"In 2013, scientists noticed something unsettling about some starfish across the Pacific: the creatures were dealing with a debilitating condition that effectively caused their arms to disintegrate over time. The phrase "disintegrating starfish" might sound like the name of an obscure 1990s alt-rock band, but it also represented an issue that stumped scientists for years - and threatened countless marine ecosystems."
"How widespread has this epidemic been? As Christina Larson reported for the Associated Press, scientists believe that this mysterious condition has killed billions of starfish in the last decade-plus. What Larson was reporting on, though, was a reason for optimism when it comes to marine life: namely, that scientists believe that they know what caused the deaths of all these starfish."
"In a paper published in Nature Ecology & Evolution in August, a group of scientists pointed to a particular strain of bacteria as the culprit for the starfish deaths. The researchers point to a strain of the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida as the cause of this condition. Based on the scientists' observations, this bacterium infects the coelomic fluid around the starfish's organs."
Beginning in 2013, starfish across the Pacific experienced a wasting condition that caused their arms to disintegrate. Scientists estimate the condition killed billions of starfish over the past decade. Research published in Nature Ecology & Evolution identified a strain of the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida infecting coelomic fluid around starfish organs as the cause. The identification enables targeted conservation measures but does not constitute a cure. Starfish face additional threats such as mass strandings that can kill hundreds or thousands. Invasive starfish populations have prompted removal efforts on coral reefs and international programs, including a UNDP initiative begun in 2018 to remove invasive marine species around Turkey.
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