Amphiprion akallopisos

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Amphiprion akallopisos
Amphiprion akallopisos Aldabra.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Blenniiformes
Family: Pomacentridae
Genus: Amphiprion
Species:
A. akallopisos
Binomial name
Amphiprion akallopisos
(Bleeker, 1853)
Synonyms

Amphiprion akallopisus
Phalerebus akallopisos

The nosestripe clownfish or nosestripe anemonefish, skunk clownfish, Amphiprion akallopisos, is an anemonefish (also called clownfish) that lives in association with sea anemones. A. akallopisos is found in the Indian Ocean. [2] It resides in shallow inshore reefs as deep as 15 m with a moderate to strong current. The skunk clownfish can also be kept in captivity by aquarists.

Contents

Description

The skunk clownfish is identified by a light orange color, with a single, narrow, white stripe running from the mouth to the caudal peduncle, and can grow as large as 11 cm in length. Like other anemonefish, the skunk clownfish is a protandrous hermaphrodite, and maintains a hierarchy within the host anemone that consists of a mating pair, of which the female is the largest, and non-mating males which get progressively smaller in size.

Nosestripe clownfish hiding in a Stichodactyla mertensii. Sea anemones mad.JPG
Nosestripe clownfish hiding in a Stichodactyla mertensii .

Color variations

A. akallopisos does not have a melanistic variation when associated with Stichodactyla mertensii unlike some other species of anemonefish, including A. chrysogaster, A. chrysopterus, A. clarkii and A. tricinctus. [2]

Territorial behaviors

The skunk clownfish, and other clownfish, use sound production to defend their territory. This behavior is most common with damselfishes that produce a wide variety of sounds, [3] [4] a behavior shared with at least 10 species of anemonefish. [5] [6] Sounds resembling pops and chirps are most commonly heard when interacting with invading fish of the same species or different species. [7] [8] Studies have shown that it is the female that defends the anemone using sound production, as well as a physical charge when other fishes attempt to enter. A. akallopisos exhibit three different types of sounds, pops, short chirps, and long chirps, used depending on the type and duration of the encounter, which can also vary by locality. [9]

Similar species

The mid-dorsal stripe and absence of head and body bars distinguishes A. akallopisos from most anemonefish except the orange anemonefish A. sandaracinos and they have an overlapping distribution around Java and Sumatra. The skunk anemonefish has a narrower stripe that does not reach the upper lip. A. sandaracinos, as its common name suggests, is a bright orange, while A. akallopisos is paler, tending to be more pink than orange. [2]

Distribution and habitat

A. akallopisos is found in the Indian Ocean from Java and the Java Sea, western and southern coasts of Sumatra, the west coast of Thailand and north to the Andaman Islands west to Madagascar, Comoro Islands and Seychelles. [2]

Host anemones

Usually commensal with the sea anemones: [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clownfish</span> Subfamily of fishes

Clownfish or anemonefish are fishes from the subfamily Amphiprioninae in the family Pomacentridae. Thirty species of clownfish are recognized: one in the genus Premnas, while the remaining are in the genus Amphiprion. In the wild, they all form symbiotic mutualisms with sea anemones. Depending on the species, anemonefish are overall yellow, orange, or a reddish or blackish color, and many show white bars or patches. The largest can reach a length of 17 cm, while the smallest barely achieve 7–8 cm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clark's anemonefish</span> Species of fish

Clark's anemonefish, also known as the yellowtail clownfish, is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes.

<i>Heteractis magnifica</i> Species of sea anemone

Heteractis magnifica, also known by the common names magnificent sea anemone or Ritteri anemone, is a species of sea anemone belonging to the Stichodactylidae family native to the Indo-Pacific area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocellaris clownfish</span> Species of fish

The ocellaris clownfish, also known as the false percula clownfish or common clownfish, is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, which includes clownfishes and damselfishes. Amphiprion ocellaris are found in different colors, depending on where they are located. For example, black Amphiprion ocellaris with white bands can be found near northern USA, North America, Australia, Southeast Asia, and Japan. Orange or red-brown Amphiprion ocellaris also exist with three similar white bands on the body and head. Amphiprion ocellaris can be distinguished from other Amphiprion species based on the number of pectoral rays and dorsal spines. Amphiprion ocellaris are known to grow about 11 cm long. Like many other fish species, females are, however, larger than males. The life cycle of Amphiprion ocellaris varies in whether they reside at the surface or bottom of the ocean. When they initially hatch, they reside near the surface. However, when Amphiprion ocellaris enter into the juvenile stage of life, they travel down to the bottom to find shelter in a host anemone. Once they find their anemone, they form a symbiotic relationship with them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange skunk clownfish</span> Species of fish

