Coral Reefs: Featured Creatures
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Coral: Animal or Plant?
The brownish-green specks in this coral polyp are algae on which corals depend for food.
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Corals themselves are animals. But tropical reef-building corals have tiny plant-like organisms living in their tissue. The corals couldn’t survive without these microscopic algae–called zooxanthellae (zo-zan-THELL-ee).
Smithsonian Links
Meet a Moray
This is one of about 200 species of moray eels that live in tropical and subtropical coral reefs.
Wolcott Henry
Moray eels hide in reef crevices, waiting for fish or other creatures to come close. Then they grab the prey with their strong jaws. Like this guineafowl moray, different moray species are often named after their distinct appearances. They come in a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns, and range in length from 0.5 meter (1.6 feet) to 3 meters (10 feet).
Comments
Great!!
Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/20/2010 - 10:54pm.Thank you, my daughter (8 yrs old) and I love this.
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 03/18/2011 - 8:05pm.Cute(:
Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 03/20/2011 - 12:50pm.Awesome and Cuuuute(:
Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 03/20/2011 - 12:51pm.i think all marine life is amazing, and that we under estimate the intelligence and sophistication of the fish and other marine animals.
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 08/04/2011 - 10:54am.omg i love fish :)
by: laphandaa jonez thats right
Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 10:48am.it is so cute
Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 01/18/2012 - 9:25am.love marine life
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 9:36am.comment_wrapper_curve
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