What animals live i the crest reef zone?

1. What animals live in the reef crest?
2. What animals live in reef flats?
3. How deep is the reef crest?
4. What organisms can be found in the shore reef zone?
5. Is coral reef an animal or plant?
6. What is the name of the animal part of the coral?
7. Do sharks live in a coral reef?
8. How many animals live in coral reefs?
9. Do whales live in coral reefs?
10. What is reef lagoon?
11. Is coral a reef?
12. What are 5 characteristics that define coral reef zones?
13. What type of fish live in the coral reef?
14. Do seahorses live in coral reefs?
15. Why do animals live in coral reefs?

What animals live in the reef crest?

Small crabs, shrimps, and other animals often live in the cavities under the reef crest, protected from waves and predators. The buttress zone is a rugged area of spurs, or buttresses, radiating out from the reef. Deep channels that slope down the reef face are interspersed between the buttresses.

What animals live in reef flats?

Clams, oysters, worms, crabs and lobsters dominate. Depending on the type of reef, the reef flat may be anywhere from 33 yards (30 meters) to several thousand yards in length. This vibrant coral is one the many types growing on the coral reef wall. The reef flat has little coral but its shallow waters teem with life.

How deep is the reef crest?

The channel is about 140 m wide and reaches depths of up to 30 m near its entry to the Pacific Ocean. The reef flat and reef crest areas are shallow, with some areas exposed during low tide.

What organisms can be found in the shore reef zone?

Shore or inner reef zone - This area is between the crest and the shoreline. Depending on the shape of the reef, this area can be full of life including fishes, sea cucumbers, starfish, and anemones.

Is coral reef an animal or plant?

So what exactly are corals? Corals actually comprise an ancient and unique partnership, called symbiosis, that benefits both animal and plant life in the ocean. Corals are animals, though, because they do not make their own food, as plants do.

What is the name of the animal part of the coral?

The branch or mound that we often call “a coral” is actually made up of thousands of tiny animals called polyps. A coral polyp is an invertebrate that can be no bigger than a pinhead to up to a foot in diameter. Each polyp has a saclike body and a mouth that is encircled by stinging tentacles.

Do sharks live in a coral reef?

Reef sharks inhabit shallow water coral and rocky reefs along coastlines, and submerged sea mounts. The species featured here are found primarily in tropical waters.

How many animals live in coral reefs?

Scientists believe that more than a million species around the world live on coral reefs. At any one reef, thousands of species can be collected or observed living there.

Do whales live in coral reefs?

Dolphins and Whales of the Great Barrier Reef. The marine mammals who frequent the Reef. ... You can expect to find about 30 different species of whales and dolphins in the Great Barrier Reef's borders, with Humpback and Dwarf Minke whales along with Bottlenose dolphins being among the most common.

What is reef lagoon?

A coral reef lagoon is that body of water that lies within an atoll (annular) reef or within a barrier reef. It is generally assumed that an appreciable depth of water is maintained within the lagoon, say 5-50 meters. ... In other cases, the lagoon floor may become almost blocked by vast growths of coral patches.

Is coral a reef?

A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. ... They are most commonly found at shallow depths in tropical waters, but deep water and cold water coral reefs exist on smaller scales in other areas.

What are 5 characteristics that define coral reef zones?

Coral Reef Zones Video Scientists divide coral reefs into zones. They base these divisions on location within the reef and characteristics such as depth, wave action, light intensity, temperature, and water chemistry. Zones of the reef include: lagoon, back reef, reef flat, reef crest, and fore reef.

What type of fish live in the coral reef?

More than 1,500 fish species live on the reef, including the clownfish, red bass, red-throat emperor, and several species of snapper and coral trout. About 5,000 species of mollusks live on the reef.

Do seahorses live in coral reefs?

Seahorses are an emblematic species for marine conservation and help protect the habitats they are found in (mangroves, coral reefs, estuaries, seagrasses, and seaweeds).

Why do animals live in coral reefs?

Why do so many fish live near coral reefs? Because of warm water and abundant food supply, coral reef communities are bustling with life. ... Small fish can hide from big predators inside a coral reef. Because of this, many small tropical fish are found in coral reefs.