Maro Reef

The Maro Reef (Hawaiian: Nalukakala or Koanakoa ) is 1934 km ² expansion of the largest coral reef in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It is about 1360 miles from Honolulu, capital of Hawaii, located in the northern Pacific Ocean. Named the reef after the American whaling ship Maro, was sighted from which it in 1820 for the first time.

Strictly speaking, it is a coral atoll, which has no oval fringing reef, but a net-like structure with a center of outgoing rays. Maro Reef is located at average water level completely below the sea; at low tide a maximum area of ​​4000 m² (0.004 km ²) of dry land is visible. Between the higher parts of the reef there are innumerable lagoons.

Within the Hawaiian Islands is the Maro Reef an important ecosystem dar. It is home to 37 species of hard corals next ( Scleractinia ) coral Montipora capitata and the rice coral Porites compressa and fingers. At the White tips fish ( Carcharhinus galapagensis ) or Omilu, a kind of jackfish be mentioned as well as many types of butterfly fish or doctor fish.