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False-Clown Anemonefish
Amphiprion ocellaris Cuvier, 1830
A False-Clown Anemonefish at a depth of 14m, Redang Island, Malaysia, 15 April 2001. View larger image.
A False-Clown Anemonefish at a depth of 14m, Redang Island, Malaysia, 17 April 2001. View larger image.
A False-Clown Anemonefish at a depth of 14m, Redang Island, Malaysia, 17 April 2001. View larger image.
A False-Clown Anemonefish at a depth of 7m, Redang Island, Malaysia, 14 April 2001. View larger image.
The False-Clown Anemonefish is orange with black markings on the fins. It has a white bar on the head, body and caudal peduncle (glossary). The middle bar usually has a rounded bulge anteriorly.
A black variety with white bars occurs around Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
This species grows to 8cm in length.
It typically inhabits coral reefs and is associated with the anemones Heteractis magnifica, Stichodactyla gigantea, S.mertensii and Stoichactis kenti.
The False-Clown Anemonefish is found in depths from 3m to 15m.
This fish occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Malaysian region, from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, throughout South-east Asia and south to Australia.
In Australia it is known from the north-western coast of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
The False-Clown Anemonefish is closely related to the Clown Anemonefish Amphiprion percula (view fact sheet). It has 11 dorsal spines (10 in A.percula), and 17 pectoral rays (16 in A.percula).
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1991. Damselfishes of the World. Mergus. Pp. 271.
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
- Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2006
Page researched and compiled by
K. Parkinson & M. McGrouther, July 2003.
