Animal Species:Red and Black Anemonefish, Amphiprion melanopus (Bleeker, 1852)

The Red and Black Anemonefish usually has one white bar on the head behind the eye. It lives in association with the anemone Entacmaea quadricolor.

A Red and Black Anemonefish at 'First Sista Reef'

A Red and Black Anemonefish at 'First Sista Reef'
Erik Schlögl © Erik Schlögl

Identification

The Red and Black Anemonefish usually has one white bar on the head behind the eye, although some fish lack a bar. Its breast, belly and dorsal fin are red to orange. Much of the side of the body is black.

Size range

The species grows to 12 cm in length.

Distribution

The Red and Black Anemonefish is known from the tropical Western Pacific.

In Australia it is recorded off north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, south to the central coast of New South Wales.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Amphiprion melanopus

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Red and Black Anemonefish specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It lives in association with the anemone Entacmaea quadricolor.

Classification

Species:
melanopus
Genus:
Amphiprion
Family:
Pomacentridae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  • 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. 292.
  • Fautin D.G & Allen. G.R. 1992. Anemone Fishes and their host Sea Anemones. A guide for aquarists and divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 160.
  • Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  • Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  • Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.


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Tags Animal, fish, Red and Black Anemonefish, Amphiprion melanopus, Bleeker, 1852, red, black, orange, white, yellow, 'normal fish', 10 cm - 30 cm, stripes or bands, coral reef, marine, adult, fanned fins,