| Sebae clownfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Blenniiformes |
| Family: | Pomacentridae |
| Genus: | Amphiprion |
| Species: | A. sebae |
| Binomial name | |
| Amphiprion sebae Bleeker, 1853 | |
Amphiprion sebae, also known as thesebae clownfish, is ananemonefish found in the northernIndian Ocean, fromJava to theArabian Peninsula. Like all anemonefish it is usually found living in association withsea anemones. While the common name ofHeteractis crispa, the sebae anemone, suggests an association, it is normally found with theStichodactyla haddoni or saddle anemone.[2]A. sebae, like all anemonefish, lives in asymbiotic relationship with the host anemone where the fish is unaffected by the stinging tentacles of the anemone. In a group of clownfish, Only two clownfish, a male and a female, in a group reproduce throughexternal fertilization. Clownfish aresequential hermaphrodites, changing from male to female, with a strictdominance hierarchy and only the largest fish being female.[2]
The body ofA. sebae is blackish or dark brown with a yellow snout, breast and belly. It has two broad white bars., with the mid-body bar angled backwards. The tail is yellow or orange.[2] They have 10–11 dorsal spines, 2 anal spines, 14–17 dorsal soft rays and 13–14 anal soft rays.[3] They can grow to 14 centimetres (5.5 in).[2]
There is amelantistic variation where the fish lacks the yellow snout, breast and belly. It is not known whether this variation is associated with a species of anemone.[2]
A. polymnus (Saddleback anemonefish) is similar, but can be distinguished by its characteristic black or dark wedge shape on the tail.[2] There are reports ofA. sabae being incorrectly labeled in the aquarium trade asA. clarkii,[4][5] however the similarities are superficial in that, while a melanistic variation ofA. clarkii has similar color,A. clarkii lacks the characteristic sloping mid-band.
A. sebae is found in the northern Indian Ocean, from Java to the Arabian Peninsula, includingIndia,Sri Lanka, theMaldives,Sumatra, and theAndaman Islands.[2]
A. sebae is associated with the following species of anemone:[2]
A study using estuarine water was done to look atcaptive breeding and larval rearing of the speciesAmphiprion sebae. The male starts courting the female a week before theyspawn. The male initiates maintenance of the site chosen forhabitation. The female enters the nest to lay her eggs. About 300 to 600 eggs are laid. The males usually guard the eggs, which hatch after six to eight days.[6] The yolk sacs of the larvae were small. Between the third and fourth day they fed and their body shape changed. On days fifteen to eighteen in their life cycle they entermetamorphosis.[7]
Eggs
When A. sebae eggs are recently fertilized, they are transparent (yellow/clear) with oil droplets.[8] Amphiprion sebae eggs mature, they become bright yellow to orange color, the size of the eggs can range from length: 1.7- 2.6 mm and width: 0.8-1.3 mm.[8]
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