Eastern Clown Anemonefish, Amphiprion percula (Lacépède 1802)


Other Names: Clown Anemonefish, Orange Anemonefish, Orange Anemone-fish, Orange Clownfish

An Eastern Clown Anemonefish, Amphiprion percula, at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, March 2014. Source: Lyle Vail via Anne Hoggett / iNaturalist.org. License: CC By Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
This well-known anemonefish from the animated movie  "Finding Nemo" is orange with 3 white bars that often bulge forwards and have relatively broad black margins. The Eastern Clown Anemonefish lives in association with the sea anemones Heteractis crispa, H. magnifica and Stichodactyla gigantea.

Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray, Amphiprion percula in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/317

Eastern Clown Anemonefish, Amphiprion percula (Lacépède 1802)

More Info


Distribution

Recorded in Australia from the Murray Islands to the Capricorn Group, Great Barrier Reef, QLD. Found elsewhere in the tropical, west Pacific.

On outer reefs, the species usually associates with Heteractis crispa and H. magnifica, while on sheltered inshore reefs it lives with Stichodactyla gigantea.

Biology

A protandrous hermaphrodite that lives in a group of up to 6 individuals. The group comprises a breeding pair and 0-4 non-breeders. The female is the largest, and the male is the second largest fish. If the female disappears, her male partner changes sex to become the breeding female, while the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male.

Species Citation

Lutjanus percula Lacépède, 1802, Histoire Naturelle des Poissons 4: 194, 239. Type locality: Port Praslin, New Britain.

Author

Dianne J. Bray

Eastern Clown Anemonefish, Amphiprion percula (Lacépède 1802)

References


Allen, G.R. 1972. Anemonefishes, their Classification and Biology. Neptune CityNew Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 288 pp., 140 figs.

Allen, G.R. 1975. The Anemone Fishes. Their Classification and Biology. Neptune City, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 2, 351 pp.

Allen, G.R. 1975. Damselfishes of the South Seas. New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 237 pp. 251 figs.

Allen, G.R. 1991. Damselfishes of the World. Melle, Germany : Mergus Verlag 271 pp.

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Buston, P. 2003. Size and growth modification in clownfish. Nature 424:145-146.

Buston, P.M. (2003) Forcible eviction and prevention of recruitment in the clown anemonefish. Behav Ecol 14(4): 576–582.

Buston, P.M. (2003) Mortality is associated with social rank in the clown anemonefish (Amphiprion percula). Mar Biol 143(4): 811–815.

Buston P (2004). Does the presence of non-breeders enhance the fitness of breeders? An experimental analysis in the clown anemonefish Amphiprion percula. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 57: 23–31. doi:10.1007/s00265-004-0833-2

Elliot JK, Elliot JM, Mariscal RN (1995). Host selection, location, and association behaviors of anemonefishes in field settlement experiments. Marine Biology 122(3): 377–389. doi:10.1007/BF00350870

Elliott JK, Mariscal RN (2001). Coexistance of nine anemonefish species: differential host and habitat utilization, size and recruitment. Marine Biology 138: 23–36. doi:10.1007/s002270000441

Fautin, D.G. 1992. Anemonefish Recruitment: The Roles of Order and Chance. Symbiosis 14: 143–160.

Fautin, D.G. & Allen, G.R. 1992. Field guide to anemone fishes and their host sea anemones. Perth : Western Australian Museum 160 pp.

Grant, E.M. 1975. Guide to Fishes. Brisbane : Queensland Government, Co-ordinator General’s Department 640 pp.

Grant, E.M. 1991. Fishes of Australia. Brisbane : EM Grant Pty Ltd 480 pp.

Lacépède, B.G. 1802. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : chez Plassan Vol. 4 728 pp. 16 pls.

Mebs D (1994). Anemonefish Symbiosis: Vulnerability and Resistance of Fish to the Toxin of the Sea Anemone. Toxicon 32(9): 1059–1068. doi:10.1016/0041-0101(94)90390-5

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.

Salles OC, Maynard JA, Joannides M, Barbu CM, Saenz-Agudelo P, Almany GR, Berumen ML, Thorrold SR, Jones GP, Planes S. 2015 Coral reef fish populations can persist without immigration. Proc. R. Soc. B 282: 20151311. PDF http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.1311

Thresher, R.E., P.L. Colin & L.J. Bell. 1989. Planktonic duration, distribution and population structure of western and central Pacific damselfishes (Pomacentridae). Copeia 1989(2): 420-434.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37372026

Behaviour:Lives with anemones

Biology:Able to change sex

Depth:1-15 m

Fishing:Aquarium fish

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:11 cm TL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map