Coral Reef
Coral reefs provide habitats for a large variety of organisms. These organisms rely on corals as a source of food and shelter. Some organisms that use corals through mutualism, commensalism and parasitism are within the taxonomic groups Porifera, Polychaeta, Gastropoda, Crustacea, Echinodermata and Pisces. Sponges (Porifera) are found inhabiting cavities in the reef. They remove small chips of calcium carbonate from corals. These sponges such as Cliona, cause bioerosion in corals. Sponges inhabit corals for the purpose of protection from predators. Polychaetes such as Hermodice carunculata and Gastropods in the family Trochidae depend on corals for food. They feed on corals such as Porites and Agaricia. Decapod crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs depend on corals for shelter. Xantid crabs form cavities in the coral Acropora palmata. Fish also depend on corals for protection against predators. One such is the parrot fish (Scaridae). Echinoderms such as Acanthaster planci are coral predators. This crown-of-thorns starfish relies on corals for food. There are many other species of fungi, sponges, sea worms, crustaceans and molluscs that bore into coral skeletons.
