Octocorals of most type are found to contribute a major component to the biotic community of the coral reefs in biomass, although secondarily to hexacorals in most reef systems (Williams,1993). Few of the common fauna associates found are crustaceans, reef fish, holothurian, ophiuroideans, hexacoralias, and different types of mollusc (Rao & Devi, 2003). One organism alone can provide various types of habitats. From studied subject alone, different types of fauna were found on their substrate, in between their fleshy body, and even in their mucus.
|
|
|
Porifera species found on the
leather coral substrate
|
Holothurian species found in between
substrate of leather coral
|
| |
|
 |
 |
| Coral species found on leather coral substrate |
Large hermit crab resting on coral
during the night |
 |
 |
Sessile polychaete worm living in between
two lobes of the coral
|
Crustacean species found in coral mucus when
observed through a microscope
|
 |
 |
Fish (approximately 1cm) found living on
the surface of coral |
Reef fish swimming around the coral with a
sea hare at its substrate |
|