American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Exhibition)
birth: 1969 November 3
death: 1969 November 30
Exhibition. Opened November 3, 1969 and closed November 30, 1969. Located in the Grand Gallery at the American Museum of Natural History. "The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish" featured a crown-of-thorns starfish, a natural predator of coral.
Summary
"Exhibit of the Month: The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish" featured a crown-of-thorns starfish, a natural predator of coral. The proliferation of the animal in many areas of the Western Pacific Ocean laid waste to many square miles of reefs, and the exhibition explored the possible causes and effects of this phenomenon including man's role in upsetting the ecological balance of the reefs. Scientists from the Westinghouse Ocean Research Laboratory, San Diego, California, were involved in trying to discover some method of controlling the proliferation of the starfish. The crown-of-thorns was on view in the 77th Street Foyer of The American Museum of Natural History during the month of November 1969 as the Exhibit of the Month.
Individuals and institutions involved in the creation of the exhibition: Westinghouse Ocean Research Laboratory, San Diego, CA.