hat
Malgre ke COTS rive natirèlman nan nimewo ki ba sou resif koray, yo pafwa parèt nan dansite segondè yo rele "epidemi". Dansite natirèl nan COTS se 6-20 km2 ki se mwens pase 1 pou chak hectare. ref Yon epidemi anjeneral defini kòm 30 oswa plis starfish granmoun pou chak hectare sou resif, ref oswa lè yo rive nan dans yo tankou zetwal lanmè a ap konsome tisi koray pi vit pase koray yo ka grandi. ref COTS ka konsome ap viv koray nan yon pousantaj de 5-13 m2 pou chak ane. ref
eng
Although COTS occur naturally in low numbers on coral reefs, they sometimes appear in high densities called “outbreaks”. The natural density of COTS is 6-20 km2 which is less than 1 per hectare. ref An outbreak is usually defined as 30 or more adult starfish per hectare on reefs, ref or when they reach densities such that the starfish are consuming coral tissue faster than the corals can grow. ref COTS can consume live coral at a rate of 5-13 m2 per year. ref