10 Exciting Residents of the Great Barrier Reef
Published by The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms. It supports a diversity of life, including many vulnerable and endangered species, some of which may be endemic to the reef system. Here are a few from the multitude of exciting undersea creatures you will encounter in the largest coral reef system in the planet.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms. It supports a diversity of life, including many vulnerable and endangered species, some of which may be endemic to the reef system. Here are a few from the multitude of exciting undersea creatures you will encounter in the largest coral reef system in the planet.
Stonefish
Meet the most venomous fish in the world! They live in the sea (primarily above the Tropic of Capricorn) always so well-disguised, looking like a crusted rock. They are usually brown or gray and occasionally have patches of yellow, orange or red. It has potent neurotoxins secreted from the glands at the base of its 13 needle-like dorsal fin spines. It snacks on fishes and crustaceans by waiting for them to swim by and strikes them with incredible speed that lasts for 0.015 seconds.
Giant Clam
The Great Barrier Reef is home to many species of giant clams including the Tridacna gigas or simply called “giant clam” which is the largest living bivalve mollusk, capable of reaching up to 4 ft (1.2 m) in length and weighing more than 500 lbs (227 kg). Once this bottom-dwelling creature finds its spot in the seabed—it stays there for the rest of its life.
Wobbegong Shark
This bottom-dwelling shark spends much of its time resting on the sea floor. Wobbegongs are also called carpet sharks due to the fact that they are well camouflaged with their symmetrical patterns of bold markings resembling a carpet. This nocturnal hunters are not dangerous unless they are provoked.
Humphead Wrasse
Cheilinus undulates, more commonly known as humphead wrasse, Maori wrasse, Napoleon wrasse and Napoleonfish is one of the largest reef fishes with males reaching up to six feet in length. It is mainly found in the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific Region. It has thick, fleshy lips and a hump that forms on its head above the eyes, becoming more prominent as the fish ages. It changes in body form, color and sex during its lifetime of at least 70 years. This fish is included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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On March 11, 2009 at 4:00 am
Well done, brillaint article, I call it the nemo fish still.
On March 11, 2009 at 4:13 am
I agree with denus, you’ve presented again another brilliant idea. Excellent JK. this is really very useful.
On March 11, 2009 at 4:22 am
Wow, that’s a brilliant article, I’d not heard of the Wobbegong shark or the Cucumber Fish. Loved it, stunning photos too.
On March 11, 2009 at 4:50 am
the clownfish looks very gorgeous. It invites us to take care of them and continue to enjoy the beauty of our marine life and resources.
On March 11, 2009 at 4:52 am
as others have said: a really impressive piece of work
learned a lot too – thanks
On March 11, 2009 at 5:18 am
nice pics…good article…
the cuttlefish looks so scary…
On March 11, 2009 at 6:27 am
Wow! very nice…very lovely article.
On March 11, 2009 at 6:32 am
well done jk, nice n unusual informative article…
On March 11, 2009 at 7:14 am
fantastic animals!
On March 11, 2009 at 7:56 am
Awesome article and very well researched as well as written.
On March 11, 2009 at 9:16 am
Awesome! I remember as a kid watching TV shows where the divers would always end up stepping on a Stonefish for drama.
On March 11, 2009 at 11:05 am
Wow! Fantastic article, and the pictures are stunning. Great Job.
On March 11, 2009 at 3:21 pm
This is a really interesting article with brilliant pictures!
You must have worked really hard on this!
On March 11, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Excellent article.
On March 11, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Wonderful article and stunning pics!
On March 12, 2009 at 4:32 am
excellent article.
On March 16, 2009 at 3:30 pm
giant clams aren’t the world’s largest mollusk.
i dig all the pictures though.
On March 16, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Ah yes, they are the largest bivalve mollusk, I’ll have it edited, thank you so much for the correction, I appreciate it.
On March 25, 2009 at 10:22 am
This is breathes taking!
On March 26, 2009 at 1:07 am
Never heard of the bottom- dwelling shark. These are all facinating picks.