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Coral reefs
1
Coral Reefs
Himani Vommi and Natalie Neptune
Mrs. A. Moyer
Grade 6 Literature Period 4
December 14, 2011
Angelfish
Angelfishes belong to the family Pomacanthidae and have deep compressed bodies, continuous dorsal fin, and a noticable spine extending from the rear cheek over the lower gill cover that distinguish them from butterflyfishes. Like butterflyfishes, the adults are fairly easy to identify but the younger ones are much more harder to see.
The largest species, the gray angelfish, may reach a length of 60 cm (24 in); however, some angelfish are no longer than 15 cm (5.9 in). A length of 20 to 30 cm (7.9 to 12 in) is average most angelfish.
Diet varies by species, from algae to sponge or zooplankton. Small types are generally shy, remaining close to the reef, while others may be easy to approach.
Here are some pictures of Angelfish.
Parrot Fish
Parrotfish are a group of fishes that traditionally had been considered a family (Scaridae), but now often are considered a subfamily (Scarinae) of the wrasses, or marine animals having thick, fleshy lips, powerful teeth, and usually a brilliant color.
They are found in relatively shallow tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, but with the largest species in the Indo-Pacific. The approximately 90 species that exist are found in coral reefs, rocky coasts and seagrass beds.
Parrotfish eat a wide variety of reef organisms, and they are not necessarily vegetarian. Some species include coral (polyps) in their diet.
If the dominant male dies, one of the females will change gender and color and become the dominant male.
Average life span is up to seven years and can grow up to about 1 to 4 ft, at the most. Every night, certain species of parrot fish cover themselves in a transparent cocoon made of a substance made from an organ on their head. Scientists think the cocoon masks their scent, making them harder for nocturnal predators, like moray eels, to find, because they are so colorful and easy to see.
Length: 60 cm or 24 inches
They belong to the Balistidae familly, a large family of marine fish all which have rather compressed, deep bodies with a large, stout, dorsal spine that can be locked into a vertical position when erected.
Triggerfish are any of the several tropical marine fish found in warm shallow Pacific waters, identified by its dorsal fin spine that can stand up straight to lodge the itself in a space of coral as a form of self defense that way bigger predators can't fit into the small place and eat it.
There are at least 120 species, in which most are considered to belong to an alternative famiy, the Aluteridae or Monacanthidae.
Also called the Three- Stripe Damsel, Humbug Dascyllus, or White-tailed Damselfish are found all over Indo-West Pacific from eastern Africa, Red Sea , and parts of the Pacific Ocean.
They can be found at depths up to 12 meters. Damselfish have a relatively short but deep body, a small mouth, one nostril on each side of there head, and a incomplete line.
They have beautiful patterns on their bodies. The damsels are found mainly in the Indo- Pacific region and in all there are about 230 different types species. Males of this family guard the eggs. Damselfish rarely grow to more than 6 inches in length.
Gorgonians
Also called sea fans
Gorgonians are also known as sea whips or sea fans and are similar to the sea pen, another soft coral. Individual tiny polyps form colonies that are normally in an upright position, flattened, branches out, and resemble a fan. Others may be whip like, bushy, or have a hard cover to them. They are brightly colored, mostly purple, yellow and red. Gorgonians having zooxanthellae algae are usually identified by brownish polyps. Those without zooxanthellae usually have more brightly colored polyps.
How do they eat?
Each gorgonian polyp has eight tentacles which catch plankton and different kinds of matter that is consumed. This process, called filter feeding, is done when the "fan" flows with the existing current to maximize water flow to the gorgonian and hence food supply.
Polyps
Coral polyps are tiny, soft-bodied organisms related to sea anemones and jellyfish. At their base is a hard, protective limestone skeleton called a calicle, which forms the structure of coral reefs. Reefs begin when a polyp attaches itself to a rock on the sea floor, then divides, or buds, into thousands of clones. The polyp calicles connect to one another, creating a colony that acts as a single organism. As colonies grow over hundreds and thousands of years, they join with other colonies and become reefs. Some of the coral reefs on the planet today began growing over 50 million years ago.
Cup Corals
Cup corals are non-reef building species that inhabit shaded vertical surface and caverns down to great depths. There are only two species likely to be seen while scuba diving in Hawaii.
