STAR TRACKERS

Part of the other 95%.

2008-08-25T16:27:00.003+08:00

As seen on The Other 95%.

Thanks to Juanhui for the alert.

Star!

2008-08-23T18:22:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Blythe Ho on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.

Bluey

2008-08-23T18:16:00.001+08:00

Adopted by Blue Water Volunteers on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.

Srisri

2008-08-23T18:08:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Rajaratnam on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.244' N, 103º 45.109' E
Minor radius: 33 mm

Little Strange

2008-08-23T18:02:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Mark Wen Strange on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.295' N, 103º 45.101' E
Minor radius: 30 mm

Hell Of A Star

2008-08-23T17:56:00.001+08:00

Adopted by National Biodiversity Reference Centre on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.251' N, 103º 45.89' E
Minor radius: 30 mm

Blondie

2008-08-23T17:51:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Wong Ley Kun on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.252' N, 103º 45.94' E
Minor radius: 29 mm

Al

2008-08-23T17:47:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Anthony Seow on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.256' N, 103º 45.111' E
Minor radius: 27 mm

Cocoa

2008-08-23T17:40:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Jane Lau on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.257' N, 103º 45.108' E
Minor radius: 28 mm

Ginger

2008-08-23T17:32:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Chan Qinghao on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.256' N, 103º 45.102' E
Minor radius: 32 mm

Pun Pui

2008-08-23T17:24:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Lim Guat Khim on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.256' N, 103º 45.102' E
Minor radius: 28 mm

I. K.

2008-08-23T17:11:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Ivan Kwan on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 23 June 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.241' N, 103º 45.83' E
Minor radius: 36 mm

Qisti

2008-08-23T17:07:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Nurul Qisti on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 9 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.303' N, 103º 45.169' E
Minor radius: 43 mm

A. M. Y.

2008-08-23T17:04:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Adelle Wang on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 9 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.266' N, 103º 45.242' E
Minor radius: 39 mm

Tia

2008-08-23T16:57:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Teresa Guttensohn on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 9 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.282' N, 103º 45.210' E
Minor radius: 45 mm

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 June 2008.

Balex-Chan

2008-08-23T16:51:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Alex Yee and Ng Wen Qing on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 9 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.302' N, 103º 45.157' E
Minor radius: 36 mm

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 21 July 2008.
Minor radius: 39 mm

Surbana

2008-08-23T16:49:00.001+08:00

Adopted by Surbana International Consultants Pte Ltd on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 9 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.305' N, 103º 45.151' E
Minor radius: 42 mm

Regal

2008-08-23T16:47:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Ling Chai Joo on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 9 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.335' N, 103º 45.148' E
Minor radius: 46 mm

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 June 2008.

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 21 July 2008.
Minor radius: 48 mm

Apollo

2008-08-23T16:43:00.001+08:00

Adopted by Prof. Chou Loke Meng on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008.

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 June 2008.

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 19 August 2008.

Bibi

2008-08-23T16:40:00.002+08:00

Adopted by The Hantu Bloggers on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.330' N, 103º 45.157' E
Minor radius: 44 mm

Glade

2008-08-23T16:35:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Justin Havird on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.322' N, 103º 45.158' E
Minor radius: 54 mm

Patrick

2008-08-23T16:33:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Kevin on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.328' N, 103º 45.160' E
Minor radius: 50 mm

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 June 2008.

Got Milk?

2008-08-23T16:31:00.001+08:00

Adopted by Chek Jawa Project Warriors on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.300' N, 103º 45.178' E
Minor radius: 54 mm

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 21 July 2008.

Angie

2008-08-23T16:26:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Angie on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.297' N, 103º 45.175' E
Minor radius: 46 mm

Nudistarre

2008-08-23T16:24:00.001+08:00

Adopted by Naked Hermit Crabs on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.298' N, 103º 45.172' E
Minor radius: 39 mm

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 June 2008.

Save My Home Please!

2008-08-23T16:21:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Andy Dinesh on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.337' N, 103º 45.144' E
Minor radius: 41 mm

Encountered at Cyrene Reef on 21 July 2008.
Minor radius: 41 mm

Dutchie

2008-08-23T16:08:00.000+08:00

Adopted by Lineke on 9 August 2008.

First encountered at Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008.
Coordinates: 1º 15.349' N, 103º 45.135' E
Minor radius: 50 mm

26 Stars Adopted!

2008-08-11T22:41:00.000+08:00

Twenty-six seastars (Protoreaster nodosus) from Cyrene Reefs were adopted by individuals as well as groups during the two-day event Be a Star! Adopt a Star!, International Year of the Reef on 8-9 August 2008.

