Animals in the Great Barrier Reef

The three images about are of some different animals you can find hanging out in the coral reef. One is a puffer fish, the second is a fish called a John Dory, and the third image is of brittle star.


The Great Barrier Reef is among the most complex ecosystems on the planet, providing habitat for a stunning variety and number of species. there are 1500 species of marine fish, 360 species of hard corals, 600 species of echinoderms (starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers), 500 species of seaweed, 400 species of sponges, a variety of marine mammals (whales, dolphins, dugongs), 6 species of marine turtles, 125 species of sharks. From what you learned about why the coral reef is where it is, what has to be special about these animals? Why can all animals live in the Great Barrier Reef? The images above are just some different kinds of fish and animals that live in the Great Barrier Reef.

The food chain in the Great Barrier Reef

The various types of seaweed, coral and sponges provide feeding grounds for starfish, mollusks, and small fish. Larger fish in the Great Barrier Reef Australia, as well as 23 different species of marine mammals consider these small fish an excellent meal. Major predators like the whitetip or tiger shark then prey upon these larger mammals, with the byproducts serving to nourish coral and sponges, bringing the Great Barrier Reef food chain full circle. There are also animals that feed off of coral. The most important predators of corals is the Pacific Ocean’s Crown of Thorns Sea Star. It is estimated that a single Crown of Thorns Sea Star can eat from 2 to 6 square meters (6 to 20 square feet) of corals per year. Many fish species such as parrotfish, butterfly fish and tangs also include corals as part of their diet. How can you relate the food chain of the great barrier reef to the food chain that we are in. How can we be somewhat related to sharks in our food chain?