CLOWNFISH

Although we tend to call them clownfish, the proper name for most of these chaps is actually anemonefish. A few do rightfully hold the title of 'clown' but most earned it as a nickname based on their markings and waddling gait.

Anemonefish are part of the damselfish family. There are 2 genera and 28 species related along the Amphiprioninae family tree but the spinecheek anemonefish belongs to another genus of damselfish - premnas.

Rarely over 12 centimetres long, they are always colourful with some form of decorative body markings. The way to distinguish which one is which is to study those patterns. A true clownfish will have a white ringed collar just behind his eyes, another around his tail and then a fascinating arrow shape around his tummy.

Found in most of the world’s oceans, the highest numbers are concentrated around the Indo-Pacific region. For example, there are 10 in Papua New Guinea but none at all in the Caribbean. The Seychelles and Maldives have their own indigenous species.

No matter what sea they are in, anemonefish live in a close symbiotic relationship with their host anemone. As they have no inbuilt defence mechanism they live permanently amongst the stinging tentacles and can develop a tolerance to variations in sting quality by darting in and out of a new host until they become immune.

Anemone fish also have that delightful characteristic of being able to change sex. As the juveniles mature they turn into little lads. There’ll be a gang of them all hanging around the Queen Mother and her consort - the oldest male in the group. As long as these two senior members are around, that’s the way things stay. The babes remain ‘sub-adults' until one of the adults dies and then the next one in the chain moves into the vacant slot. And if that means changing sex, no problem, they just get on with it.

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