It may also be found in the form of cups, ruffled ridges, plates, vases, or scrolls. Although the Turbinaria Corals may be bright yellow, green, brown, gray, or cream, the base of this Yellow Cup Coral is yellow, and it has yellow polyps. Depending on the conditions that it is exposed to, it can grow horizontally or vertically.
They rely upon capturing zooplankton as food and extend beautiful translucent tentacles at night. Cup corals are also found in very cold water throughout the world.
Bird's Nest Coral
The Bird's Nest Coral is also referred to as a Needle, Finger, or Brush Coral. The genus name, Seriatopora, comes from the Latin Seriatus and pore because its calcium skeleton is composed of a series of pores making up the whole structure.
It is a small polyp stony coral with very delicate, thin branches with needle-like tips that differentiate it from its closest relative, the Staghorn Corals that have much thicker branches.
It is found in a variety of color forms with pink being the most common. It will change colors in the reef aquarium growing darker with age. They are very dominant and peaceful.
Brain Coral
Brain coral is a common name given to corals due to shape and indented surface which looks like a brain. Each head of coral is formed by a colony of identical polyps with the same genes, which form a hard skeleton of calcium carbonate and makes them important coral reef builders like other stony corals.
Brain corals are found in shallow warm-water coral reefs in all the world's oceans. The life span of the largest brain corals is 900 years. Colonies can grow as large as 6 or more feet (1.8 m) high. Brain corals extend their tentacles to catch food at night. During the day, the brain corals use their tentacles for protection by wrapping them over the grooves on their surface. The surface is hard and offers good protection against fish or hurricanes.
Brain corals feed on small drifting animals and also receive nutrients provided by the algae which live within their tissues. They are somewhat aggressive; it will sting other corals with its extended sweeper tentacles during the night.
Stingray
Some of several species of bottom-dwelling that hav a cartilageinous skeleton. It has a flattened body, with wing-like fins around the head. It has a long, slender tail which can inflict a poisonous sting to stun prey, and can cause injury to human beings. Most stingrays have one or more barbed stingers on the tail, which is used only in self-defense. The stinger may reach a length of about 35 cm (14 in).
The flattened bodies of stingrays allow them to effectively conceal themselves in their environment. Stingrays do this by moving the sand and hiding beneath it. Because their eyes are on top of their bodies and their mouths on the undersides, stingrays cannot see their prey; instead, they use smell and electro-receptors similar to those of sharks.
Bibliography
Page Title: Coral Facts
Site Title: Barrier Reef Australia
Date Published: 2010
Organization: Carins Holiday specialists
Date accessed: December 7, 2011
URL: http://barrierreefaustralia.com/the-great-barrier-reef/coral facts.htm
Author: Charlie Veron
Page:Euphllia Ancora
Site Title: The Coral Library
Date Accessed: December 7, 2011
URI: http://sdmas.com/corals/specieces.php
Author: Keok & Yuko Stender
Page Title: Razor Corals
Site Title: Marine Life and Photography
Date Accessed: December 7,2011
URL: http://marinelifephotography.com/corals/razor/razorcoral.htm
Page Title: Three-Stripe Damsel
Site Title: Animal-World
Date published: 1998-2011
Organization: Animal-World
Date Accessed: December 8,2011
URL: http://animal-world.com/enclo/marine/damsels/threestripe.php
Author: National Geography Society
Page Title: Coral
Site Title: National Geographic
Date Published: 1996-2011
Organization: National Geographic Society
Date Accessed: December 7, 2011
URL: http://www.animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/
invertebrates/coral/
Brain coral. Wikipedia. November 7, 2011Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, December 14, 2011
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_coral
Author: Michael Allaby
Page Title: Balistidae
Site Title: A Dictionary of Zoology
Date published: 1999
Organization: Encyclopedia.com
Date of access: December 8,2011
URL: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/108-Balistidae.html
Thanks For Watching!
We hoped you learned something new about life in the coral reefs!!! :)
Damselfish
Triggerfish
Coral polyps are tiny, soft-bodied organisms related to sea anemones and jellyfish. At their base is a hard, protective limestone skeleton called a calicle, which forms the structure of coral reefs. Reefs begin when a polyp attaches itself to a rock on the sea floor, then divides, or buds, into thousands of clones. The polyp calicles connect to one another, creating a colony that acts as a single organism. As colonies grow over hundreds and thousands of years, they join with other colonies and become reefs. Some of the coral reefs on the planet today began growing over 50 million years ago.