Thank you for your generous donations.

Star Trackers would like to thank Vyna (top) and November (bottom), who were there at the booth till the stars shine (pun intended ;p).

We All Have A Name And IC!

2008-08-11T21:58:00.000+08:00

Star Trackers were featured in the newspaper, My Paper on 11 August 2008. Thank you Koh Soo May for the interview.

MyPaper, 11 August 2008, Page 34.

Translation:

We all have a name and IC!

Two days ago, 24 local seastars were each given a name, becoming unique stars in the ocean.

These seastars, belong to a species commonly as the "Knobbly Seastar" as well as the "Chocolate Chip Seastar", were adopted by the public for a minimum sum of $50 donation at the International Year of the Reef event.

These seastars are not only unique in name but are also unique in the number and arrangement of knobs on the body surface.

Twenty-four knobbly seastars and at least 162 other individuals currently inhabit a local southern reef known as Cyrene Reefs. They can have their own "IC" (Identification Card) due to the hard work of two young men.

Since May this year, Chim Chee Kong (31 years old, research assistant) and Tan Sijie (26 years old, education and public relations officer) have visited Cyrene Reefs six times, took photographs and measurements for each seastar.

They have taken 220 photographs, of which 186 were recognised as individuals, including 55 juveniles.

Most of the seastars have five arms, although a few have only four arms, some of which were due to injury. In addition, the body may be of different colours, which consist of different shades of red, brown, beige etc.

The Knobbly Seastar is a locally endangered animal and the juveniles of this species are rare. This research project is extremely important to Chim Chee Kong and Tan Sijie, as it helps Singaporeans to better understand that we have these "lucky stars".

Two people started "Star Chasing" in May this year

Chim Chee Kong is a research assistant with the Tropical Marine Science Institute and Tan Sijie is a education and public relations officer with the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research. Both have strong interests in marine life.

Chim Chee Kong said "Seastars are charismatic animals, as demonstrated by their presence in many advertisements that promote the tropical island feel. Nonetheless, many do not know that Singapore has seastars, and related research are also few."

Chim Chee Kong and Tan Sijie started "star chasing" in May this year at Terembu Pandan, which is one of the reef of Cyrene Reefs.

Cyrene Reefs have two other smaller reefs.

They said that even though the Knobbly Seastar is also found at local sites such as Pulau Semakau, Chek Jawa and Changi Beach, the number of individuals are not as many as in Cyrene Reefs, and that is the reason why the ecology of the Knobbly Seastar population at Cyrene Reefs is worth investigating. "Although the Knobbly Seastar was classified as endangered in 1994, Cyrene Reefs is inhabitated by a large number of adults as well as juveniles, and is possibly the only sustainable population that remains locally.

Because Cyrene Reefs is submerged by 3m of water during high tides, they can only survey during low tides, with the help of boatmen.

They hope to have a long-term study on individuals regarding their growth rates, movements, ontogenetic change in morphology etc.

MyPaper, 11 August 2008, Page 35.

Translation:

Recording, Touching

Recording is often the touching action of people who cares.

Because of the hope not to let things die out by themselves, because of the fear that precious things and feelings be forgotten, thus the need for recording.

We record histories, sceneries, feelings, and daily things that happen around us, they chose to record seastars.

Two young men with a passion for marine life, tirelessly went to our country's southern reef in search of a species of seastar (Knobbly Seastar), took photographs and measurements of each seastar they encounter, provide each with an identification code, such that they are no longer just a population of seastars but are unique individuals.

MyPaper, 11 August 2008, Page 36.

All images were downloaded from mypaper.sg, Singapore Press Holdings.

Will Knobbly Join The Buffalo?

2008-08-07T13:21:00.000+08:00

The echinoblog posted an informative entry as well as a conservation message on the knobbly seastar. Thanks to Juanhui for the alert.

WISHING UPON A STAR!

2008-08-07T13:10:00.000+08:00

A talk on the knobbly seastar will be held on 9 August 2008, 11.30 am, by the Star Trackers team. This is just one of the many exciting events during the Reef Celebrations! launch of IYOR (International Year of the Reef) in Singapore. A good way to celebrate National Day. ;)

UPDATES ON THE CYRENE REEF POPULATION

2008-07-02T20:30:00.000+08:00

A total of 220 photographs of the knobbly seastar (Protoreaster nodosus) were taken by the Star Trackers, Lin Juanhui and Lim Swee Cheng during six field trips to Cyrene Reef in May (8, 9 & 23) and June (6, 8 & 23) 2008.

