The "animals" of The Great Barrier Reef
Reef animals are some of the most colorful and amazing creatures on the planet. They are incredibly diverse but they all live in the same biome.
Sea Snakes
Sea snakes are closely related to terrestrial snakes, and like all reptiles they breath air. There are about 55-65 recognized species, but only a relative few are common in coral reefs. They have paddle like tails and laterally compressed bodies for enhanced swimming. Many of them are highly venomous so they should be avoided if swimming or diving.
Sea Turtles
There are seven recognized species of sea turtles. Of these seven,three are considered to be regular visitors to coral reefs. Due to loss of nesting habitat and ovr harvesting thay are also all endangered. They tend to feed in the back reef zones and use the reef as a resting place. They eat primarily seagrass.
Sea Stars
Sea stars, AKA starfish, are often found in the sand and seagrass of coral reefs as well as the hard reef substrate. These animals move slowly move along the reef using specialized appendages called tube feet located under the arms. Most starfish tend to eat mollusks, but some hunt the reef itself where they eat other invertebrate including the hard corals.
Sea Urchins
Sea Urchins are some of the most common of the echinoderms. Some live in the seagrass meadows while others live in the the crevices of the reefs by day then forage at night. during the 80s there was a sharp decline in the number of long spined sea urchines. The reason for this decline has yet to be determined however it has been lamed for the decline of live coral that occured during the same period.
Spiny Lobsters
Spiny Lobsters are likely the most well known and sought after of all the crustaceans. They arent full time residents, but they are frequent and long time visitors that spend a large part of the years in the reef. In the day they spend their time in the cracks of the reef and at night wander around freely.