Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Allard's clownfish

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Subfamily
  
Amphiprioninae

Scientific name
  
Amphiprion allardi

Higher classification
  
Anemonefishes

Order
  
Perciformes

Family
  
Pomacentridae

Genus
  
Amphiprion

Phylum
  
Chordata

Rank
  
Species

Allard's clownfish African ClownfishAllard39s Clownfish Amphiprion Allardi Tropical

Similar
  
Clownfish, Amphiprion akindynos, Amphiprion chrysogaster, Orange‑fin anemonefish, Amphiprion latifasciatus

Amphiprion allardi, (Allard's anemonefish) is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes and was named after Jack Allard by Herbert Axelrod after his visit to Allards Collecting Station in Kenya.

Contents

Allard's clownfish Something Fishy Aquarium Livestock Fish Clowns

Characteristics of Anemonefish

Allard's clownfish Allard39s Clownfish Amphiprion Allardi MarineWorld

Clownfish or anemonefish are fishes that, in the wild, form symbiotic mutualisms with sea anemones and are unaffected by the stinging tentacles of the host anemone, see Amphiprioninae § Symbiosis and mutualism. The sea anemone protects the clownfish from predators, as well as providing food through the scraps left from the anemone's meals and occasional dead anemone tentacles. In return, the clownfish defends the anemone from its predators, and parasites. Clownfish are small-sized, 10–18 centimetres (3.9–7.1 in), and depending on species, they are overall yellow, orange, or a reddish or blackish color, and many show white bars or patches. Within species there may be color variations, most commonly according to distribution, but also based on sex, age and host anemone. Clownfish are found in warmer waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans and the Red Sea in sheltered reefs or in shallow lagoons.

Allard's clownfish wwwtheonlinezoocomimg23toz23749ljpg

In a group of clownfish, there is a strict dominance hierarchy. The largest and most aggressive fish is female and is found at the top. Only two clownfish, a male and a female, in a group reproduce through external fertilization. Clownfish are sequential hermaphrodites, meaning that they develop into males first, and when they mature, they become females.

Description

Allard's clownfish Allard39s Anemonefish Allard39s Clownfish Amphiprion allardi

Adults are an dark-brown to black with two white bars with black edging encircling the body. The caudal fin is white with other fins orange. They have 10-11 dorsal spines, 2 anal spines, 15-17 dorsal soft rays and 15-17 anal soft rays. They reach a maximum length of 14 cm (5 12 in).

Color variations

None known.

Similar species

Allard's clownfish Allard39s Clownfish Seaunseen

Allard's anemonefish is almost identical to A. chrysopterus (Orange-fin anemonefish) and are distinguished by their geographic location. Allard's anemonefish is similar to the nearby A. latifasciatus (Madagascar anemonefish) however A. latifasciatus has a forked caudal fin which is yellow.

Distribution and habitat

Allard's clownfish Allard39s Clownfish Seaunseen

Allard's anemonefish is found in east Africa between Kenya and Durban. They are usually found near to or within the tentacles of their host anemones.

Host anemones

Allard's anemonefish is associated with the following species of anemones:

  • Entacmaea quadricolor Bubble-tip anemone
  • Heteractis aurora beaded sea anemone
  • Stichodactyla mertensii Mertens' carpet sea anemone
  • References

    Allard's clownfish Wikipedia