473

species | psbA GenBank accession No. | rbcL GenBank accession No.
Melyvonnea cf. madagascariensis | OP830452 | OP830467
Neogoniolithon fosliei | OP830450 | OP830465
Adeylithon bosencei | OP830454 | OP830469
Hydrolithon cf. reinboldii | OP830457 | OP830472
Lithophyllum cf. insipidum | OP830456 | OP830471
Lithothamnion cf. proliferum | OP830448 | OP830463
Titanoderma cf. tessellatum | OP830447 | OP830462
Amphiroa foliacea | OP830453 | OP830468
Sporolithon sp. | OP830455 | OP830470
Ramicrusta sp. | OP830458 | OP830473
Lithophyllum cf. pygmaeum | OP830449 | OP830464
Porolithon sp. A | OP830446 | OP830461
Porolithon sp. B | OP830444 | OP830459
Lithophyllum cf. kotschyanum | OP830451 | OP830466
Porolithon sp. | C OP830445 | OP830460

Experimental assay data and description are available from the Dryad Digital Repository linked below.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded

Notes

Credit
Young Jeong, S. (Griffith University)

Credit
Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (CAD1-1)

Credit
Uthicke, S. (AIMS)

Credit
Abdul Wahab, MA (AIMS)

Credit
Lang, BJ. (JCU & AIMS)

Credit
Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence Funding (grant no. CE140100020)

Credit
Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) National Taxonomy Research Grant Program (NTRGP; grant no. RG19-35)

Credit
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)

Credit
Doll, PC. James Cook University (JCU) & (AIMS)

Credit
Caballes, CF. (JCU & University of Guam, USA)

Credit
Diaz-Pulido, G. (AIMS & Griffith University)

Credit
Pratchett, MS. (JCU)

Modified: 18 09 2026

This dataset is part of a larger collection

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text: westlimit=147.642509452165; southlimit=-18.808168051573745; eastlimit=147.642509452165; northlimit=-18.808168051573745

text: westlimit=146.8618072939739; southlimit=-19.152303385533735; eastlimit=146.8618072939739; northlimit=-19.152303385533735

Subjects

oceans |

User Contributed Tags

Other Information

Dryad Repository link - Doll et al (2023)

doi : https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.gqnk98srv DOI Link

Doll Peter C., Uthicke Sven, Caballes Ciemon F., Diaz-Pulido Guillermo, Abdul Wahab Muhammad A., Lang Bethan J., Jeong So Young and Pratchett Morgan S. 2023Settlement cue selectivity by larvae of the destructive crown-of-thorns starfishBiol. Lett.192022039920220399 http://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0399

doi : http://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0399 DOI Link

NCBI - GenBank link. See above accession numbers for algal species identification.

url : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ External Link

Identifiers

global : 300dade6-edde-4d2e-bcff-8b48e1f840ad