About Nemo
Figure 1. Distribution of Clownfish (derived from National Geographic 2013)
Clownfish (Amphiprion percula), also known as anemonefish for its obligate symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with sea anemone, are distinctive in its appearance with bright orange body with three white stripes (Colleye and Parmentier 2012). Clownfish benefits the anemone by driving off intruders and removing parasites, as well as providing the anemone with nutrients by defecating on it (National Geographic 2013). In turn, sea anemone provides clownfish with food scraps and protection from its predators; sea anemones have nematocysts (stinging cells) to which only their host clownfish are immune (National Marine Sanctuaries 2006). This immunity is due to a thick coating of mucus on the clownfish, and the source of the mucus is still under debate (Fautin 1991).
There are 28 known species of clownfish, with 10 known host anemone species (Fautin and Allen 1992). As seen in Figure 1, they are distributed throughout the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and Pacific Oceans where warm, tropical waters are carried by currents (National Geographic 2013; Fautin and Allen 1992).
This webpage was completed by Amy Kim as an assignment for BIOL 3236: Biological Adaptation to Climate Change at the University of Queensland, Australia.
There are 28 known species of clownfish, with 10 known host anemone species (Fautin and Allen 1992). As seen in Figure 1, they are distributed throughout the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and Pacific Oceans where warm, tropical waters are carried by currents (National Geographic 2013; Fautin and Allen 1992).
This webpage was completed by Amy Kim as an assignment for BIOL 3236: Biological Adaptation to Climate Change at the University of Queensland, Australia.