Camouflage has evolved into an art form here on the reef. There are fishes that look like rocks and fishes that look like plants. Even experienced divers can be fooled by some of these ingenious disguises. The art of poison has also reached new heights on the reef. Many undersea residents have developed strong poisons as a means of protection.
Some species carry enough venom in their bodies to kill several men.
Below is a listing of some of these strange and unusual residents of the reef. The members of the porcupinefish family have evolved an interesting means of defense. When threatened by a predator, they fill their bodies with water until they swell like a balloon. This makes them too large for the predator to swallow. Porcupinefishes also have the added protection of a spiny covering on their body.