Pete Oxford / Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize.

Pete Oxford / Bladed Fire Coral (Millepora Complanata) causes sting on contact, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Norbert Wu / The Blue Hole, largest underwater sinkhole and popular diving site, Lighthouse Reef, Belize

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of coral caye (a small island), with sailboat, inside southern Belize barrier reef, near Placencia. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Belize, Centra...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of Laughing Bird Caye, a narrow sand caye, Laughing Bird Caye National Park, near Placencia. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Belize, Central America,...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of Laughing Bird Caye, a narrow sand caye (small island), in Laughing Bird Caye National Park. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Central America. Carib...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of Laughing Bird Caye, a narrow sand caye, Laughing Bird Caye National Park, southern Belize barrier reef. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, Central Am...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of southern Belize barrier reef, showing Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, off Placencia. UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Central America, Caribbean Sea.

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of southern Belize barrier reef, showing Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve. UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, Belize, Central America. Caribbean Sea.

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of southern Belize barrier reef, showing Gladden Spit, where there is a sharp bend in the reef, Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, off Placencia. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve Syste...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of southern Belize barrier reef near Placencia, showing reef bend at Gladden Spit, Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve. With two tour boats inside the reef, and three fishing boats...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of southern Belize barrier reef, near Placencia. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Belize, Central America.

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of small sand and coral cayes and coral bommies inside southern Belize barrier reef in vicinity. Near Placencia, Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, Cent...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of channel through southern Belize barrier reef, with house on small caye. Near Placencia, Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, Central America.

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of southern Belize barrier reef, showing Little Water Caye, site of the ranger station for Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, off Placencia. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System UNE...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of an inhabited coral cay inside the southern Belize barrier reef, off Placencia, Stann Creek District, Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, Belize, Centr...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of the Silk Cayes, three sand and coral cays ( small islands ), and patch reefs, inside the southern Belize barrier reef. Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, Belize Barrier Reef Re...

Doug Perrine / Aerial view of southern Belize barrier reef, showing Gladden Spit, where there is a sharp bend in the reef, and showing spur and groove coral formations outside of the reef crest. Gladden Spit and Sil...

Pete Oxford / Southern stingray (Hypanus americanus) half hidden on sand seabed, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize.

Pete Oxford / Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize.

Pete Oxford / Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize.

Pete Oxford / Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize.

Pete Oxford / Yellow tube sponge (Aplysina fistularis) Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef system in the world. Belize.

Pete Oxford / Horse-eye jack fish (Caranx latus) Shark Ray Alley, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize.

Pete Oxford / Horse-eye Jacks (Caranx latus) under boat, Shark Ray Alley Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize.

Pete Oxford / Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and Horse-eye jacks (Caranx latus) Shark Ray Alley, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize Barrier Reef. Belize.

Pete Oxford / Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and Horse-eye jacks (Caranx latus) Shark Ray Alley, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize.

Pete Oxford / Southern stingray (Hypanus americanus) and Bar jack (Caranx ruber) over seagrass, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize.

Pete Oxford / Balloonfish (Diodon holocanthus) beside fan coral, Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Dog Snapper (Lutjanus jocu) Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Donkey Dung sea cucumber (Holothuria mexicana)Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Gray angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus) Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Blade Fire Coral (Millepora complanata) Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis) on seabed, Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Yellow stingray (Urobatis / Urolophus jamaicensis) on coral reef, Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Southern stingray (Dasyatis americana) feeding amongst sea grass, Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Amber penshell (Pinna carnea) amongst sea grass, Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Porkfish (Anisotremus virginicus) Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Bar Jack (Carangoides / Caranx ruber) Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Blue tang (Acanthurus coeruleus) Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / West Indian sea egg urchin (Tripneustes ventricosus) Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Azure vase sponge (Callyspongia plicifera) on coral reef, Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Yellow tube sponge (Aplysina fistularis) on coral reef, Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Stove-pipe Sponge (Aplysina archeri) on coral reef, Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Yellow tube sponge (Aplysina fistularis) on coral reef, Coral Reef Island, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Spotted Scorpionfish (Scorpaena plumieri) camouflaged on ocean bottom, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Pink Vase Sponge (Niphates digitalis) on coral reef, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Cushioned Star (Oreaster reticulatus) on sandy ocean floor, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Coral reef showing a variety of corals, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis), Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Brain Coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis), Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Cushioned Star (Oreaster reticulatus) feeding on coral, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Giant Hermit (Petrochirus diogenes) on sandy ocean floor, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Blue Tang Surgeonfish (Acanthurus coeruleuss), Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Fire Coral (Millepora alcicornis) with fine hairs that contain nematocysts which sting on contact, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Cushioned Star (Oreaster reticulatus) amid grasses, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans), Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Coral reef showing a variety of corals, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Sponges, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Giant Barrel Sponge (Xestospongia testudinaria) growing on reef, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus), Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Giant Caribbean Anemone (Condylactis gigantea) pair with coral on reef, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Giant Caribbean Anemone (Condylactis gigantea), Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Pete Oxford / Foureye Butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus) juvenile, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

Phil Savoie / Cruise ship in Caribbean off Barrier Reef, Belize.

Gerry Ellis / Barrier Reef, Half Moon Cay, Belize

Norbert Wu / Motu or reef island, formed of accumulated sand and debris on the Belize Barrier Reef

Norbert Wu / The blue hole, Belize Barrier Reef, ancient cave system, Belize

Phil Savoie / Smithsonian marine research station, Carrie Bow Caye, Barrier Reef, Belize