Dartnall, A., Stevens, H., and Byrne, M. (2013) How to lose a population: the effect of Cyclone Larry on a population of Cryptasterina pentagona at Mission Beach, North Queensland. In: Echinoderms in a Changing World: proceedings of the 13th international echinoderm conference. pp. 181-184. From: 13th International Echinoderm Conference, 5-9 January 2009, Hobart, TAS, Australia.

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Abstract

The asterinid sea star Cryptasterina pentagona (Muller and Troschel 1842) occurs along the coast of north Queensland, Australia where numerous populations have been known since the late 1960s with irregular surveys over the following 40 years. These populations occupy boulder and cobble fields on sand and mud. Surveys conducted in 2005 were undertaken 6 months prior to Cyclone Larry which impacted the coast in early 2006. Populations were resurveyed after the cyclone. The search for the population at Mission Beach (Clump Point) failed to find any specimens. It is evident that this population was wiped out by the eye/intense storm surge. The site experienced considerable sand scour with complete loss of the cobble habitat used by C. pentagona. In contrast the population south of the influence of the cyclone did not exhibit any apparent change supporting the suggestion of the cyclone caused loss of the Mission Beach population. Although there are many reports of mass mortality of subtidal echinoderm populations due to stranding by storms, disease and anthropogenic influences, this appears to be the first report of a coastal intertidal population lost through natural impact.

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