Coral Reef Animals

Underneath the ocean waters, coral reefs are home to various sea creatures – earning them the name “rainforests of the sea”. These include clams, corals, fish, sea turtles, sponges, etc. The reefs are generally built of stony corals held together by calcium carbonate. Notable coral reef ecosystems include the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Belize Barrier Reef off the Caribbean coast, and the Tubbataha Reefs in the Philippines.

In recent times, these habitats are threatened by various human activities like destructive fishing practices, disease, global climate change, ship groundings, and water pollution.

List of Animals that live in Coral Reefs

Mammals

Dugong

Reptiles

Flatback Sea Turtle
Green Sea Turtle
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Fish

African Lionfish
Banded Lionfish
Banded Pipefish
Bartlett’s Anthias
Bentfin Devil Ray
Bicolour Parrotfish
Blacktip Reef Shark
Blue Parrotfish
Blue Tang
Broadclub Cuttlefish
Caribbean Reef Shark
Chilean Devil Ray
Clarke’s Anemonefish
Clearfin Lionfish
Common Lionfish
Copperband Butterflyfish
Devilfish
Dragon Moray Eel
Flamboyant Cuttlefish
Giant Moray Eel
Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
Green Humphead Parrotfish
Green Moray Eel
Hairy Frogfish
Harlequin Tuskfish
Humphead Wrasse
Indian Mud Moray Eel
Leafy Seadragon
Lesser Devil Ray
Longnose Butterflyfish
Mandarinfish
Marbled Parrotfish
Maroon Clownfish
Moorish Idol
Munk’s Devil Ray
Ocellaris Clownfish
Orange Clownfish
Oriental Butterflyfish
Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Pennant Coralfish
Pharaoh Cuttlefish
Potato Grouper
Princess Parrotfish
Raccoon Butterflyfish
Rainbow Parrotfish
Red Lionfish
Reef Manta Ray
Saddleback Butterflyfish
Schooling Bannerfish
Shortfin Devil Ray
Snowflake Moray Eel
Squarespot
Stoplight Parrotfish
Sunburst Butterflyfish
Threadfin Butterflyfish
Turkey Moray Eel
Vagabond Butterflyfish
Whitetip Reef Shark
Yellow Pyramid Butterflyfish
Yellow Tang
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
Yellow-edged Moray Eel
Yellow-headed Jawfish
Zebra Moray
Zebra Shark

Invertebrates

Bamboo Coral
Big Blue Octopus
Bigfin Reef Squid
Black Sea Rod
Blue Sea Star
Blue-lined Octopus
Brain Coral
Beadlet Anemone
Bubble-tip Anemone
Carpet Anemone
Caribbean Reef Octopus
Christmas Tree Worm
Common Starfish
Crown-of-thorns Starfish
Day Octopus
Dead Man’s Fingers
Giant Clam
Giant Green Anemone
Greater Blue-ringed Octopus
Harlequin Shrimp
Moon Jellyfish
Octopus Coral
Organ Pipe Coral
Pacific Purple Sea Urchin
Precious Coral
Queen Conch
Red Sea Urchin
Sand Dollar
Southern Blue-ringed Octopus
Staghorn Coral
Stove Pipe Sponge
Sunflower Sea Star
Zooplankton

Adaptations

Many fish living in the coral reefs are small and flat to quickly flee inside the various crevices throughout the structure. Examples include various species of clownfish and moray eels.
Most of the animals in a coral reef biome are brightly colored. The colors may discourage predators as they indicate that the targeted prey is poisonous while also serving as effective camouflage against the coral reef backdrop.
Several animals have a symbiotic relationship with one another. For instance, clownfish have immunity to the venom of the sea anemone, letting the fish live among their tentacles freely. In return, the clownfish feed on the parasites infesting the anemone, keeping it healthy.

FAQs

1. What is the dominant species of a coral reef?

The stony corals that make up the reef are the dominant animals forming a reef.

2. Are there endangered animals living in coral reefs?

Yes, dugongs and several species of turtles are considered endangered species.

3. Did any animals living in coral reefs go extinct?

The short-nosed sea snake was believed to have gone extinct, but in 2021 an extant population was discovered in Ashmore Reef. However, whether or not the discovered species is the same as the short-nosed sea snake has yet to be determined.