Sponges belong to the Phylum Porifera. Sponges occur in almost every type of aquatic habitats but are most common in the marine habitats.

The Great Barrier Reef is among the most complex ecosystems on the planet, providing habitat for a stunning variety and number of species.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest tropical reef system, covering an area of 348,000 km2 and stretching along 2300km of the eastern Australian coastline.

Predators on the reef come in many shapes and sizes. Sharks are the iconic reef predator and species that visit the reef include tiger sharks, black-tipped reef sharks, and white-tipped reef sharks.

It wasn't until the mid-18th century that corals were recognized as animals, not, as previously thought, plants.

The Maui Ocean Center's aim is to ecourage people to better understand, appreciate, and respect Hawaii's marine life. This state-of-the-art aquarium was opened in March 1998 and now includes a dazzling collection of Hawai'i's unique fish, sea turtles

The Maui Ocean Center's aim is to ecourage people to better understand, appreciate, and respect Hawaii's marine life. This state-of-the-art aquarium was opened in March 1998 and now includes a dazzling collection of Hawai'i's unique fish, sea turtles