Houtman Abrolhos
The Houtman Abrolhos is unusual in having a luxuriant and diverse living coral reef at such a high latitude. 194 species in 50 genera have been recorded there, all but two of which are tropical. This is a surprisingly high coral diversity, considering the high latitude of the reef, and the relatively low diversity of other biota. For a full list, see list of corals of the Houtman Abrolhos.
Flinders Reef
The reef has more than 175 fish species. There are more species and varieties of corals in this one area than any other single reef on the Great Barrier Reef. The diverse amount of marine life include schools of wrasse, sweetlip, trevally, parrotfish, bat, surgeon, turtles and tropical fish. Manta rays, wobbegongs and leopard sharks are among the larger creatures that reside here. Sightings of whaler sharks are sometimes seen on the eastern side of Flinders. During the months of June to September, humpback whales can be seen on the surface as they pass by.