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Spawning pheromone in crown-of-thorns starfish

Nature volume 254, pages 135–136 (1975)Cite this article

Abstract

LARGE aggregations of the crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci L have destroyed a high proportion of the coral on certain Indo-Pacific reefs. We report that gamete release by one A. planci induces other ripe starfish to spawn; similar behaviour has been observed in certain other echinoderms1,2. During natural spawning a pheromone is released from the gonad, which synchronises spawning in neighbouring animals and also induces starfish movement towards the spawning individual. Using a Y maze to study chemoattraction in spawning starfish, we have attempted to isolate and characterise the active gonad component.

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Author notes

  1. D. H. BEACH

    Present address: Peterhouse, Cambridge

  2. N. J. HANSCOMB

    Present address: MRC Mammalian Genome Unit, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN

  3. R. F. G. ORMOND

    Present address: Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, YO1 5DD, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cambridge Coral Starfish Research Group, PO Box 99, Port Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Sudan

    D. H. BEACH, N. J. HANSCOMB & R. F. G. ORMOND

Authors
  1. D. H. BEACH
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  2. N. J. HANSCOMB
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  3. R. F. G. ORMOND
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BEACH, D., HANSCOMB, N. & ORMOND, R. Spawning pheromone in crown-of-thorns starfish. Nature 254, 135–136 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/254135a0

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