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Amphiprion melanopus
Amphiprion melanopus Bleeker, 1852
Fire clownfish
photo by Patzner, R.

Family:  Pomacentridae (Damselfishes), subfamily: Pomacentrinae
Max. size:  12 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 5 years
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 18 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Pacific Ocean: Eastern Indonesia (Bali and Sulawesi eastward), south-eastern Philippines, Papua New Guinea, eastern Queensland, Coral Sea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia Palau and Islands of Micronesia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-18; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 13-14. Description: Small juveniles red with 1 to 2 additional white bars at mid-body and base of the tail. Adults orange with a vertical black-edged bluish white band behind the eye. Body may also be black along with pelvic and anal fins, head red along with pectoral, dorsal, and caudal fins (Ref. 37816, 90102). Distinguished by the black ventral fins from other similar species (Ref. 48636). Body depth 1.7-1.9 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Adults inhabit lagoon and outer reef environments. Feed predominantly on planktonic copepods and algae. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate (Ref. 205). Males guard and aerate the eggs (Ref. 205). Associated with the anemones: Entacmaea quadricolor (usually), Heteractis crispa (occasionally), and Heteractis magnifica (rarely) (Ref. 5911). Has been reared in captivity (Ref. 35404, 35413, 35420).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 November 2010 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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