Crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) surveys on reefs within the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia

Surveys of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) were undertaken in the western half of the Dampier Archipelago, at 3 fringing reefs (Enderby Island, Goodwin Island and Kendrew Island) and 1 barrier reef (Sailfish Reef) in 1987. The manta tow technique was used to record the relative abundance of crown-of-thorns starfish, numbers of white feeding scars on corals and estimates of live and dead hard coral cover. This technique was also used to identify suitable collection sites where Acanthaster planci was abundant.Samples of Acanthaster planci were collected using scuba at 2 sites on each of Kendrew and Enderby Reefs, and at 1 site on Goodwyn and Sailfish Reefs. Crown-of-thorns starfish were collected from each of these sites, except for Goodwyn Reef, where no individuals were observed.The diameter of each starfish was recorded and samples of pyloric caeca were taken. The labelled samples were stored in liquid nitrogen and returned to AIMS for genetic analysis. Photographs were taken of each starfish collected at Enderby Island (site 1), and then a portion of aboral disc and 2 arms removed from each. These samples were labelled, stored in 5% sea-water formalin and returned to AIMS for subsequent morphometric analysis. Observations were also made on gonad development and any damage sustained by the starfish. The purpose of this study was to collect samples of Acanthaster planci from the Dampier Archipelago for genetic and morphometric analyses and to conduct preliminary surveys of the distribution, abundance and impact of Acanthaster planci upon coral community structure within the Dampier Archipelago. The results of genetic studies of the starfish collected during this survey are reported in the metadata record "Genetics of the crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci in Australia"

1987年，研究人员于丹皮尔群岛（Dampier Archipelago）西半部开展长棘海星（crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci）调查，覆盖3座岸礁（恩德比岛礁、古德温岛礁与肯德鲁岛礁）及1座堡礁（旗鱼堡礁）；本次调查采用蝠拖法（manta tow technique）记录长棘海星的相对丰度、珊瑚表面白色摄食痕的数量，并估算活、死硬珊瑚覆盖率，同时借助该方法筛选出长棘海星分布密集的适宜采样点位。研究人员分别在肯德鲁礁与恩德比礁各2个采样点、古德温礁与旗鱼礁各1个采样点，通过水肺潜水（scuba）采集长棘海星样本，除古德温礁未观测到任何长棘海星个体外，其余各站位均成功采集到样本；研究人员记录了每只海星的体盘直径，并采集其幽门盲囊（pyloric caeca）样本，标记后的样本置于液氮中保存，送回AIMS开展遗传分析。针对恩德比岛（站点1）采集的全部长棘海星，研究人员先拍摄照片，随后取下其部分反口面盘（aboral disc）与2条腕足，该部分样本经标记后，保存于5%海水福尔马林溶液中，送回AIMS用于后续形态测量分析；此外，研究人员还对海星的性腺发育状况及受到的各类损伤进行了观测记录。本研究的核心目的为从丹皮尔群岛采集长棘海星样本，用于遗传与形态测量分析，并初步调查长棘海星在丹皮尔群岛内的分布、丰度及其对珊瑚群落结构的影响；本次调查采集的长棘海星的遗传研究成果，已刊载于元数据记录《澳大利亚长棘海星（Acanthaster planci）遗传学》。