 Caption: Soft Corals Scientific name: Dendronephthya sp. Location: Fiji Islands, Pacific Ocean Copyright: © Brandon D. Cole Comments: Tropical reefs explode with color and life. Healthy reefs support thousands of species of fishes and invertebrates. Tragically, many of the planet's coral reefs- the "rainforests of the sea"- are in serious danger. 1998 has been declared "International Year of the Ocean". Hopefully such attention will focus our efforts toward conservation, rather than continued destruction, of this ecosystem. |
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Caption: ClownfishScientific name: Amphiprion ocillaris Copyright: © Tom Boyden Comments: The Clownfish is native to the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific region. Its name comes from its vivid poster-like colors. Clownfish have a symbiotic relationship with sea anemones. The fish is immumne to their stinging tentactles, and gains protection from predators by hiding within the anemone. The anemone benefits by receiving food scraps that are scattered when the fish eats its prey. |
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