Thousands of plants, fishes and invertebrates such as sponges, sea cucumbers, sea squirts and clams live in the tropical coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef contains some 3000 species of animals providing a home to some and a place to hide for others.
The Sea Anemone takes its shelter in the reef and so does the marine snail. Another interesting inhabitant of the reef is the octopus. The Plume worm bores into the stony body of the reef. One kind of shrimp makes a hole for itself in the sand between coral heads. Some fish visit coral reefs to forage for food. Small fish such as herrings and sardines eat tiny planktonic animals found in the reef. Moray eels hide in small cavities and suddenly pounce on their victims.
For food and shelter
The Hammerhead shark is often born in the reef and the young sharks enjoy the abundance of food in the reef. Mantis shrimps stay in the inner reef crevices and catch crab. Butterfly fish have long snouts which enable them to find crabs and worms in rocks and crevices. Some fish that are found in the open sea use the reef as a place to gather and breed. A few use the reef as a type of spa!
The Wrasse is a fish that gets its food while cleaning other sea creatures. Wrasses eat the parasites and debris on the bodies of other creatures.
Most interesting of all — corals not only provide room for organisms to live, they are also eaten by some marine biota. The star fish known as Crown of Thorns settles on the stony coral and at night eats the polyp leaving only the skeleton.
Parrot fish do not eat corals but chip off pieces of coral with their sharp beak like teeth. The Leather Jacket sucks out the soft part of the polyp. The trigger fish bites the surface of the reef and breaks it. The File fish eat Gorgonians and stinging coral.
The Sea Anemone takes its shelter in the reef and so does the marine snail. Another interesting inhabitant of the reef is the octopus. The Plume worm bores into the stony body of the reef. One kind of shrimp makes a hole for itself in the sand between coral heads. Some fish visit coral reefs to forage for food. Small fish such as herrings and sardines eat tiny planktonic animals found in the reef. Moray eels hide in small cavities and suddenly pounce on their victims.
For food and shelter
The Hammerhead shark is often born in the reef and the young sharks enjoy the abundance of food in the reef. Mantis shrimps stay in the inner reef crevices and catch crab. Butterfly fish have long snouts which enable them to find crabs and worms in rocks and crevices. Some fish that are found in the open sea use the reef as a place to gather and breed. A few use the reef as a type of spa!
The Wrasse is a fish that gets its food while cleaning other sea creatures. Wrasses eat the parasites and debris on the bodies of other creatures.
Most interesting of all — corals not only provide room for organisms to live, they are also eaten by some marine biota. The star fish known as Crown of Thorns settles on the stony coral and at night eats the polyp leaving only the skeleton.
Parrot fish do not eat corals but chip off pieces of coral with their sharp beak like teeth. The Leather Jacket sucks out the soft part of the polyp. The trigger fish bites the surface of the reef and breaks it. The File fish eat Gorgonians and stinging coral.