Amphiprion sandaracinos, also known as the orange skunk clownfish or orange anemonefish, is a species of anemonefish that is distinguished by its broad white stripe along the dorsal ridge. Like all anemonefishes it forms a symbiotic mutualism with sea anemones and is unaffected by the stinging tentacles of the host anemone. It is a sequential hermaphrodite with a strict sized based dominance hierarchy: the female is largest, the breeding male is second largest, and the male non-breeders get progressively smaller as the hierarchy descends. They exhibit protandry, meaning the breeding male will change to female if the sole breeding female dies, with the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sebae anemone</span> Species of sea anemone

The sebae anemone, also known as leathery sea anemone, long tentacle anemone, or purple tip anemone, is a species of sea anemone belonging to the family Stichodactylidae and native to the Indo-Pacific area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange-fin anemonefish</span> Species of fish

The orange-fin anemonefish is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes, found in the Western Pacific north of the Great Barrier Reef from the surface to 20 m, to include the Pacific Ocean between Queensland, Australia, and New Guinea to the Marshall and Tuamotus Islands. It can grow to 17 cm in length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allard's clownfish</span> Species of fish

Allard's clownfish or Allard's anemonefish is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes, from the western Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa and the Mascarenes.

<i>Amphiprion akindynos</i> Species of fish

Amphiprion akindynos, the Barrier Reef anemonefish, is a species of anemonefish that is principally found in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, but also in nearby locations in the Western Pacific. The species name 'akindynos' is Greek, meaning 'safe' or 'without danger' in reference to the safety afforded amongst the tentacles of its host anemone. Like all anemonefishes it forms a symbiotic mutualism with sea anemones and is unaffected by the stinging tentacles of the host anemone. It is a sequential hermaphrodite with a strict size-based dominance hierarchy: the female is largest, the breeding male is second largest, and the male non-breeders get progressively smaller as the hierarchy descends. They exhibit protandry, meaning the breeding male will change to female if the sole breeding female dies, with the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male. The fish's natural diet includes zooplankton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Sea clownfish</span> Species of fish

The Red Sea Clownfish, commonly known as the Red Sea or two-bandedanemonefish is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes. Like other species of the genus, the fish feeds on algae and zooplankton in the wild.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink skunk clownfish</span> Species of fish

The pink skunk clownfish, also known as the pink anemonefish, is a species of anemonefish that is widespread from northern Australia through the Malay Archipelago and Melanesia. Like all anemonefishes, it forms a symbiotic mutualism with sea anemones and is unaffected by the stinging tentacles of the host. It is a sequential hermaphrodite with a strict size-based dominance hierarchy; the female is largest, the breeding male is second largest, and the male nonbreeders get progressively smaller as the hierarchy descends. They exhibit protandry, meaning the breeding male changes to female if the sole breeding female dies, with the largest nonbreeder becoming the breeding male.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Three-band anemonefish</span> Species of fish

The three-band anemonefish is a species of anemonefish endemic to the Marshall Islands in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Like all anemonefishes, it forms a symbiotic mutualism with sea anemones and is unaffected by the stinging tentacles of its host. It is a sequential hermaphrodite with a strict size-based dominance hierarchy; the female is largest, the breeding male is second largest, and the male nonbreeders get progressively smaller as the hierarchy descends. They exhibit protandry, meaning the breeding male changes to female if the sole breeding female dies, with the largest nonbreeder becoming the breeding male. The fish's natural diet includes zooplankton.

<i>Stichodactyla gigantea</i> Species of sea anemone

Stichodactyla gigantea, commonly known as the giant carpet anemone, is a species of sea anemone that lives in the Indo-Pacific area. It can be kept in an aquarium but is a very challenging species to keep alive and healthy for more than 3–5 years.

