What kind of ecosystem do coral reefs support?
An extremely diverse and interconnected one. Coral reef ecosystems include: sponges that provide shelter for tiny fishes, crabs, and other small animals; sea anemones (close relatives of corals) which have a symbiotic relationship with clownfish and anemonefish; a variety of worms, including flatworms and polychetes; as well as sea stars, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins. A wide variety of schooling and solitary fish including sharks are also mainstays. Many shrimps, crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans also find protection from predators in between coral branches. And octopuses, squids, clams, scallops, and nudibranchs all live on or near reefs, often feeding by filtering food particles from the water. It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that without the reefs, millions of these organisms would die.
