False Clown Anemonefish
Amphiprion ocellaris
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Perciformes
- Family
- Pomacentridae
- Genus
- Amphiprion
- Species
- Amphiprion ocellaris
The false clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) is the classic orange-and-white clownfish, with three white bands edged in thin black lines. It is the species that made clownfish famous worldwide.
It grows to about 8-11 cm and lives in magnificent, giant and Merten's carpet anemones, protected from the stinging tentacles by a special mucus coat. Like other clownfish, groups are led by a dominant female, and males can change sex to replace her.
The false clown anemonefish occurs in the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is a favourite sight on shallow reefs with large anemones.