Johnson L G, Cartwright C M
Biol Bull. 1996 Jun;190(3):299-301. doi: 10.2307/1543021.
Dramatic population increases (outbreaks) of the coraleating crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci, have resulted in damage to many Indo-Pacific coral reefs, especially on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Research on factors that could affect Acanthaster distribution and abundance has included investigation of larval development, dispersal, settlement, and metamorphosis. For example, various substrates, particularly crustose coralline algae with bacterial surface films, induce Acanthaster's planktonic larvae to settle and metamorphose (1, 2). but little investigation has thus far been devoted to specific chemical substances that affect various phases of Acanthaster development. We report here that thyroxine, which accelerates development in three sea urchin species (3), also accelerates Acanthaster's developmental progress through larval stages and that this acceleration is concentration dependent. Our results suggest the need for research on possible roles of iodinated organic molecules in Acanthaster development in situ, and on the effects of additional substances known to accelerate the development of other echinoderm larvae.
以珊瑚为食的棘冠海星（Acanthaster planci）数量急剧增加（爆发），已对许多印度-太平洋珊瑚礁造成破坏，尤其是澳大利亚的大堡礁。对可能影响棘冠海星分布和数量的因素的研究包括对其幼体发育、扩散、定居和变态的调查。例如，各种基质，特别是带有细菌表面膜的硬壳珊瑚藻，会诱导棘冠海星的浮游幼体定居并变态（1,2）。但迄今为止，针对影响棘冠海星发育各个阶段的特定化学物质的研究很少。我们在此报告，甲状腺素能加速三种海胆物种的发育（3），它也能加速棘冠海星幼体阶段的发育进程，且这种加速作用与浓度有关。我们的结果表明，有必要研究碘化有机分子在棘冠海星原位发育中的可能作用，以及其他已知能加速其他棘皮动物幼体发育的物质的影响。
