Coral Reef Animals (66 Photos)

Coral reef animals are the most conspicuous component of coral reef life, occurring in truly astounding numbers and variety throughout the reef ecosystem.

Unlike terrestrial forests and prairies whose structure is formed by plants, it is animals (coral polyps) that actually form the structural foundation of coral reef ecosystems - as well as being its dominant inhabitants.

A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.

Coral belongs to the class Anthozoa in the animal phylum Cnidaria, which includes sea anemones and jellyfish.
Two major groups of animals inhabit coral reefs: animals with backbones (called vertebrates) and those without these structures (called invertebrates).

Vertebrate Coral Reef Animals
Among vertebrate animals, only a relative few groups contain species that are regularly found within coral reef communities. These are:

Fishes
Sea Snakes
Sea Turtles
Dugongs and Manatees

The coral reef invertebrate animals we briefly introduce below are the:

Sponges
Echinoderms
Mollusks
Crustaceans
Polychaetes
Another key group - the corals and their relatives - are instrumental in building the reef and are discussed along with the coral reef biome.