Scientific name: Acanthaster planci
Taxonomy: Kingdom Animalia → Phylum Echinodermata → Subphylum Asterozoa → Class Asteroidea → Subclass Ambuloasteroidea → Infraclass Neoasteroidea → Superorder Valvatacea → Order Valvatida → Family Acanthasteridae → Genus Acanthaster
Locations: Hawaii, Indo-Pacific
Group: Marine Life → Invertebrates → Sea Stars
The thorns are very sharp and coated with toxin. Do not pet the sea star. In natural light, it's a uniform bright green color.
It can change its color somewhat by extending or retracting its tentacles.
Crown-of-thorns stars eat coral, though at least in Hawaii it hasn't been a major problem. Triton's trumpet snails eat crown-of-thorns stars.
