Caribbean Sea
Marine biota in the region have representatives of both the Indian and Pacific oceans which were caught in the Caribbean before the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama four million years ago. In the Caribbean Sea there are around 1,000 documented species of fish, including sharks (bull shark, tiger shark, silky shark and Caribbean reef shark), flying fish, giant oceanic manta ray, angel fish, spotfin butterflyfish, parrotfish, Atlantic Goliath grouper, tarpon and moray eels. Throughout the Caribbean there is industrial catching of lobster and sardines (off the coast of Yucatán Peninsula).
Caribbean reef shark
Juvenile Caribbean reef sharks are preyed upon by larger sharks such as the tiger shark ("Galeocerdo cuvier") and the bull shark ("C. leucas"). Few parasites are known for this species; one is a dark variegated leech often seen trailing from its first dorsal fin. Off northern Brazil, juveniles seek out cleaning stations occupied by yellownose gobies ("Elacatinus randalli"), which clean the sharks of parasites while they lie still on the bottom. Horse-eye jacks ("Caranx latus") and bar jacks ("Carangoides ruber") routinely school around Caribbean reef sharks.