What Animals Live in a Coral Reef

Commonly referred to as "rain forests of the ocean," coral reefs represent one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. They form in warm, shallow water and are home to a variety of plant and animal species, both large and small. According to the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation, coral reefs are home to 30 of the 34 known animal phyla on Earth.

  1. Sea Turtles

    • Sea turtles are common animals found living in coral reefs. According to the Cooperative Research Center for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, green, leatherback, hawksbill, loggerhead, flatback and olive ridley species of sea turtles all call Australia's Great Barrier Reef home. That's six out of seven of the world's major sea turtle species. Sea turtles eat plants growing in reefs and take to nearby beaches to lay their eggs. Reefs also provide protection from currents and many predators.

    Octopus

    • The blue ring octopus lives in warm, shallow reefs that can be found off the coast of Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea, according to Enchanted Learning. It grows to be 8 inches in size and feeds on invertebrates and fish. It hides in the reef and catches prey with its eight tentacles, killing it by delivering a poison bite. It builds dens in the reefs and piles rocks in front of den entryways to ward off predators.

    Parrotfish

    • The Great Barrier Reef is home to over 1,500 species of fish. Among these species is the parrotfish, which is bright blue and named for its beaklike mouth. These fish also have a role in the reef's ecosystem. They use hard, chiseled teeth to nibble coral down to its exoskeleton and eat the algae locked within it. Therefore, their presence on these reefs helps keep them from being overgrown with algae.

    Eels

    • According to Seaworld, the top predators of a reef are eels. Eels hide within the reef's crevices during the day and then hunt during the night. They use their sharp teeth and powerful jaws to trap and eat small fish, octopus, shrimp and crabs. The moray eel is a species commonly found in reefs. It's characterized by thick, scale-less, camouflaged skin and small beady eyes. Unlike sea snakes, which typically scour coral reefs only for food, eels don't need to surface for air. They breathe through gills.