<i>Stichodactyla mertensii</i> Species of sea anemone

Stichodactyla mertensii, commonly known as Mertens' carpet sea anemone, is a species of sea anemones in the family Stichodactylidae. It is regarded as the largest sea anemone with a diameter of over 1 m (3.3 ft), the next largest being Heteractis magnifica, which has longer tentacles. This species has an oral disc that can be described as more ovoid than circular that contours to the surrounding substrate and is attached to the substrate by adhesive verrucae, which are wart-like projections. Its blunt or pointed tentacles are uniformly shaped, and are only about 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long. It contains obligate symbiotic zooxanthellae, and is a host to around half the species of anemonefish and one damselfish, Dascyllus trimaculatus.

<i>Amphiprion chagosensis</i> Species of fish

Amphiprion chagosensis, the Chagos anemonefish, is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes. It is named for the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean and it is endemic to the archipelago. The original specimens were collected at Diego Garcia Atoll, Chagos Archipelago.

<i>Amphiprion chrysogaster</i> Species of fish

Amphiprion chrysogaster, the Mauritian anemonefish, is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes. It is endemic to Mauritius and probably Réunion.

<i>Amphiprion latifasciatus</i> Species of fish

Amphiprion latifasciatus is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes.

<i>Amphiprion leucokranos</i> Species of fish

Amphiprion leucokranos is a naturally occurring hybrid anemonefish found in the western central Pacific Ocean. Like all anemonefishes it forms a symbiotic mutualism with sea anemones and is unaffected by the stinging tentacles of the host anemone. It is a sequential hermaphrodite with a strict dominance hierarchy, features which are critical to the direction of gene flow.

<i>Amphiprion pacificus</i> Species of fish

Amphiprion pacificus, is a species of anemonefish that is found in the western Pacific Ocean. Like all anemonefishes it forms a symbiotic mutualism with sea anemones and is unaffected by the stinging tentacles of the host anemone. It is a sequential hermaphrodite with a strict sized based dominance hierarchy: the female is largest, the breeding male is second largest, and the male non-breeders get progressively smaller as the hierarchy descends. They exhibit protandry, meaning the breeding male will change to female if the sole breeding female dies, with the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male. The fish's natural diet includes zooplankton.

Amphiprion thiellei is thought to be a naturally occurring hybrid anemonefish found in the vicinity of Cebu, Philippines. Like all anemonefishes it forms a symbiotic mutualism with sea anemones and is unaffected by the stinging tentacles of the host anemone. It is a sequential hermaphrodite with a strict dominance hierarchy.

References

  1. Myers, R.; Rocha, L.A. & Allen, G. (2017). "Amphiprion akallopisos". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T188538A1889747. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T188538A1889747.en .
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Fautin, Daphne G.; Allen, Gerald R. (1992). Field Guide to Anemone Fishes and Their Host Sea Anemones. Western Australian Museum. p. 60. ISBN   978-0-7309-5216-9.
  3. Myberg Jr, A. A. 1972. Ethology of the bicolour damselfish Eupomacentrus partitus (Pisces: Pomacentridae): a comparative analysis of laboratory and field behavior." Animal Behavior (Monographs in Behavior and Ecology). Vol. 5:197-283.
  4. Mann, D. A.; Lobel, P. S. 1998. "Acoustic behavior of the damselfish Dascyllus albisella: behavioral and geographic variation." Environmental Biology of Fishes. Vol. 51:421-428.
  5. Takemura, A. 1983. Acoustic behavior of the clownfishes (Amphiprion spp.) Bulletin of the Faculty of Fishes Nagasaki University. Vol. 54:21-27.
  6. Chen, K. C.; Mok, H. K. 1988. "Sound production in the anemonefishes, Amphiprion clarkii and A. frenatus (Pomacentridae) in captivity. Fpn. F. Ichthyol. Vol. 35:90-97.
  7. Luh, H. K.; Mok, H. K. 1986. "Sound production in the domino damselfish, Dascyllus trimaculatus (Pomacentridae) under laboratory conditions." Fpn. F. Ichthyol. Vol. 33:70-74.
  8. Myberg Jr, A. A.; Mohler, M.; Catala, J. 1986. "Sound production by males of a coral reef fish (Pomacentrus paritus): its significance to females." Animal Behavior. Vol. 34:913-923.
  9. Parmentier, E.; Lagardère, J. P.; Vandewalle, P.; Fine, M. L. 2005. "Geographical variation in sound production in the anemonefish Amphiprion akallopisos." Proceedings of the Royal Society of Biology. Vol. 272:1697-1703.