Queen Angelfish - Belize

The Belize Barrier Reef is a 190 kilometer long coral reef and part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. This series of coral reefs begins off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and winds its way to Honduras. It is the second largest coral reef system in the world; Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the largest.

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Holacanthus ciliaris - The queen angelfish inhabits the coral reefs growing in shallow waters. The adults prefer feeding on sponges, algae, and tunicates; the juveniles serve a useful role as cleaners by feeding on the parasites found on larger fish. The body of the queen angelfish is extremely flat and grows to lengths of about 45 centimeters; males are slightly larger than females. Adults usually travel in pairs, suggesting monogamous bonding, but there is also evidence of male angelfish collecting harems of 4 to 5 females.

Bullhorn Acacia - Belize

Vachellia cornigera - The name for the bullhorn acacia tree is derived from the bull shaped hollow thorns at the base of the leaves. The plant has a symbiotic relationship with the pseudomyrmex ant. The bullhorn lacks the bitter alkaloid found in most acacia trees to deter insects and grazers. The ants harvest the leaf tips and eat the nectar flowing from the base of the leaf petioles. The plant is protected from other insects and animals by the ants residing in the hollow thorns.

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Following the decline and fall of the Maya civilization, Belize, along with most of the Americas, fell to Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. British settlers, many being active or former pirates, were granted permission by the Spanish Crown to settle and log Belize, having agreed to forsake piracy. With the end of Spanish rule in Central America, the colony was formally ceded to Britain in 1836 and became British Honduras. In 1981, the colony was granted independence and renamed Belize.