Identification and characterization of the fish predators of the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (CoTS) larvae from South China Sea

Abstract The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (CoTS) present a significant threat to coral reefs and their associated ecosystems owing to their predatory habits and high reproductive capacity that often result in population surges and outbreaks. Although manual removal of adult sea stars is presently the primary control method, several studies have demonstrated that planktivorous fish may be considerably effective in controlling CoTS by predating on the larvae. In this study, we assessed the predation potential of larvae of CoTS by five species of common coral reef fish (Chaetodon auripes, Arothron hispidus, Ostorhinchus taeniophorus, Amphiprion ocellaris, and Lates calcarifer). The findings demonstrate that the oriental butterflyfish (C. auripes) had the highest consumption rate, which increased with CoTS larvae density and feeding time. Predation of CoTS larvae by butterflyfish was not influenced by the stage of the larvae's development or the presence of the preferred food source Artemia. These results emphasize the effectiveness of butterfly fish as a predator for CoTS larvae, and their potential to play a crucial role in CoTS population management.