Trunkfishes are a member of the boxfish family. They get their name from their modified scales, which form a bony armor of plates that enclose their body. They can easily be identified by their triangular shape. The smooth trunkfish grows to about 12 inches in length, and is commonly found in the waters of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Lionfish is one of the most beautiful fish species on the reef. But as is often the case in nature, this beauty is actually a warning of danger. The sharp spines of the Lionfish are coated with a poisonous mucous and are capable of delivering a painful sting. The venom of some of the larger species is strong enough to kill a man.

This highly usual member of the wrasse family has a foreboding appearance, but is actually quite harmless. The strange horns and spines are nothing more than an elaborate bluff. This is an adult with its brown and white markings. The juveniles of this species are actually bright green in color. The colors fade to brown as they mature.

Sounding more like a circus act, the Flying Gurnards are easily recognized by their large, wing-like pectoral fins. Contrary to their name, they do not actually fly. Their large fins help them to swim low over the sand as they search for food. Flying Gurnards are found in the shallow water reefs along the eastern coast of North America, from Massachusetts to the Caribbean.

The Moray Eel is one of the largest eel species. They are efficient predators feeding mainly on fish. Moray Eels have razor sharp teeth and are capable of inflicting a painful bite. Larger species can remove the fingers of careless divers. In spite of this fact, these eels are usually timid in the wild. Some can even be hand fed by careful divers.

The Wolf Eel is not really an eel, but an eel-like fish with large, powerful jaws. As ferocious as the may appear, they are not dangerous. Their strong jaws are used for cracking the shells of sea urchins and other invertebrates. They will also feed on some small fishes. Wolf Eels can be found in rock crevasses throughout the Pacific from the Sea of Japan to southern California.

The seahorse is probably one of natures most curious fish designs. It is a shy creature, and is found in a variety of sizes and colors throughout the reef. Seahorses have a very unusual method of giving birth. After the eggs are fertilized, the male carries them in a special abdominal pouch. Here they are incubated until they are ready to hatch.

The Leafy Sea Dragon is a rather unique species of seahorse. This fish has evolved an elaborate system of camouflage by growing leafy extensions on its body that resemble seaweed. They can often be found floating in clumps of seaweed. They feed mainly on small shrimps.

Trumpetfishes are characterized by their elongated bodies and small, upturned mouths. They are often seen hovering in a vertical position with their heads pointed downward. This allows them to hide among corals as they search for prey. They feed on small fishes and invertebrates by sucking them suddenly into their small mouths. Trumpetfishes are common throughout the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.

Filefishes are closely related to triggerfishes. The Longnosed Filefish gets its name from its elongated snout. It uses this to feed on coral polyps and worms. The bright spots help to camouflage this shy and timid fish as it grazes on the reef. As with most filefish species, the Longnosed Filefish is found in the waters of the Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions.

In startling contrast to the gray reef, the Whitetip Reef Shark is a timid and unaggressive species. This shark is commonly found near the floor of the reef, where it feed mainly on small fish, octopus, lobster and crabs. The Whitetip grows to a length of 5 feet, and can be identified by the white markings on the tips of its fins.

The Silky Shark gets its name from the fact that, unlike most sharks, its has an unusually smooth skin. It is one of the most common sharks in the open ocean. The Silky Shark is a relatively small species. This shark also exhibits unique trait. It can be temporarily immobilized by turning it over on its back.

The Nurse Shark is a very docile and unaggressive species. It is a sluggish bottom feeder, and it uses its pavement-like teeth to crush shellfish. The Nurse Shark is commonly seen lying motionless on the ocean floor. It grows to an average length of 8 feet, and is not considered dangerous to man.

The shy and harmless Leopard Shark is a favorite among aquarium hobbyists. This shark gets its name from its leopard-like spots. Its grows to a length of 5 to 6 feet, and is often found resting on sandy bottoms. The Leopard Shark is ovoviviparous, meaning the mother shark hatches its eggs inside her body and then gives birth to between 4 and 30 live pups.

The Horn Shark is a small, timid species that grows to a length of about 4 feet. It is nocturnal, hiding under rocks during the day, becoming active at night. This shark poses no threat to humans and can be easily approached. The Horn Shark is common in Pacific waters, where it feeds on sea urchins, abalone, bony fish, and crustaceans.

The Whale Shark is one of the largest of all the shark species. In fact, it is the largest fish in the world, growing to a length of over 40 feet. In spite of its huge size, however, the Whale Shark is completely harmless. The shark uses special organs in its gill bars to filter microscopic plankton from the water.