Based on a recognition technique, these photographs belong to 186 individuals.

Measurements taken from 123 individuals showed that 45% of them are juveniles (seastar with minor radius less than 30 mm).

Adults were found in seagrass beds as well as sandy bottoms but juveniles were encountered only in seagrass beds.

These results reaffirm the observation in 14 May 2008 that Cyrene Reef is an extremely important habitat for the locally endangered seastar. This is a large population, which is likely to contain a much larger number of individuals than the 186 recorded so far, as the reef is yet to be surveyed intensively. The high proportion of juveniles is also exceptional. There are at least seven populations in Singapore but none of them appears to be as sustainable as the one at Cyrene Reef. The seagrass bed seems to be especially important to the juveniles. This microhabitat probably serve as recruitment, feeding and refuge grounds for the seastars. The charming seastar and the ecologically important seagrass beds deserve more attention in research.

ECOLOGICAL STUDY ON KNOBBLY SEASTAR IN PALAU

2008-05-17T23:42:00.000+08:00

Abundance, Spatial Distribution, and Size Structure of the Sea Star Protoreaster nodosus in Palau, with Notes on Feeding and Reproduction

Scheibling, R. E. & Metaxas, A., 2008.

Bulletin of Marine Science 82(2): 221-235

Abstract

Protoreaster nodosus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a common sea star in shallow sand and seagrass habitats in the tropical Indo-pacific region. It has been extensively harvested as an ornament, but little is known of its biology and ecology. We quantitatively sampled populations at five sites in palau to obtain baseline information on abundance, spatial distribution, and population structure of this species in areas unaffected by human depredation. Density on sand bottoms ranged from 4 to 32 individuals 100 m-2 and biomass from 3.1 to 20.7 kg 100 m-2. Population size estimates at two locations were 100 and 630 individuals. Mean size (radius) of individuals ranged from 14 to 16 cm among populations, and was negatively related to density. Density was greatest in a seagrass bed (51 individuals 100 m-2, 12.3 kg 100 m-2) where the population was composed of juveniles (8-12 cm). Spatial distribution of sea stars in each population was random, as indicated by nearest-neighbor distance. Manipulations of density and spatial distribution, performed by removing or by adding and centrally aggregating individuals in circular plots (78.5 or 314 m2), showed that sea stars reestablish pre-manipulation densities and nearest-neighbor spacing within 2-5 d. Protoreaster nodosus feeds on meiobenthos and microbial/microalgal films by extra-oral ingestion of sediments and seagrass. The incidence of daytime feeding is generally high (> 60% of individuals), suggesting these sea stars are important consumers and bioturbators in sedimentary habitats. Synchronous spawning occurred at full moon (in May) in the laboratory, yielding planktotrophic larvae.

REVISITING KNOBBLY SEASTARS OF TANJUNG CHEK JAWA

2008-05-17T18:41:00.000+08:00

Two knobbly seastar (Protoreaster nodosus) individuals were recognised from blog postings on Tanjung Chek Jawa.

TCJ001

Original photographs were captured by Ria Tan (left) and Kok Sheng (right) on 27 October 2007.

TCJ002

Original photographs were captured by Ria Tan (left) and Kok Sheng (right) on 24 December 2007.

Photographs were re-oriented in a standardised method so that individuals can be recognised.

These photographs were captured after Tanjung Chek Jawa recovered from a mass death event that occurred in early 2007. Did other individuals survived this natural disaster? This question can be answered if photographs of individuals captured before and after the event are compared. If you have such photographs, please send them to chimck@yahoo.com.

JUVENILE KNOBBLY SEASTARS

2008-05-16T21:31:00.000+08:00

Juveniles of the knobbly seastar (Protoreaster nodosus) are known to be rare in Singapore waters (Lane and Vandenspiegel 2003). The first visual documentation of a juvenile knobbly seastar is perhaps a posting in the blog of the Blue Waters Volunteers on 23 August 2005. The find happened during a ReefWalk activity at Kusu Island. Ever since juveniles were encountered at Cyrene Reef on 21 April 2007 by TeamSeagrass, recruitments of knobbly seastars were also observed at Pulau Semakau, Labrador Nature Reserve and Changi Beach.

REFERENCE

Lane, D. J. W. and Vandenspiegel, D., 2003. A guide to sea stars and other echinoderms of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre, p. 64-65.

PAST RECORDS OF KNOBBLY SEASTARS

2008-05-14T22:24:00.000+08:00

The knobbly seastar (Protoreaster nodosus) has been recorded at seven sites (Figure 1) in Singapore by various authors between 2005 and 2008. These records are compiled and listed here:

Figure 1. Distribution of knobbly seastars (Protoreaster nodosus) at seven sites (black circle) in Singapore.

