Clown anemonefish
COMMON NAME IN FRENCH: poisson-clown ocellé ou poisson-clown à trois bandesENGLISH NAME: Clown anemonefish
LATIN NAME: Amphiprion ocellaris
FAMILY: Pomacentridae
In the exhibition: the clown anemonefish can be viewed in the Biodiversity Zone, after the Tropical Lagoon.
Geographic distribution: in the tropical waters of the east Indian and west Pacific Oceans.
Habitat: the clown anemonefish lives at a depth of between 1 and 15 metres in lagoons, coral reefs and turbid coastal waters.
Biology: each anemone is usually home to a female, her male partner and a number of pre-pubescent fish. If the female dies, the male changes sex and the largest of the pre-pubescent fish takes over the role of male.
Diet: zooplankton and filamentous green algae.
Size: 11 cm
Threats and protective measures: these fish are extremely popular among aquarium enthusiasts. In some places they have been so heavily captured that their numbers have declined sharply. Nevertheless, as of 2010, their status has not been evaluated by the IUCN.
Species characteristics and ability to occupy an ecosystem niche in the context of biodiversity: what is unusual about the clown anemonefish is that it has a symbiotic relationship with a giant sea anemone with stinging tentacles (of one of the following species: Heteractis magnifica, Stichodactyla gigantea and Stichodactyla mertensii).The clown anemonefish benefits from the protection of the anemone’s stinging tentacles and at the same time helps the anemone by getting rid of debris and keeping its tentacles smooth.It also protects its host from Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfish) which feed on anemones.The clown anemonefish lives its entire life in the anemone it chooses. The anemone neither stings nor eats the fish thanks to a mucus covering the fish which contains the same chemical compounds as the stinging cells of the anemone. Thanks to this protective coating, the anemone does not see the clown anemonefish as a potential prey.
Resilience: each anemone is usually home to a female, her male partner and a number of pre-pubescent fish. If the female dies, the male changes sex and the largest of the pre-pubescent fish takes over the role of male.
Services provided to humanity: the mucus covering the clown anemonefish is produced by the anemone and protects it from the nematocytes (venomous cells) of its host.“It was by observing the natural protection of the clown anemonefish in the wild that we were able to develop a treatment against jellyfish, anemone and sea lice stings. »
Source: PFD presentation of Medusyl developed by Bioreance Laboratories.
Geographic distribution: in the tropical waters of the east Indian and west Pacific Oceans.
Habitat: the clown anemonefish lives at a depth of between 1 and 15 metres in lagoons, coral reefs and turbid coastal waters.
Biology: each anemone is usually home to a female, her male partner and a number of pre-pubescent fish. If the female dies, the male changes sex and the largest of the pre-pubescent fish takes over the role of male.
Diet: zooplankton and filamentous green algae.
Size: 11 cm
Threats and protective measures: these fish are extremely popular among aquarium enthusiasts. In some places they have been so heavily captured that their numbers have declined sharply. Nevertheless, as of 2010, their status has not been evaluated by the IUCN.
Species characteristics and ability to occupy an ecosystem niche in the context of biodiversity: what is unusual about the clown anemonefish is that it has a symbiotic relationship with a giant sea anemone with stinging tentacles (of one of the following species: Heteractis magnifica, Stichodactyla gigantea and Stichodactyla mertensii).The clown anemonefish benefits from the protection of the anemone’s stinging tentacles and at the same time helps the anemone by getting rid of debris and keeping its tentacles smooth.It also protects its host from Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfish) which feed on anemones.The clown anemonefish lives its entire life in the anemone it chooses. The anemone neither stings nor eats the fish thanks to a mucus covering the fish which contains the same chemical compounds as the stinging cells of the anemone. Thanks to this protective coating, the anemone does not see the clown anemonefish as a potential prey.
Resilience: each anemone is usually home to a female, her male partner and a number of pre-pubescent fish. If the female dies, the male changes sex and the largest of the pre-pubescent fish takes over the role of male.
Services provided to humanity: the mucus covering the clown anemonefish is produced by the anemone and protects it from the nematocytes (venomous cells) of its host.“It was by observing the natural protection of the clown anemonefish in the wild that we were able to develop a treatment against jellyfish, anemone and sea lice stings. »
Source: PFD presentation of Medusyl developed by Bioreance Laboratories.
SOURCES
Glossary
Symbiosis: A relationship between two living creatures which is long-term and mutually beneficial.
Books
Collectif. Océan. Encyclopédie universelle. Ed. Geo/Gallimard, 2006
Jean-Michel KORNPROBST. Substances naturelles d’origine marine. Chimiodiversité – Pharmacodiversité –Biotechnologies. Tome 2 : Invertébrés – Vertébrés. Ed.Tec&Doc/Lavoisier, 2005
E. LYESKE et R.F. MYERS. Guide des poissons des récifs coralliens. Ed. Delachaux & Niestlé, 2005. Coll. Guides du Naturaliste
Dr J.R. PAXTON, Dr W.N. ESCHMEYER. Ill. Dr D. KIRSHNER. Trad. M. BAUDOUX. Les Poissons. Ed. Bordas,1993. Coll. Encyclopédie des Animaux.
Internet sites
The Laboratoires Bioréance homepage and the site where the Medusyl PDF de présentation du produit Médusyl
Photos Pauline BINCTEUX
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