Today’s creature feature is a lovely video of the Three-band Anemonefish (Amphiprion tricinctus) which was taken in Kwajalein’s sandy inner lagoon at a depth of 40 feet. This incredible red Haddon’s Carpet Anemone (Stichodactyla haddoni) was documented over the course of three years and was always observed with a robust gathering of A. tricinctus among its tentacles. Continue reading “Hoards Of Amphiprion tricinctus Filmed At Kwajalein”
The subtropical reefs of Japan’s main islands are home to an interesting mix of fishes. Many of the species found here are widespread across the West or Central Pacific, but, in addition, there are also quite a few fishes which occur here and nowhere else. Some prominent examples include the Japanese Butterflyfish (Chaetodon nippon) and the Wrought Iron Butterflyfish (Chaetodon daedelmus) and the beautiful Japanese Angelfish (Centropyge interrupta), though this last example is also known from some of the northernmost reefs of the Hawaiian Islands. Continue reading “Gorgeous Video Of Amphiprion japonicus”
The sovereign nation of Niue is comprised of just a single small speck of volcanic rock located due east of the Tongan Trench. Few have ever heard of it and fewer still could point it out on a map, but it’s an interesting region from a biogeographical perspective. It exists on the edge of Melanesia and Polynesia, two massive regions of the Pacific with distinctive faunae. Since there are relatively few species of Amphiprion that extend this far east, we don’t see as much evidence for this as we do in some other groups of reef fishes, but close examination still reveals a faunal break. Continue reading “The Fijian Anemonefish of Niue”
You don’t normally see anemonefishes stacked this densely, but the exception seems to be with the melanopus group. These species are almost exclusively found in Bubbletip Anemones (Entacmaea quadricolor), and, since their host often appears in huge colonies, so do they. This video, which was filmed in Guam, is particularly interesting in that it illustrates how peaceful these anemonefishes can be towards one another in the wild. … Continue reading So. Many. Amphiprion.
Amphiprionology 