The Boy in the Submarine – Season 2, Episode 8: Crown of Thorns Starfish

The Crown of Thorns Starfish is an very unusual species of Sea-Star. It has a round-flat body with a much bigger central body and stomach than most sea stars, and is symmetrical with an even number of arms, while most sea stars have odd numbers. It is called a “crown of thorns” starfish because of the rings of sharp spikes growing on the top of its body.

The Crown of Thorns Starfish is toxic. Eating it or getting pricked by it can cause pain like a bee sting and cause a stomach upset that can last over a week. Only a few types of sea creatures have the body chemistry to be able to eat them.

The Crown of Thorns Starfish likes spots where the air in the water is a bit thinner like crevices and nooks. Where water has become polluted, they seem to be thriving these days. They like eating invertebrates that make calcium crusts around itself like sea anemones and especially coral. They are a big contributor right now to the disappearance of our world’s coral reef.