Relationships between size and reproductive output in the crown-of-thorns starfish
Russell C. Babcock1,*, David A Milton1, Morgan S. Pratchett2
1
2
CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, PO Box 2583, Brisbane, Qld. 4001, Australia
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville,
QLD 4811, Australia
Estimated gonad weight (g)
Supplementary information
1200
y = 4.24 + 1.10 * x
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Total gonad weight (g)
Supplementary Fig. 1 The relationship between total gonad weight (g) and estimated gonad
weight (g) for 187 starfish sampled at Davies reef on the central Great Barrier Reef in 1990
and 1991 and Sesoko Is, Japan in 1991. For 187 starfish, all arms were dissected and all
gonads removed and weighed after first weighing the gonads from three arms separately.
Linear regression was used to compare estimates of total gonad weight with measured total
gonad mass. Estimates showed a high level of accuracy and precision (r - squared
=0.945954, n= 187). Dashed lines represent the 95% confidence interval for the fit.
7000
(a) Females
Locations
Davies reef 1990
Davies reef 1991
Sesoko Is 1991
6000
Weight (g)
5000
4000
3000
Weight = 155.4 e0.0067Diameter
r2 = 0.82
2000
1000
0
0
7000
100
200
300
400
500
600
400
500
600
(b) Males
6000
Weight (g)
5000
4000
Weight = 121.5 e0.0072Diameter
r2 = 0.70
3000
2000
1000
0
0
100
200
300
Diameter (mm)
Supplementary Fig. 2 The relationship between total body weight (g) and diameter (mm) of
(a) female and (b) male crown-of-thorns starfish at Davies reef on the central Great Barrier
Reef in 1990 and 1991 and Sesoko Is, Japan in 1991. Dashed lines represent the 95%
confidence interval for the fit.
Supplementary References
Data sources used in compiling Fig. 3. Data included in this figure are restricted to those
papers that provide data comparable to the Gonad Index measurements we utilised in our
study (wet wt. gonad/total intact wet weight), and where there are data in the literature
detailing the mean or maximum size range of the species.
Aquinas, SM, Nimitz, O (1971) Histochemical study of gut nutrient reserves in relation to
reproduction and nutrition in the sea stars, Pisaster ochraceus and Patiria miniata.
Biol Bull 140:461-481.
Barker, MF (1979) Breeding and recruitment in a population of the New Zealand starfish
Stichaster australis (Verrill). J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 41:195-211.
Benítez-Villalobos, F, & Martinez-Garcia, M (2012) Reproductive biology of the starfish
Pharia pyramidatus (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from the Mexican tropical Pacific. J
Mar Biol Ass UK 92:1409-1418.
Boolootian, RA (1966) Reproductive physiology, pp561-613 In: Physiology of Echinoderms.
RA Boolootian (ed). Interscience New York
Bos AR, Gumanao GS, Mueller B, Saceda-Cardoza MME (2013) Management of crown-ofthorns sea star (Acanthaster planci L.) outbreaks: Removal success depends on reef
topography and timing within the reproduction cycle. Ocean Coast Manag 71: 116–
122
Carvalho, A. L. P. S., & Ventura, C. R. R. (2002). The reproductive cycle of Asterina
stellifera (Möbius)(Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in the Cabo Frio region, southeastern
Brazil. Mar Biol 141: 947-954.
Conand, C (1985) Distribution, reproductive cycle and morphometric relationships of
Acanthaster planci (Echinodermata, Asteriodea) in New Caledonia, western tropical
Pacific. In: Keegan BF, O’Connor BDS (eds) Echindermata: Proceedings of the fifth
international echinoderm conference, Galway. Balkema, Rotterdam. pp 499–506
Crump, RG, Barker, MF (1985) Sexual and asexual reproduction in geographically separated
populations of the fissiparous asteroid Coscinasterias calamaria (Gray). J Exp Mar
Biol Ecol 88:109-127.
Ferguson, JC (1974). Growth and reproduction of Echinaster echinophorus. Fla Sci 37: 5760.
Franz, DR (1986) Seasonal changes in pyloric caecum and gonad indices during the annual
reproductive cycle in the seastar Asterias forbesi. Mar Biol, 91:553-560.
Grange, LJ, Tyler, PA, Peck, LS (2007) Multi-year observations on the gametogenic ecology
of the Antarctic seastar Odontaster validus. Mar Biol 153:15-23.
Hatanaka M, Kosaka M (1958) Biological studies on the population of the starfish, Asterias
amurensis, in Sendai Bay. Tohoku J Agr Res 9:159–178
Jangoux, M, Vloebergh, M (1973) Contribution à l'étude du cycle annuel de reproduction
d'une population d'Asterias rubens (Echinodermata, Asteroidea) du littoral Belge.
Netherlands J. Sea Res 6: 389-IN8.
Jangoux, M, van Impe, E. (1977). The annual pyloric cycle of Asterias rubens L.
(Echinodermata: Asteroidea). J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 30:165-184.
Jangoux, M, & Lawrence, JM (1982) Echinoderm nutrition. CRC Press.
