Identification of potential fish predators of the crown-of-thorns starfish from Xisha sea area

Zhang Ying; Yang Litong; Su Nan; Chen Huizhen; Gao Qian; Hu Jianxing; Zheng Fanyu; Lai Fuxiang; Yuan Yunyu; Fu Liang; Chen Chang

doi:10.12284/hyxb2024086

Volume 46 Issue 7

Jul. 2024

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Zhang Ying，Yang Litong，Su Nan, et al. Identification of potential fish predators of the crown-of-thorns starfish from Xisha sea area[J]. Haiyang Xuebao，2024, 46(7)：73–87 doi: 10.12284/hyxb2024086

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Identification of potential fish predators of the crown-of-thorns starfish from Xisha sea area

doi: 10.12284/hyxb2024086

Zhang Ying^1
,,
Yang Litong¹,
Su Nan^{1, 3},
Chen Huizhen^{1, 4},
Gao Qian^{1, 4},
Hu Jianxing¹,
Zheng Fanyu¹,
Lai Fuxiang^{1, 5},
Yuan Yunyu⁶,
Fu Liang⁶,
Chen Chang^{1, 2
,
,}

1.
CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
2.
Xisha Marine Environment National Observation and Research Station, Hainan, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sansha 573199, China
3.
Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
4.
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
5.
College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510600, China
6.
Sansha Track Ocean Coral Reef Conservation Research Institute Co., Ltd., Sansha 573199, China

Received Date: 2023-10-11
Rev Recd Date: 2024-04-17

Available Online: 2024-08-08

Publish Date: 2024-07-01

Abstract

Abstract

The crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) outbreak has caused severe damage to coral reefs in China and the Indo-Pacific region. Fish predators have been considered as an important factor in controlling the population outbreak, but there is a lack of research on the fish that can prey on crown-of-thorns starfish in China. By collecting coral reef fish from five outbreak areas of crown-of-thorns starfish in the Xisha Islands, CoTS DNA was detectedin the intestinal contents of the reef fish using PCR technology, and which compared with reported CoTS larval predators. The results showed that a total of 62 fish belonging to 23 families, 36 genera and 50 species were captured in this survey. CoTS DNA was detected in the gut contents of four fish species, namely Naso lituratus, Dascyllus reticulatus, Chelilinus trilobatus and Lethrinus erythropterus. Among them, N. lituratus, C. trilobatus and L. erythropterusare reported for the first time as potential predators of CoTS. This study has identified the potential predators of CoTS for the first time in China, providing important references for the development of early prevention and control techniques for crown-of-thorns starfish.
- crown-of-thorns starfish,
- coral reef fish,
- predators,
- intestinal contents,
- PCR detecting technology

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References(68)

References

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