The Southern Stingray is one of the more common stingray species along the Atlantic coast of the United States. The tail of this species carries one or two sharp spines which can deliver a powerful toxic sting. This ray is a bottom feeder, and is often found buried in the sand along the ocean floor.

The Blue Spotted Stingray is a common favorite with aquarium owners. This is a beautiful species, with brightly colored blue spots on its body. It is a relatively small ray, and can be kept successfully in an aquarium environment.

The Lesser Electric Ray is a species that is capable of producing a powerful electric shock. This animal can produce between 14 and 37 volts, enough to give a diver a strong jolt. The ray uses this special ability to stun its prey as well as for defense from predators. It feeds on small bottom-dwelling invertebrates.

There are few sites in the ocean as beautiful as the graceful flight of the Manta Ray through the clear, blue waters. This magnificent animal can have a wingspan in excess of 15 feet. Although this animal is also called the Devil Ray, it is completely harmless to humans. Unlike its stingray cousins, the manta ray has no sting. They feed mainly on plankton and small schooling fish.

The Gray Whale is among the best known large whales. They can frequently seen swimming along the shores of the western states. These animals too are just starting to recover from excessive hunting. They grow to 50 feet and are often seen covered with patches of barnacles.

The Manatee is a graceful and peaceful creature. They feed on water plants, and inhabit the waterways and shores of Florida. Other species are found in the Indian ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. They are slow creatures, and are in danger of extinction due to careless boaters. Most manatees have boat motor scars on their backs.

The Sea Lion is probably the best known member of the pinniped family. They inhabit the western coast of the United States and Canada. These animals are clumsy on land, but underwater their graceful ballets can reach speeds of 25 mph. They can dive to over 1000 feet.

These adorable animals were once hunted to the brink of extinction for their fur. Inhabiting the coastal waters of the western United States, they are now protected and are making a comeback. They are often seen lying on their backs eating their favorite food - crustaceans.

The Copper-band Butterfly fish is a beautiful and elegant species. the large black spot on the back of the upper body looks like an eye and helps to confuse predators. This fish uses its long snout to pick out and feed on coral polyps and tube worms. It is a popular aquarium species, but is delicate and difficult to keep alive.

The Saddleback Butterflyfish is characterized by the large black marking on its back which somewhat resembles a saddle. The shape of this species resembles that of some angelfish species. The saddleback is not recommended for an invertebrate aquarium, as they will feed on coral polyps and crustaceans.

The Queen Angelfish is without a doubt the most beautiful of the angelfish species. Young queens resemble a juvenile blue angelfish. But as they grow, the acquire their spectacular blue and yellow markings, with rainbow colors on the edges of their fins. The queen angelfish is found throughout the western Atlantic. It is a grazer, feeding on algae, sponges, and coral.

As with many angelfish species, the Gray Angelfish undergoes a color change as it grows. The juveniles are black with vertical yellow stripes. As it matures, it looses its color and takes on the grayish appearance of the adult. This angelfish is found in the waters of the Atlantic and Caribbean, where it feeds on algae & sponges.

The Rock Beauty Angelfish is characterized by its black and bright yellow colors. The juvenile of the species is yellow with a small small dark spot. In the wild, this species grows to about 2 feet in length. Rock beauties are found in the western Atlantic, where they feed on algae, sponges and coral polyps.

The Regal Tang, also known as a hippo tang, is characterized by its contrasting black and almost neon blue colors. The tail of this species is marked by a bright yellow wedge. Regal Tangs are shy algae eaters. The can grow to about 10 inches in length, and their bright color makes them highly desired by aquarium hobbyists.

The Percula is one of the most beautiful of the clownfish species. The contrasting orange, white, and black colors make it a favorite among aquarium hobbyists. The Percula is found in the waters of the Indo-pacific, where it feeds on plankton and small crustaceans. Like all clownfishes, it will make its home in the tentacles of several anemone species.

The Tomato Clownfish is characterized by its single white stripe behind its head, and the dark patch on the rear part of its body. Like all clownfish, the tomato clown can usually be seen darting in and out of the tentacles of a sea anemone. Tomato Clowns are found in the waters of the Pacific and Indo-pacific.

The Pink Skunk Clownfish is identified by its soft, pale pink color and the single white band behind its head. Found in the Pacific ocean, this clownfish feeds on plankton and small crustaceans. Clownfishes are very aggressive and territorial. These small 3-inch fishes have been known to attach sharks and divers who wander too close to their host anemone.

The Maroon Clownfish is one of the largest clownfish species. It can grow up to 6 inches in length. The color of this species ranges from bright orange to rusty brown, to almost black. Maroons are found in the pacific ocean where they are usually seen hiding in the stinging embrace of a large sea anemone.

