There are organisms in the ocean that are part animal… part plant… and part stone. Some are so small that they measure as little as two millimeters, but all together they form structures that can even be visible from space. They are corals , and together they form what we know as coral reefs. And, despite their small size, corals are one of the most important animals in the ocean.
Coral reefs are very, very old. They have been in the oceans for at least 500 million years, and some of them began to grow 50 million years ago.
These incredible structures occupy a very small area of the seabed, and are mainly found in shallow areas of the tropics. However, this very limited area is one of the most important habitats in the oceans . Coral reefs are the refuge of innumerable fish, sponges, octopuses, slugs, crabs, eels and a long etcetera. Up to 25% of sea creatures are believed to depend on reefs for their survival.
And it is that, like the trees and plants of a forest, coral reefs form the base of the food chain of the organisms that live there. In addition, they also provide structure: they form holes that allow fish to swim and take refuge inside, lobsters live below them, some eels also use their holes … together they form fascinating and very diverse structural communities.
