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Lord Howe Island
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Solomon Islands
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Predators
Continental Shelf
The Solomon Islands include two parallel chains of more than 900 islands. Guadalcanal, one of the largest of the islands, is famous for its historic role in World War II. Relics from the war are evident on land and underwater. Remnants of shipwrecks allow a somber, yet beautiful, glimpse into the past. Located approximately 870 miles (1,400 km) east of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean, the waters are filled with coral walls, giant clams and bountiful marine life.

Giant clams
Giant clams (Tridacna gigas), the largest of all clam species, can weigh in excess of 300 pounds (136 kg). Due to hunting for food and over-collecting, these mollusks are now considered a protected species.


Leather coral
Leather coral (Sarcophyton spp.), large colonial animals, have hundreds of tiny polyps covering the surface of their body. The large corals resemble baseball gloves. Like many other invertebrates, they reproduce simply by budding, a process by which the offspring grows from part of the adult tissue and drops from the parent when fully complete.


Blond naso tang
The Blond naso tang (Naso lituratus) can often be seen grazing on algae. This fish is named for the yellow color of its dorsal fin. Tangs or surgeonfish are brightly colored, oval-shaped, thin and have a sharp rising forehead. They have spines ("scalpels" thus the name surgeonfish) on each side near the point where the tail meets the body. Used for defense, these spines can give nasty wounds to other fish. Most tangs are herbivores.


Longnose hawkfish
The Longnose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) is easily recognized by its elongated snout and unusual pattern of red/orange lines on a whitish body. Reaching up to 5 inches (12 cm) in length, this carnivore can usually be seen in a perching position, watching for prey. When a meal is spotted, the hawkfish swoops down and eats its meal, using "hawk-like" behavior.



White cap anemonefish
The color of the White cap anemonefish (Amphiprion leucokranos) ranges between orange and light brown. They can be identified by the large teardrop-shaped, white area on top of the head and a single white bar on each side of the head. The side bars may or may not be connected to the white area above it. Maximum length is about 3.5 inches (9 cm).


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