Coral Reef Fish
Of all vertebrate animals that dwell on coral reefs, it is the fishes that are by far the most numerous, varied, and critical to coral reef health.
In the Greater Caribbean region alone some 500-600 species of coral reef fish are recognized; the Indo-Pacific region houses perhaps 8-10 times that number.
While entire books can (and have) been written about these fascinating animals, here we provide an introduction to two broad aspects of the biology and ecology of coral reef fishes: (1) physical adaptations for coral reef life, and (2) feeding strategies.