TROPICAL SEAS-ANIMALS AND PLANTS

THE   TROPICAL   SEAS   with their   colorful    coral reefs    are   one of the    most conspicuous   habitat   in the world .The bizarre shaped   coral reef    provides   home to    many colorful
fish,snails, sea urchins,prawns, and shells.Other inhabitant   also   present in the water-sea   turtles ,whose armour is flattened.
than   that of the land turtles,hammerhead sharks   with their hammer shaped   broad   head , and some   other   animals    that are even more   dangerous than   sharks.
CORAL REEF.- Coral reef consists of skeletons of    small animals called    Madrepores,stacked noe on top of the other for centuries.These corals    obtain minerals from the sea water and build a    hard structure    of limestone .These hard portions of    dead corals form the actual coral reef ,the coral that are alive are found on the surface of the reef .Since the corals live in a symbiotic    relationship with tiny algae that need light ,they are mainly found in sun-lit ,warm flat waters of tropics .The largest reef of the world is the 2000 km long barrier reef off the northern coast of Australia.,called ,'The great barrier reef'.
SEA TURTLES-Sea turtles developed froom land turtles about 200 millions    years    ago.Their legs were    transformed into broad fins and the armour   ,acquired a streamlined shape to   generate less   resistance    while diving.Sea turtles spend their whole life in   the sea and   go on land only for laying eggs.The   female    turtle dig a hole in the sand with its flippers,lay the eggs in the hole and    refill the nest   with sand and   return to   the ocean.Hatching takes place   at night ,when there   is lesser chance of predators ,like sea gulls. .Once the young ones reach the surface , they instinctively   head towards the   sea.-
POISONOUS CREATURES- Many   sea animals   are   very poisonous .These   include   sea snake,puffer fish ,sea wasp,jelly fishes.Sea    snakes are poisonous   ,a   number of   fishermen dies from the bite of sea snakes .Another animal is puffer fish ,which can pump themselves up to a thorny spheres in case of danger.Some of its body parts are highly poisonous   ,especially   liver and   ovaries.
The sea wasp      is   one of the   most poisonous    animal of the world The stinging cells contains a poison ,which can cause death   within minutes.Annually   ,up to 70 people die because of   sea   wasp sting.
WHALES OF TROPICS-SPECIES    such as the Brade's     whale   and round headed dolphin    are found only in tropical waters.Others ,such as hump back   whales or huge blue whale

migrate to the .warm tropics only for reproduction and spend the remaining time in cold waters.
SEA WASP

MANGROVES - MANGROVES are plants that grow in the tidal zone of tropical coastal areas and are constantly subjected to ascending and descending water levels of high and low tides.They have adapted to this environment by anchoring themselves in the soil with their stilted roots .This way they also prevent the coast from being destroyed by storms or flood waves.

MANGROVES