Senior author AIMS Researcher Dr. Sven Uthicke said the research team found small, hidden decapod crabs were a significant, previously unrecognized COTS predator, in addition to reef fish and ...

Building on previous research which looked at what crab species would eat juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish in aquariums, scientists went out on the reef and surveyed the crabs and CoTS present.

crabs, shrimps, worms, sea cucumbers—of stunning diversity. Add to these the hundreds of new species scientists identify worldwide each year. Schooling above the reef are fish painted ...

As for capture fisheries, crab landings comprised the nipah crab (mud crab), sea crab, reef crab and rock crab using equipment such as drift nets, trawl nets, span nets and bubu or crab traps.