Amphiprion ephippium (Bloch, 1790)

Species Naming

This species is the red saddleback anemonefish, with the scientific name Amphiprion ephippium (Bloch, 1790).

Anemone Symbiosis Overview

All anemonefish (also called clownfish) form symbiotic mutualistic relationships with sea anemones in the wild, and are not harmed by the stinging tentacles of their host anemone. The host sea anemone protects clownfish from predators, and provides food through leftover scraps from the anemone's meals and occasional dead anemone tentacles.

Symbiosis Clownfish Contribution

In exchange, clownfish defend the anemone from its own predators and parasites.

General Clownfish Size

Clownfish are small fish, typically measuring 10–18 centimetres (3.9–7.1 in) in total length.

General Clownfish Coloration

Depending on the species, their overall body color can be yellow, orange, reddish, or blackish, and many species have distinct white bars or patches. Color variations can occur within a single species, most often linked to geographic distribution, but also based on sex, age, and the individual's host anemone.

General Clownfish Habitat

Clownfish inhabit warmer waters of the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Red Sea, living in sheltered reefs or shallow lagoons.

Clownfish Dominance Hierarchy

Clownfish groups have a strict dominance hierarchy, with the largest and most aggressive individual, which is always female, holding the top position. Only one breeding male and one breeding female in a group reproduce via external fertilization.

Clownfish Reproductive Biology

Clownfish are sequential hermaphrodites: they all develop as males first, and mature into females later in life.

Amphiprion ephippium Adult Coloration

For Amphiprion ephippium specifically, adult individuals have a reddish-orange body, with a black saddle-shaped marking or spot on their sides, which matches the species' common name.

Amphiprion ephippium Juvenile Coloration

Small juvenile A. ephippium may have 2 or 3 white bars, but these markings do not persist once the fish reach maturity.

Amphiprion ephippium Fin Structure

The species has 10 to 11 dorsal spines, 2 anal spines, 16 to 18 dorsal soft rays, and 13 to 14 anal soft rays.

Amphiprion ephippium Maximum Size

It reaches a maximum total length of 12 cm (4+3⁄4 in).

Amphiprion ephippium Distribution

A. ephippium is distributed in waters around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java. The original recorded collection locality of Tranquebar is considered an error, as the site falls outside the species' confirmed known range.