how many species live on the great barrier reef

Around 9,000 known species of marine life are estimated to live on the Great Barrier Reef, and the true total is likely higher when tiny microbes and fungi are included.

Key number: species on the Reef

• Scientists estimate close to 9,000 marine species (fish, corals, molluscs, sharks, rays, turtles, etc.) live in the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem.

• This figure does not fully count microbes, plankton, and fungi, so the real number of species is expected to be significantly higher.

What kinds of species are included?

• Over 1,500 species of fish and about 400–600+ coral species are recorded, depending on the source and whether only reef‑building corals are counted.

• There are thousands of mollusc species , many species of sharks and rays, at least 30 whale and dolphin species , and six of the world’s seven marine turtle species using the Reef.

Why the number is only an estimate

• New species are still being discovered, and many small or cryptic organisms remain poorly studied, so scientists use best‑available estimates rather than a final tally.

• Climate change, coral bleaching, and other human impacts are altering the ecosystem, which can change which species are present over time.

TL;DR: When people ask “how many species live on the Great Barrier Reef?” the best current answer is around 9,000 known marine species , with many more microscopic and understudied species likely still uncounted.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.