Down here, it’s a riot of color constantly on parade: shades of green, brown, and fluorescent violet, so outstanding and bright they seem unreal. An underwater town of neon signs, colors only seen in nature by those who venture below the water’s surface to seek them out. Even the shapes are astonishing: huge boulders, mangled antlers, and rough cylinders – it’s like swimming through the pages of a Dr. Seuss book. Gliding over Belize’s coral reefs, snorkelers and divers gain an incredible view of a whole new world, clearer and sharper than any high-def image.
Submerge in the waters of the Belize Barrier Reef to see for yourself why Charles Darwin described this as “the most remarkable reef in the West Indies.” Belize’s inviting turquoise waters harbor 74 species of hard corals and 36 species of soft coral – and that’s only counting the species that have been identified. The diverse Belize ecosystem of the coral reef provides a literal pattern-book filled with endless variations in shape and color. Designers, decorators, and artists of all disciplines should snorkel here for unlimited inspiration. You’ll resurface from your dive having identified at least 20 different hard and soft corals.
Mounds of green brain, bright pink lacy fans, and colonies of leaf coral will make your underwater journey through Belize an exhilarating experience you’ll never forget. And for the travelers who will follow in your flippers, explore the coral reef without touching – this pristine world of explosive color and shape is best left undisturbed. Admire the unique underwater wildlife of Belize’s coral reef, so that you can return to the same unspoiled beauty whenever the waters call.
View the slideshow to learn more about some of the most beautiful and fascinating coral species of Belize.
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Leaf Plate Montipora by Grendelkhan on Flickr
Stony-plated montipora are among the most common hard coral species you'll see as you explore the crystalline waters of Belize. They come in a variety of colors, including red, green, and orange.
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Green Plate Coral by Matt Kieffer on Flickr
Plate or leaf-shaped corals form fragile colonies mainly in shallow water. A few examples include Agaricia and Meandrina meandrites.
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Brain Coral by Waywuwei on Flickr
Brain corals are usually round in shape and contain ridges that look like the convolutions of brain tissue. Two types of brain coral are the Colpophyllia natans and Diploria species.
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Boulder Coral by NOAA Photo Library on Flickr
You’ll see these domes, mountains, and boulders of coral more than any other coral type as you snorkel the reef in Belize. Porites astreoides, Montastrea, and Madracis species make up the outer reef structure in Belize.
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Sea Fan by NOAA's National Ocean Service on Flickr
While hard corals may very obviously look like coral, soft corals are a bit tougher to identify. Soft corals also have skeletons but are soft, flexible and tend to look like plants. Few soft coral species have actually been given names, but you can identify them by their unique shapes: fans, feathery plumes, and whips.
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Sea Fan by Nick Mustoe on Flickr
Yellow sea fans like the one in the previous slide are rare; you'll more commonly find sea fans with purple tissue like this one. Just think lacy fan. This coral is found on vertical planes and tends to grow in intricate webbed patterns.
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Sea Plume by Myravery on Flickr
Feather plumes and sea plumes range in size from a few inches to over six feet tall. Look close for tiny (yellow) feather plumes, and watch out for giant (purple) sea plumes.
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Sea Whip by Silke Baron on Flickr
Gorgonacea grow as a brightly colored, whiplike coral. But don’t worry about getting a lashing when you swim past – these can’t hurt you. They're nicknamed “sea whip” because of the way they grow in one continuous stem.
TAGS: Belize Must Read Nature Scuba & Snorkeling Scuba Dive Belize Slideshows
Post by Amanda Throckmorton
Amanda Paige Throckmorton is a freelance writer looking for opportunities to wrap her arms around the world. Meet Amanda >>
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