Coral reefs are found only in shallow waters near the equator, where the water is clear and warm (above 68 degrees F). Reefs are made up of many tiny organisms, called coral polyps. Polyps, many the size of a pea, build the reef. Polyps, create a limestone skeleton around themselves. New coral builds on the skeletons of old coral. Over thousands of years, a reef can grow to be a thousand miles long.
Animals of this region include: sea stars, sharks, butterfly fish, and surgeonfish.
The coral reefs occupy the regions indicated in pink on the map.
