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Introduction
Introduction
Though coral itself is amazing there are also many animals that live with coral with many being extravagant and full of color! Coral reefs support approximately 25% of all marine species: 4,000 species of fish; 700 species of coral; and thousands of more marine plants and animals. Over 1,000,000 aquatic species rely on coral. Coral reefs are truly some of the most diverse ecosystems so of course they would have many, many animals that live in coral reefs for example sea stars, clownfish, turtles, etc. So grab your snacks, grab your popcorn because you're going to be in for a ride!
Protectors and feeders
Protectors and feeders
Many animals protect corals, for example, wrasses, parrotfish, sea urchins, and many other herbivores help by grazing on the different algae, which can overwhelm a reef through overgrowth if these animals are not present. Some animals eat other animals that feed on coral, since so many animals live in reefs there are bound to be some animals who eat them like fish, marine worms, barnacles, and sea stars all prey on the soft inner tissue of coral polyps. In extreme cases, entire reefs can be devastated if predator populations become too high. This is why animals that keep their population steady are very important.
Home sweet home
Home sweet home
Hidden beneath the ocean waters, coral reefs teem with life. Fish, corals, lobsters, clams, seahorses, sponges, and sea turtles are only a few of the thousands of creatures that rely on reefs for their survival. Many animals that live with coral will decide to shelter there because of the vast amounts of food sources which they may require and are great places to call home. Which is why many animals will choose to live there. These vibrant metropolises provide shelter to all different types of animals, fish, turtles, crustaceans, and invertebrates.
Large animals
Large animals
Coral reefs are home to many different animals which are many different sizes. Some large animals living there include dugongs, sharks, manta rays, etc. With some of these animals being extremely interesting, for example, dugongs are very interesting not only because of their strange look but also because of their diet which only consists of sea grass, which is how they get the name sea cow because of their grazing habits. Some of these larger animals shape the environment by balance, for example, many marine animals of the larger variety are carnivorous so they can help by keeping the population down.
Small and microscopic animals
Small and microscopic animals
Built by tiny sea animals, coral reefs are underwater structures bustling with marine life, with some being extremely small and some even microscopic. Even though these animals seem small the have a HUGE impact, both good and bad. Well on one hand many smaller animals feed on coral but on the other hand they can affect in good ways, like how Polyps of reef-building corals contain microscopic algae called zooxanthellae, which exist with the animal in a symbiotic relationship. The coral polyps (animals) provide the algae (plants) a home, and in exchange, the algae provide the polyps with food they generate through photosynthesis which makes a perfect cycle. Like I was saying in the "protectors and feeders" section some smaller animals helped by eating algae that could overwhelm coral reefs.
Built by tiny sea animals, coral reefs are underwater structures bustling with marine life, with some being extremely small and some even microscopic. Even though these animals seem small the have a HUGE impact, both good and bad. Well on one hand many smaller animals feed on coral but on the other hand they can affect in good ways, like how Polyps of reef-building corals contain microscopic algae called zooxanthellae, which exist with the animal in a symbiotic relationship. The coral polyps (animals) provide the algae (plants) a home, and in exchange, the algae provide the polyps with food they generate through photosynthesis which makes a perfect cycle. Like I was saying in the "protectors and feeders" section some smaller animals helped by eating algae that could overwhelm coral reefs.
Microscopic reef animals:
Microscopic reef animals:
Cyclops: Cyclops are the most common genera of freshwater copepods, with over 400 species.
Ostracod: Ostracods, or ostracodes, are a class of the Crustacea, sometimes known as seed shrimp. Some 33,000 species have been identified, grouped into 7 valid orders. They are small crustaceans, typically around 1 mm in size, but varying from 0.2 to 30 mm in the case of the marine Gigantocypris.
Microfauna: Microfauna refers to microscopic animals and organisms that exhibit animal-like qualities, and have body sizes that are usually <0.1mm. Microfauna are represented in the animal kingdom and the protist kingdom.
