Back Koraalrif Afrikaans شعاب مرجانية Arabic Petón de coral AST Mərcan rifi Azerbaijani Мәрйен рифтары Bashkir Каралавыя рыфы Byelorussian Коралов риф Bulgarian मूँगा के चट्टान Bihari Koralni greben BS Escull de corall Catalan
A coral reef is a large underwater structure made of dead and living corals. In most healthy reefs, stony corals are predominant. They are built from colonial polyps from the phylum Cnidaria which secrete an exoskeleton of calcium carbonate. The reefs are formed in tropical marine areas (30 degrees north and south of the equator) and between the tropics. The reef acts as the home of many tropical fish and other animals. Coral reefs systems are a major tourism attraction because of their beauty and color of the corals and their many associated animals.
People look at them while snorkeling and diving. One example of a coral reef is in Malaysia at Pulau Tioman, off the State of Pahang. The most famous is the Great Barrier Reef off the East coast of Australia.
- ↑ Animation of coral atoll formation NOAA Ocean Education Service. Retrieved 9 January 2010.