add to the sand and rock of coral reefs. A common 

 variety is J-lalimeda, bright green in color with branches 

 that have the appearance of flat triangular beads strung 

 together. Sometimes this occurs in very large clum.ps, 

 particularly in shallow water near the shore. Other 

 kinds of limestone seaweed or coralline algae are known 

 as nullipores. They form heavy encrustations and, in 

 the Pacific at least, are important factors in building up 

 the reef. On the western Atlantic reefs they are much 

 less conspicuous. A common form of calcareous alga 

 here is Liihoih amnion, which grows in delicate branch- 

 ing form in various colors. 



The species of conchs, whelks, cowries, cone shells, 

 olive shells, tulip shells, limpets and other seasnails 

 which inhabit the reef are so numerous as to require an 

 entire book to themselves. The same thing is true of 

 the bivalve shells, such as the oysters' and their relatives, 

 the scallop shells, clams, wing shells, chamas, cockles, 

 and mussels. Although space does not permit of a des- 

 cription of these, the bibliography at the end of this 

 book contains selected references to handbooks specially 

 written for their identification. 



Fishes associated with the coral reefs are so numerous 

 that they are numbered by the hundreds of species and 

 may only be briefly mentioned here. A common charac- 

 teristic of those which make their homes among the coral 

 boulders is the amazing brilliancy of color and design. 

 Foremost in point of brilliancy of color are the angel 

 fish, queen trigger fish, demoiselles and parrot fish. 

 Groupers and giant jewfish live among the rocks, where 

 the vicious moray eel waits for its prey. Sharks and bar- 

 racudas are always found although they range over a 

 variety of places other than the reef in search of food. 



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