Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28877193›Full record

ArticlePloS one2017

Body size and substrate type modulate movement by the western Pacific crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster solaris.

Morgan S Pratchett, Zara-Louise Cowan, Lauren E Nadler, Ciemon F Caballes, Andrew S Hoey, Vanessa Messmer, Cameron S Fletcher, David A Westcott, Scott D Ling

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Tube feet dynamics drive adaptation in sea star locomotion.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Distribution Shifts ofAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Morgan S PratchettARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1862-8459
Zara-Louise CowanARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
Lauren E NadlerARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
Ciemon F CaballesARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
Andrew S HoeyARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
Vanessa MessmerARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
Cameron S FletcherCSIRO Land and Water, Atherton, Queensland, Australia.
David A WestcottCSIRO Land and Water, Atherton, Queensland, Australia.
Scott D LingInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The movement capacity of the crown-of-thorns starfishes (Acanthaster spp.) is a primary determinant of both their distribution and impact on coral assemblages. We quantified individual movement rates for the Pacific crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster solaris) ranging in size from 75-480 mm total diameter, across three different substrates (sand, flat consolidated pavement, and coral rubble) on the northern Great Barrier Reef. The mean (±SE) rate of movement for smaller (<150 mm total diameter) A. solaris was 23.99 ± 1.02 cm/ min and 33.41 ± 1.49 cm/ min for individuals >350 mm total diameter. Mean (±SE) rates of movement varied with substrate type, being much higher on sand (36.53 ± 1.31 cm/ min) compared to consolidated pavement (28.04 ± 1.15 cm/ min) and slowest across coral rubble (17.25 ± 0.63 cm/ min). If average rates of movement measured here can be sustained, in combination with strong directionality, displacement distances of adult A. solaris could range from 250-520 m/ day, depending on the prevailing substrate. Sustained movement of A. solaris is, however, likely to be highly constrained by habitat heterogeneity, energetic constraints, resource availability, and diurnal patterns of activity, thereby limiting their capacity to move between reefs or habitats.

Indexed as

Body SizeMovementAnimalsPacific OceanStarfish

Identifiers

PMID28877193
PMCPMC5587101

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.