| Some are herbivores, grazing on the filamentous algae covering coral reefs, and a few eat seagrasses and algae on reef flats. |
| However, in the free state, these bacteria are generally found as filamentous green algae in fresh and brackish waters. |
| A few diatoms have minor amounts of precipitates on their surfaces whereas others are enwrapped by silicified filamentous microbes. |
| The waters contain an abundant, but low diversity, microbial population of thermophilic filamentous and coccoid bacteria. |
| Some bifurcations appear to join with those below to form a thin, filamentous network. |
| Herbivores are quite important for the reef because they keep thick mats of filamentous and leafy algae from smothering the corals. |