Firefishes are characterized by their bright colors and by their unusually elongated dorsal fin. This fin is used as a signaling device to communicate with other firefishes. It is also used by the fish to wedge itself into small crevasses as a means of protection from predators. Firefishes are found throughout the Indo-pacific.

The Purple Firefish gets its name from its bright purple and red markings. Like other firefish species, it has an elongated dorsal fin that is used for signaling other firefishes and for locking itself into holes and crevasses. Firefishes are bottom feeders, eating plankton and small crustaceans. They grow to about 2 inches.

The Royal Gramma is a beautiful reef fish found only in Caribbean reefs. This fish is very shy and secretive, and feeds on drifting plankton and small crustaceans. The yellow and purple coloration of this species appears darker underwater, helping the fish to blend in with its surroundings. Royal grammas are found throughout the western Atlantic ocean.

The shell of the Calf Cowrie is not quite as attractive as that of other members of this group. This shell is usually brown and white with spots. Because of the lack of color, the calf cowrie shell does not fetch as high a price on the shell collector market. The muted colors provide this animal with a good means of camouflage.

Limpets are related to snails, and closely resemble them with a few exceptions. Their shell is cone shaped and has a small hole on the tip. Limpets feed on algae and detritus, then expel waste materials through the hole on top. Because of this, they look like tiny volcanoes as they roam around the rocks.

Chitons are small mollusks that are common in the Caribbean. They are nocturnal and move around the rocks at night feeding on algae. Their strange appearance is reminiscent of the ancient trilobites of prehistoric times. They are commonly introduced into the home aquarium with live rock.

The octopus is probably one of the most well known mollusks. They have lost their hard shell, and have evolved large, complex brains to compensate. The octopus swims by jet propulsion by siphoning water through its body. When threatened, it can release a blinding cloud of black ink. They feed on crustaceans and fish.

This Blue Ring Octopus is a small species found in the waters of Australia. With its bright blue markings it is a beautiful creature, but it is also quite deadly. Although it is only about eight inches in diameter with its tentacles spread, its bite is poisonous enough to kill a person. The blue ring is the only poisonous octopus species known to exist.

The squid is another member of the mollusk family that has lost its hard shell. Like the octopus, squid have suction cups on their arms that aid in capturing their prey. They feed on fish and crustaceans. This common squid species is found throughout the Atlantic U.S. coast and grows to a length of 5 inches.

Cuttlefish are very closely related to squid. One noticeable difference is that the cuttlefish has noticeably shorter tentacles. They also have specialized tentacles that can shoot out quickly to catch their prey. Cuttlefish are masters of disguise. They can change colors in an instant, and have actually been observed to use flashing colors as a means of communication.

For many years the nautilus was thought to be a rare deep water species, but recently they have been discovered in large numbers on Indo-Pacific reefs. They are nocturnal animals, swimming around the reef at night in search of small fish and shrimp. Their unique shells are highly prized by shell collectors.

This small starfish is characterized by five long, thin arms protruding from a central disk. The arms grow to a length of 3 inches, and are usually colored with white and brown rings. This is a very common species in the waters off the coast of Florida. It can be found in sandy areas and under rocks on the reef.

The Basket Star is a species with a quite alien look. They are common throughout the Caribbean region. The arms of the basket star can reach a length of 20 inches, and are used to filter plankton and other small organisms from the water. It is a nocturnal animal, feeding at night and wrapping itself into a tight ball during the day.

The Feather Starfish is an unusual species that looks more like a plant than a starfish. It ranges in color from brown to orange, yellow, and black. Like the Basket Star, the Feather Starfish is a filter feeder. It is nocturnal, and at night it can be found with its long arms unfurled where it filters plankton from the water.

The Purple Sea Urchin is one of the sharp-spined urchin species. The spines are used as a means of defense against would-be predators. This urchin is deep purple in color, and grows to a diameter of about 4 inches. The are found along the western coast of the U.S. and Canada where they clink to depressions in the rocks during low tide.

This species of urchin is common in the waters of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. It grows to a diameter of 2 inches, and ranges in color from red to brown and black. It has large, sharp spines about 3/4 inch long. This urchin can be found in burrows in the rocks which are created by the scraping action of its teeth.

The Slipper Sea Cucumber has a flat-bottomed oval shape to its body. This differs from most others, which have an elongated shape similar to that of a cucumber. Sea cucumbers use their feather-like arms to filter plankton from the water. This species is found all along the Pacific coast of North America.