Amphiprion clarkii
This is the most widely distributed anemonefish, ranging from the islands of Micronesia and Melanesia in the western Pacific to the Persian Gulf, and from Australia to Japan. Clark's Anemonefish is a quite aggressive species. When disturbed it can attack the divers, producing snapping sounds with the jaws and sometimes biting. It appears in either a black or orange body color depending upon its host anemone. Although it is found in its natural habitat with several kinds of anemones, it does not need the anemones to survive in captivity.
As with other Clownfish, Clark's Anemonefish is a "protandric hermaphrodite", meaning that females result from changing sex from male to female. All start out as non functioning males. The most dominant one of the group will become the breeding female and the second most dominant one will be the breeding male. The females are much larger then the males. The male will clean a flat surface for the female to lay her eggs on. Once the eggs are fertilized, the male will tend the eggs by fanning them with his tail.
This picture was taken in the Chicago Aquarium, in August 2004.
Genus Amphiprion
Family Pomacentridae
Superfamily Percoidae
Suborder Percoidei
Order Perciformes
Subclass Actinopterygii
Class Osteichthyes
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
Index