Latest Great Barrier Reef Stories

The Barrier Reef Anemonefish (Amphiprion akindynos) is native to the marine lagoons and reefs in the Western Pacific Ocean.  It lives at a depth of around eighty-two feet in temperatures fluctuating between fifty degrees Fahrenheit to 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Its range includes northern New South Wales, the Loyalty Islands, Tonga, New Caledonia, Coral Sea, and the Great Barrier Reef. They are typically seen near or within the tentacles of their host anemones. They will inhabit anemones like...

Alcyoniidae is a family of leathery corals that occur globally in temperate and tropical seas. These reef dwellers are often found in wave-exposed areas of reef crests, less turbid waters in lagoons, on steep slopes, under overhangs, and at depths of 100 feet and deeper. A colony of leathery coral is stiff, hard, and inflexible. It is composed of tiny polyps projecting from a shared leathery tissue. There are two kinds of polyps seen in Alcyoniidae corals: autozooids have long trunks and...

The Elongate Surgeonfish, (Acanthurus mata), is a species of tropical fish found in the Indo-Pacific, and can be found as far north as Southern Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef. Some also live as far west as South Africa and as far east as the Tuamotu Islands. Its main habitat is steep slopes around coral reefs. This is a light blue fish with numerous brown stripes running down the length of the body, although over time it is able to change color to become blue overall. It has a...

The Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera) is a fish that belongs to the Apogonidae family. These fish are a popular aquarium fish. The Pajama Cardinalfish can grow to be a length of 3 inches. The fish has red eyes and broad, dark, vertical "waistband" that is sprinkled with red spots that leads toward the tail. This fish has low vulnerability. Pajama Cardinalfish circulate throughout much of the West Pacific, from Jave to Fiji and from south of the Ryukyu Islands to the Great...

Naso vlamingii is a tropical fish with common names Vlamingii tang and Bignose unicornfish. Appearance They are relatively large fish in comparison to other fish in the Acanthuridae family easily reaching 23.62 in (60 cm). As a juvenile its coloration is a dingy green with blue spots and lips later changing to a bluer fish with purple markings. While the fish sleeps or when it is frightened it turns a muddy brown as camouflage. Diet The Vlamingii tang is mostly herbivorous but...