Abstract
Second only to starring in the animated film Finding Nemo, anemonefishes are best known for their symbiosis with sea anemones. All 28 species of anemonefish form obligate symbiotic relationships with one or several species of host anemones. Host anemones provide shelter, protection, and spawning sites for the anemonefish, and anemonefish often form isolated social groups within a single host anemone, consisting of an alpha female and beta male that form a breeding pair, and several smaller non-breeders (Buston, 2003; Fautin & Allen, 1992). Anemonefishes have long been considered site-attached as adults (Allen, 1972; Fautin, 1991); they recruit to a host anemone following a larval dispersal phase, and movement between hosts after recruitment is thought to be highly limited.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e3619 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Ecology |
Volume | 103 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 22 Dec 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Mar 2022 |
Keywords
- Amphiprion frenatus
- anemonefish
- behavior
- competition
- movement