crown-of-thorns starfish

[ kroun-uhv-thawrnz ]

noun
  1. a starfish, Acanthaster planci, that feeds on living coral polyps, causing erosion and destruction of coral reefs.

Origin of crown-of-thorns starfish

1
First recorded in 1960–65

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024