crown-of-thorns starfish
[kroun-uh v-thawrnz]
noun
a starfish, Acanthaster planci, that feeds on living coral polyps, causing erosion and destruction of coral reefs.
Origin of crown-of-thorns starfish
First recorded in 1960–65
Also called crown of thorns.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019