There is remarkable diversity among these fishes. For example, over fifty species of brightly colored wrasses are found among the reefs, along with nearly thirty species of angelfishes and butterflyfishes. Large predators such as jacks and sharks also inhabit the reef area. Each one of the 400-plus species has its own unique role in the nearshore environment. The coastal waters of the islands feature a number of different habitats, each with its own characteristic marine life.
Some fish are at home in sandy bottom areas, others in boulder-strewn waters off rocky shorelines.
The coral reef is the best known and most impressive of Hawai'i's nearshore habitats. A healthy reef provides fish with abundant food resources and protection from predators. It is for this reason that reefs attract a great deal of marine life. The individual coral animals which create much of the reef are sensitive to changes in water quality, as are the microorganisms which form the base of the food chain. A reef habitat that becomes degraded as a result of pollution or siltation will lose its ability to support a diversity of marine life.