An outbreak of Acanthaster spp. in the Gulf of Oman (United Arab Emirates)

Acanthaster species, crown-of-thorns sea stars (CoTS), are among the most notorious and highly destructive corallivorous invertebrates known that pose a considerable threat to coral reefs (Uthicke et al. 2024).CoTS are specialized coral predators, exhibiting fluctuations between extended periods of low population densities (1 individual/ha), during which they have minimal impact on corals, and episodes of high densities, termed outbreaks.In particular, new or recurrent outbreaks of Acanthaster spp.are recognized as a major cause of coral reef degradation and mortality throughout much of the Indo-Pacific region (Pratchett et al. 2017; Uthicke et al. 2024).Here, we report the occurrence of a localized outbreak of CoTS in late January 2024 in two sites, namely, Martini Bay