Abstract:The coral reef at Dengloujiao (20°13′N~20°17′N, 109°54′E~20°58′E), Leizhou Peninsula, northern coast of the South China Sea, is the only developed and well preserved coral fringing reef on mainland China. It is part of the so-called “coral triangle” of the Southeast Asia (Robert et al, 2002, Science), where numerous important coral species are supposed to be found. The reef flat, dominated by Goniopora and Porites corals, is about 10 km long and 500~1000 m wide (2 km maximum width). From sea to land, six ec...