Mexico Rocks is a shallow patch reef

Coral reef

Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...

 complex located off the far northern tip of Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye, pronounced "am-BER-gris", is the largest island of Belize located northeast of the country in the Caribbean Sea. Though administered as part of the Belize District, the closest point on the mainland is part of the Corozal District....

, in the Belize

Belize

Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...

an Barrier Reef

Belize Barrier Reef

The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly offshore in the north and in the south within the country limits...

. The site consists of approximately 100 Holocene patch reefs, clustered on a ridge of Pleistocene limestone

Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

, and is composed predominantly of boulder corals (Montastrea annularis). The reef has accumulated in shallow (about 2.5 to 5 metres) water over the last 420 years, under static sea level conditions.

The Montastrea annularis patch corals that dominate here are unique to Ambergris Caye's northern lagoon and a rare occurrence in Belize; the only other such patch reefs in the country are located at Glover's Reef

Glover's Reef

Glover's Reef is a partially submerged atoll located off the southern coast of Belize, approximately 45 kilometres from the mainland. It forms part of the outermost boundary of the Belize Barrier Reef.-Topography:...

. In addition, Acropora cervicornis occurs on the ridge's windward and leeward flanks.

The site was recommended for designation as a marine preserve in 1978, and is still under consideration. It is seen as an important addition to the caye's ecotourism attractions, being a popular snorkelling destination. The area is known for conch

Conch

A conch is a common name which is applied to a number of different species of medium-sized to large sea snails or their shells, generally those which are large and have a high spire and a siphonal canal....

, banded shrimp

Shrimp

Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...

, arrow crab

Arrow crab

Stenorhynchus seticornis, the yellowline arrow crab or simply arrow crab, is a species of marine crab.-Description:The body of S. seticornis is triangular, and the rostrum is drawn out into a long point with serrate edges. The legs are also long and thin, up to across, and the animal's carapace...

, flounders, stingray

Stingray

The stingrays are a group of rays, which are cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes, and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae , Plesiobatidae , Urolophidae , Urotrygonidae , Dasyatidae , Potamotrygonidae The...

, yellow tail snapper

Lutjanidae

Snappers are a family of perciform fish, mainly marine but with some members inhabiting estuaries, feeding in freshwater. Some are important food fish. One of the best known is the red snapper....

s, and an assortment of butterfly and angelfish

Angelfish

Angelfish may refer to:*Several groups of fish:**Freshwater angelfish, tropical cichlids of the genus Pterophyllum**Marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae**Angel shark of the family Squatinidae...

.