Animals that live in them
Animals that live in them
animals that live in corals usually help the coral by protecting them from predators and in return they get food from the coral but some algaes will also help by photosynthesizing them and this 2 beautiful cycles just keeps going. This cycle will happen commonly with algae and many microscopic animals, Corals and algae live in a mutually beneficial relationship with each other. Healthy corals are home to algae that photosynthesize, giving the coral energy and their bright color hues, while coral provide algae with shelter; both rely on each other for important nutrient exchanges for survival.
There are many interesting animals among coral reefs these are just some of my favorites that a picked out. Both because of their abilities, their looks, and their size.
Dugongs:
All though we have already talked about dugongs they are extremley interesting so once again let's get into this. Dugongs also known as sea cows are large animals averagely weighing 400 kilograms after being full grown and being 3 meters long, these animals are often known because of there strange diet which only consists of sea grass which gets them the name sea cows.
Giant cams:
These bottom dwelling behemoths are the most common mollusks on Earth, capable of reaching 5 feet in length and weighing over 500 pounds. Giant cams are filter feeders, taking in plankton through a large, central opening. The clam's algae also produces metabolic waste products, which serve as a second nutritional source. This allows the clams to grow large even in nutrient-lacking waters.
Sea dragons:
Close kin to seahorses, the leafy sea dragon doesn't live on tropical reefs, but in the cooler rocky reefs off south and western Australia. There, this rare fish, with its leaflike fins and frilly appendages, is perfectly camouflaged among seaweeds and seagrass beds.They feed on mysid shrimp, a favorite food, and other small crustaceans, plankton, and larval fishes.
Coral housekeepers
Coral HousesKeeper help the corals stay clean and keep all the algae away from the corals so the coral's dont get sick and fall out of shape.
These coral housekeepers keep the coral's structure up and healthy they also eat the algae to keep the coral's from losing space for the other fishes.
Hevibore's, parrotfish, and surgeonfish all clean our coral reefs algae.
These aniamls help clean these corals for a safe place for them and other fish to live there too.
Coral need their coral housekeepers so they can live and be safe while living ,Coral HOusekeepers protect coral from dying from unhealthyness.
Some interesting looking animals:
Some interesting looking animals:
Carpillius macilutis
Carpillius macilutis
It is the most prominent of the genus Carpilius, due to its ability to be easily identified by the presence of eleven bright red spots located on its cream-colored carapace. The spots are placed in a 2-3-4 design, with two at the front of its carapace, three across the middle, and four located at its posterior end. This species grows to approximately 18 cm. At an average carapace width of 152 mm, it is larger in size in regards to other xanthids. The Carpillius maculatus has a smooth carapace and general appearance, with the
exception of four protruding spines
located between its eyes.
Harlequin tuskfish
Harlequin tuskfish
The Harlequin Tusk comes from the reefs of the Indian Ocean and Australia. Indian Ocean Tusks have orange stripes with white margins and a hint of blue adjacent to the tail of the fish. Australian Tusks have orange stripes with vivid blue margins starting from the pectoral fin, along the fishes back to their tail. Both of these beautiful color forms have bright blue teeth or tusks used to crunch invertebrates. They grow a personality and confidence as they grow, with their strange almost glow making them look beautiful.
The Harlequin Tusk comes from the reefs of the Indian Ocean and Australia. Indian Ocean Tusks have orange stripes with white margins and a hint of blue adjacent to the tail of the fish. Australian Tusks have orange stripes with vivid blue margins starting from the pectoral fin, along the fishes back to their tail. Both of these beautiful color forms have bright blue teeth or tusks used to crunch invertebrates. They grow a personality and confidence as they grow, with their strange almost glow making them look beautiful.
Lionfish
Lionfish
The Lionfish is a flourishing invasive species in the southeast U.S. and the Caribbean coastal waters. This invasive species has the potential to harm reef ecosystems because it is a top predator that competes for food and space with overfished native stocks such as snapper and grouper. Scientists fear that lionfish will also kill off helpful species such as algae-eating parrotfish, allowing seaweed to overtake the reefs. Their strange appearance makes them a favorite ant any aquarium.
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