Keesing, JK, Graham, F, Irvine, TR, Crossing, R (2011) Synchronous aggregated pseudocopulation of the sea star Archaster angulatus Müller & Troschel, 1842
(Echinodermata: Asteroidea) and its reproductive cycle in south-western Australia.
Mar Biol 158:1163-1173.
Kim, YS (1968) Histological observations of the annual change in the gonad of the starfish,
Asterias amurensis Lüken. Bull Faculty Fisheries Hokkaido University, 19: 97-108.
Kowalski, R, (1955) Untersuchungen zur Biologie des Seesternes Asterias rubens L. in
Brachwasser. Kieler Meeresforschungen 11:201-212.
Lawrence, JM (1973) Level, content, and caloric equivalents of the lipid, carbohydrate, and
protein in the body components of Luidia clathrata (Echinodermata: Asteroidea:
Platyasterida) in Tampa Bay. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol, 11: 263-274.
Lawrence, JM, Lawrence, AL, Giese, AC (1966) Role of the gut as a nutrient-storage organ
in the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus). Physiol Zool 39: 281-290.
Lawrence, JM, Dehn, PF (1979) Biological characteristics of Luidia clathrata
(Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from Tampa Bay and the shallow waters of the Gulf of
Mexico. Fla. Sci 42:9-13.
Mariante, FL, Lemos, GB, Eutrópio, FJ, Castro, RR, Gomes, LC (2010) Reproductive
biology in the starfish Echinaster (Othilia) guyanensis (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in
southeastern Brazil. Zoologia (Curitiba), 27:897-901.
Mechó, A, Fernandez-Arcaya, U, Ramirez-Llodra, E, Aguzzi, J (2015) Reproductive biology
of the seastar Ceramaster grenadensis from the deep north-western Mediterranean
Sea. J Mar Biol Ass UK 95: 805-815.
Micael, J, Rodrigues, AS, Barreto, MC, Alves, MJ, Jones, MB, Costa, AC (2011) Allocation
of nutrients during the reproductive cycle of Ophidiaster ophidianus (Echinodermata:
Asteroidea). Invert Reprod Devel 55: 205-216.
Miller, SR, Lawrence, JM (1999) Gonad and pyloric caeca production in the nine-armed
starfish Luidia senegalensis off the southwest Florida Gulf coast during the annual
reproductive cycle. Bull Mar Sci 65:175-184.
Nichols, D, Barker, MF (1984) A comparative study of reproductive and nutritional
periodicities in two populations of Asterias rubens (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from
the English Channel. J Mar Biol Ass UK 64: 471-484.
Oudejans, RCHM, Van der Sluis, I (1979) Changes in the biochemical composition of the
ovaries of the seastar Asterias rubens during its annual reproductive cycle. Mar Biol,
50: 255-261.
Pastor-de-Ward, CT, Rubilar, T, Díaz-de-Vivar ME, Gonzalez-Pisani X, Zarate E, Kroeck M,
Morsan E (2007) Reproductive biology of Cosmasterias lurida (Echinodermata:
Asteroidea) on an anthropogenically influence substratum from Golfo Nuevo,
Northern Patagonia (Argentina). Mar Biol 151: 205–217
Rubilar, T, de Ward, CTP, de Vivar, MED (2005) Sexual and asexual reproduction of
Allostichaster capensis (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in Golfo Nuevo. Mar Biol 146:
1083-1090.
Run, JQ, Chen, CP, Chang, KH, & Chia, FS (1988) Mating behaviour and reproductive cycle
of Archaster typicus (Echinodermata: Asteroidea). Mar Biol 99: 247-253.
Sanford, E (2002) The feeding, growth, and energetics of two rocky intertidal predators
(Pisaster ochraceus and Nucella canaliculata) under water temperatures simulating
episodic upwelling. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 273: 199-218.
Schoenmakers, HJN, Dieleman, SJ, Van Bohemen, CG, Voogt, PA (1978) Biosynthesis of
steroids and their possible functions for reproduction in Asterias rubens
(Echinodermata). In PJ Gaillard, & HH Boer (eds.), Comparative Endocrinology (pp.
33-36). Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press Amsterdam.
Sköld, M, Barker, MF, Mladenov, PV (2002) Spatial variability in sexual and asexual
reproduction of the fissiparous seastar Coscinasterias muricata: the role of food and
fluctuating temperature. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 233:143-155.
Town, JC (1980) Movement, morphology, reproductive periodicity, and some factors
affecting gonad production in the seastar Astrostole scabra (Hutton). J Exp Mar Biol
Ecol 44: 111-132.
Ventura, CRR, Falcao, APC, Santos, JS, Fiori, CS (1997) Reproductive cycle and feeding
periodicity in the starfish Astropecten brasiliensis in the Cabo Frio upwelling
ecosystem (Brazil). Invert Reprod Devel 31:135-141.
Yamazato K, Kiyan T (1973) Reproduction of Acanthaster planci in Okinawa. Micronesica.
9:185-95