About coral reefs and the animals featured in this coral reef illustration, in particular:
Coral reefs are formed by the decaying bodies of corals. Corals are marine animals in the class "Anthozoa". The coral that builds reefs are those that secrete calcium carbonate, which forms a hard skeleton. Coral grows by asexual reproduction of the polyps.
Coral reefs are formed in shallow (usually less than 200 feet in depth) tropical waters where there are few nutrients. In a nutrient-rich environment, algae thrives, which would cause the demise of the coral. Corals which form coral reefs obtain most of their nutrients from zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae are a unicellular algae, hence these coral reef forming corals require sunlight and clear water.
The features numbered below are described in the following links:
1. Brain Coral
8. Elkhorn Coral, Boulder Star Coral, and Coral Sea Whip
Also see the preliminary drawing and other illustrations for this project. These specific animals were placed into the coral reef illustration above as interactive elements to educate people about the effects of human interaction on the coral reef:
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More about coral reefs:
Photos of stingrays:
Photos of sea urchins:
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