Coral reef
Introduction to coral reef
• Coral reef are amazing,natural wonders that live in warm waters of the tropics. Providing habitat fot thousands of marine creatures.
Corals are animals or plants?
Coral is an animal!
• They live attached to the sea floor.• A single coral animal is called a coral polyp.• The coral polyps live together in colonies.• Coral polyps live inside here
Tiny little animals!
• Polyps inside polyps outside
What do they eat?
• The polyps use their tentacles to catch tiny animals that float in the water called zooplankton.
• But corals most of their food from marine plants that actually live inside the coral.
• They are solar powered just like trees.
Corals have the second highest
biodiversity after rainforest
Why are important?
• They are home to 33% of all known fish species.
• And a nursery around for over 25% of all marine species.
• They have the potential to be used as medical cures.
• They protect 20% of the world’s coast from wave erosion.
What plants live on coral reefs?
• Algae-lots of different type
What animals live on the reef?
• Turtles!
• Giant clams
• Parrot fish
• Damselfish including clownfish like nemo!
• Cleaner shrimp
Most larger coral reefs in the world!
• The Great Barrier Reef- Queensland, Australia; the largest coral reef system. Is in first place
• In second place-honduras,islas de la bahia.
Perhaps you can join them one day!
