A colorful coral reef with many fish swimming around it.

Coral Reefs

Preview

Corals, sponges, and algae are the major components of most coral reef communities as shown in this picture.

Coral Overview

Are you a student researching corals or someone looking to learn more about coral reefs? This overview dives into everything to know.

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Featured Content

Colorful fishes throng a reef in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Bizarre and Beautiful Coral Reef Animals

Fish swimming in waters of Bay Islands, Honduras

Improving Grades for the Mesoamerican Reef

Three gray fish swim in front of a large coral head.

Cabo Pulmo – Giving Optimism to Coral Reefs

Intense volcanic CO2 vents in Ili Ili Bua Bua, Normanby Island, Papua New Guinea.

Will Coral Reefs Survive Acidification?

Nuclear bomb in Bikini Atoll

Naturally Resilient

Are You An Educator?

At Smithsonian Ocean, we have lesson plans, activities, and resources to help you engage your students in the wonders of our oceans.

see all lesson plans see coral lesson plans

Coral Reefs Articles

A screen shot from video "From Despair to Repair" showing a black and white image of a coral reef in 1975.

From Despair to Repair

A view of the island of Moorea.

The Moorea Biocode Project

a fish swimming in blue water

Visit the Line Islands with Reef Ecologist Dr. Stuart Sandin

two people in the water with mountains in the background

Welcome to the Moorea Biocode Project

a red lionfish

Lionfish on the Loose

a school of fish over coral

Coral Forests of the Deep Ocean

a screenshot of a ship

Science in a Time of Crisis: Assessing the Impacts

different kinds of deep sea corals

Aleutian Islands Deep-Sea Corals

a man speaking at the podium

World Oceans Day 2012 - Live Webcast

Screenshot from video "Connecting Coral Reefs" showing illustrations of an underwater coral community.

Connecting Coral Reefs

A screenshot from video showing illustrations of ancient coral reefs.

Coral Reefs Changing Over Time

A screenshot from the video showing a giant barrel sponge.

What Makes Sponges Grow?

Banner Credit

Erwin Poliakoff, flickr