Chemical defense in developmental stages and adult of the sea star () .

To date, evidence regarding the performance of secondary metabolites from larval stages of sea stars as an anti-predation defense relates only to a few species/specimens from a few geographic ranges. Unfortunately, this hinders a comprehensive global understanding of this inter-specific predator-prey interaction. Here, we present laboratory experimental evidence of chemical defense action in the early developmental stages and adults of the sea star () from Brazil against sympatric and allopatric invertebrate consumers. Blastulae, early and late brachiolarias of . (.) were not consumed by the sympatric and allopatric crabs . Blastulae were also avoided by the sympatric and allopatric individuals of the anemone , but not the larval stages. Extracts from embryos (blastula) and brachiolarias of . (.) from one sampled population (João Fernandes beach) significantly inhibited the consumption by sympatric , but not by allopatric crabs and anemone. In this same site, extracts from adults . (.) significantly inhibited the consumption by sympatric and allopatric specimens of the crab in a range of concentrations. Whereas equivalent extract concentrations of . (.) from other population (Itaipu beach)inhibited the predation by allopatric , while sympatric individuals of this crab avoided the only the higher level tested. Then, early stages and adult specimens of . (.) can be chemically defended against consumers, but this action is quite variable, depending on the type (anemone or crab) and the origin of the consumer (sympatric or allopatric).