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National Ocean Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Home Education Corals Natural Threats to Coral Reefs

Coral Predators

crown of thorns sea star

In addition to severe weather, corals are vulnerable to attacks by predators. As sessile adults, corals spend their entire lives fixed to the same spot on the ocean floor. Certain predators have evolved to take advantage of this. Large sea stars like this Crown-of-thorns (Acanthaster planci) slowly crawl over coral reefs, consuming all of the living coral tissue that they come into contact with.

Corals Lessons

The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) includes this resource in its database. NSTA provides educators and students access to Web-based, educationally appropriate science content that has been formally evaluated by master teachers.
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