Cyrene Reef (CR)

9 May 2008: Wildfilms & Kok Sheng
25 April 2008: Kok Sheng
10 April 2008: Wildfilms, TeamSeagrass, Kok Sheng & Marcus Ng
26 October 2007: TeamSeagrass, Kok Sheng, Marcus Ng & Ron Yeo
21 April 2007: TeamSeagrass & Marcus Ng

Pulau Semakau (PS)

26 April 2008: Ron Yeo
21 March 2008: Chay Hoon & July Lin
9 March 2008: July Lin
8 March 2008: Ron Yeo
23 February 2008: Kok Sheng & Ron Yeo
24 November 2007: Ron Yeo
28 October 2007: July Lin
27 October 2007: Ron Yeo
30 September 2007: Ron Yeo
28 September 2007: July Lin
8 August 2007: Samson Tan
4 August 2007: Ron Yeo
15 July 2007: July Lin
17 June 2007: Samson Tan
3 June 2007: July Lin & Samson Tan
19 May 2007: Samson Tan
6 May 2007: July Lin & Samson Tan
22 April 2007: Samson Tan
21 April 2007: July Lin & Samson Tan
24 March 2007: Samson Tan

Kusu Island (KI)

23 August 2005: Blue Water Volunteers

Labrador Nature Reserve (LNR)

13 October 2007: Andy Dinesh

Changi Beach (CB)

10 May 2008: Samson Tan
9 May 2008: July Lin & Samson Tan
12 April 2008: Samson Tan

Tanjung Chek Jawa (TCJ)

24 December 2007: Wildfilms & Kok Sheng
27 October 2007: Wildfilms & Kok Sheng

Beting Bronok (BB)

14 July 2007: Wildfilms, Kok Sheng & Marcus Ng

CYRENE REEF - AN IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR KNOBBLY SEASTARS

2008-05-14T21:00:00.000+08:00

The short population census conducted at Cyrene Reef on 8 and 9 May 2008 revealed that there are at least 62 individual knobbly seastars (Protoreaster nodosus) at the intertidal habitat. This is perhaps the largest Protoreaster population ever documented in Singapore. The population size is likely to be much larger than estimated as the two surveys were carried out on only a small (~20% of total area) intertidal area of Cyrene Reef. In addition, the population contained a wide range of body size (minor radius: 21-56 mm). There were at least 12 juveniles, which are seastars with minor radius less than 30 mm. The presence of juveniles, subadults and adults indicated that there is a healthy level of recruitment at Cyrene Reef. This habitat may be the only sustainable population of knobbly seastars left in Singapore today.

Sightings @ Cyrene Reef on 9 May 2008

2008-05-13T22:07:00.000+08:00

On 9 May 2008, a total of 45 knobbly seastar (Protoreaster nodosus) individuals were sighted at Cyrene Reef. Twelve of these were first encountered on 8 May 2008. Photographs of 33 'new' individuals are given below. Our recognition programme indicated that there are at least 62 individual seastars on this intertidal reef.

CR030

CR031

CR032

CR033

CR034

CR035

CR036

CR037

CR038

CR039

CR040

CR041

CR042

CR043

CR044

CR045

CR046

CR047

CR048

CR049

CR050

CR051

CR052

CR053

CR054

CR055

CR056

CR057

CR058

CR059

CR060

C061

C062

Sightings @ Cyrene Reef on 8 May 2008

2008-05-12T20:59:00.000+08:00

On 8 May 2008, the following 29 knobbly seastar (Protoreaster nodosus) individuals were sighted at Cyrene Reef:

CR001

CR002

CR003

CR004

CR005

CR006

CR007

CR008

CR009

CR0010

CR0011

CR0012

CR0013

CR0014

CR0015

CR0016

CR0017

CR0018

CR0019

CR0020

CR0021

CR0022

CR0023

CR0024

CR0025

CR0026

CR0027

CR0028

CR0029

THINGS TO DO

2008-05-07T21:46:00.000+08:00

The following is the list of things you need to do when you spotted a knobbly seastar. Note: Click on figure for a larger image.

1. Take a photograph.

First, determine the location of the madreporite (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Location of the madreporite in a knobbly seastar.

Then, orientate the seastar such that the side with the madreporite is nearest to you compared to the other sides (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Correct and wrong orientations of seastar when taking photograph. Madreporites are circled in red.

Finally, take a clear photograph of the aboral profile of the seastar from top-down (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Point camera perpendicularly to the aboral side of the seastar and shoot.

Note: If the seastar is underwater, remove it out of water for photography and then return the animal to its original location. The body of the seastar may be contracted in a way that some knobs are blocked by other knobs and/or the arm. In such a case, induce the retraction of the knobs and arms by gently tapping them to increase the visibility of all knobs. Care should be taken to minimise capturing shadow in the photograph by shading the animal from direct sunlight.

2. Obtain measurements.

Turn over the seastar and take measurements of the animal from its oral side. Two types of body length are to be taken: minor radius and major radius. Minor radius is the length from the mouth to the margin of the disc between two arms whereas major radius is the length from the mouth to the tip of an arm (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Definitions of minor radius and major radius.

Obtain measurements to the nearest millimetres (mm) and for all sides. Measurements should be taken in clockwise order starting from the madreporite (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Correct order of measurements.

3. Record coordinates of location.

This should be obtained using a handheld GPS (Global Positioning System) unit with position format set at ‘hdddºmm.mmm’ (e.g., N1º24.285’ E104º2.823’). Coordinates should be marked as close as possible to the seastar. If a GPS unit is not available, describe the location in as much details as possible (e.g., 2 m east of the ‘white beacon’ at Chek Jawa).

4. Record time of sighting.

Time of sighting to be recorded in 24 hour designation (e.g., 0832 h).

5. Describe type of microhabitat.

Examples of microhabitat type are:

a. Mud
b. Sand
c. Gravel
d. Rock
e. Seagrass

6. Send the photographs and details of each individual to chimck@yahoo.com. Please also provide the date and general location of sighting (e.g., Cyrene reef, Chek Jawa and Pulau Semakau) and your full name.

WHAT ARE KNOBBLY SEASTARS?

2008-05-05T22:38:00.000+08:00

... AND WHY WE SHOULD TRACK THEM.

Protoreaster nodosus (Linneaus 1758), commonly known as knobbly seastar or horned seastar, is a large asteroid that has large nodules or tubercles on the aboral surface (Lane and Vandenspiegel 2003). It is usually coloured in red or pink, but has also been found in other colours such as crimson, white, blue, green, grey, beige and light brown (Chew 1993; Lane and Vandenspiegel 2003).

This echinoderm occurs in large populations in the Indo-Pacific, particularly on seagrass beds (Lane and Vandenspiegel 2003). However, the conservation status of this charismatic animal is recognised as endangered in Singapore (Ng & Wee, 1994). Recruitment in local populations was believed to be at extremely low rates (Lane and Vandenspiegel 2003). Although Protoreaster nodosus is heavily collected in the region for aquarium and sourvenir trades (Lane and Vandenspiegel 2003), this threat is not known to exist locally. The disappearance of knobbly seastars in Singapore is more likely to be due to the destruction and degradation of marine habitats.

The large size of this species indicates that it may play an important ecological role in an ecosystem (Ng & Wee, 1994). Recent surveys by nature conservationists recorded moderate numbers of knobbly seastars, including juveniles, at a number of local sites such as Tanjung Chek Jawa, Changi Beach, Pulau Semakau, Kusu Island and Cyrene reef. Ecological data such as body growth, survivorship, habitat utilization and movement patterns collected from the remaining individuals can lead to better management of Protoreaster nodosus populations in Singapore.

To collect such data, individual seastars have to be tracked over time. Many researchers have limited success when they tried to mark seastars by using artificial means such as stains, tags and mutilations (Glynn 1982). Besides the lack of durability of these methods, behaviour and survivorship of the animals were also affected due to extensive handling and injury caused by the marking procedures (Glynn 1982). The unique number and arrangement of knobs on the aboral surface of each P. nodosus individual, like our fingerprints, allows an trained eye to tell two seastars apart without the use of any invasive method (Chew, 1993).

REFERENCES

Chew, T. C., 1993. Individual recognition and digestive anatomy of Protoreaster nodosus (L. 1758) (Echinodermata: Asteriodea). BSc Honors thesis, National University of Singapore.

Glynn, P. W., 1982. Individual recognition and phenotypic variability in Acanthaster planci (Echinodermata: Asteroidea). Coral Reefs 1: 89-94.

Lane, D. J. W. and Vandenspiegel, D., 2003. A guide to sea stars and other echinoderms of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre, p. 64-65.

Ng., P. K. L. & Wee, Y. C., 1994. The Singapore Red Data Book – Threatened Plants & Animals Of Singapore. The Nature Society (Singapore), p. 89.