About Amphiprion allardi Klausewitz, 1970
Allard's anemonefish (Amphiprion allardi Klausewitz, 1970) is a species of anemonefish, also called clownfish. In the wild, all clownfish form symbiotic mutualisms with sea anemones. Clownfish are unaffected by their host anemone's stinging tentacles; the sea anemone protects the clownfish from predators, and provides food in the form of scraps left from the anemone's meals and occasional dead anemone tentacles. In return, the clownfish defends the anemone from the anemone's own predators and parasites. Clownfish are small fish, with most species reaching 10–18 cm (3.9–7.1 in) in total length. Depending on the species, clownfish have an overall body color of yellow, orange, reddish, or blackish, and many species have white bars or patches. Color variations between clownfish species most commonly correspond to geographic distribution, but can also vary based on individual sex, age, and host anemone. Clownfish as a group are found in the warmer waters of the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Red Sea, in sheltered reefs or shallow lagoons. Clownfish groups follow a strict dominance hierarchy, with the largest and most aggressive individual being the female that holds the top position in the hierarchy. Only one breeding male and one breeding female in a group reproduce, through external fertilization. All clownfish are sequential hermaphrodites: they develop as males first, and mature into females later in life. For A. allardi specifically, adult individuals are dark brown to black in color, with two white bars edged in black that encircle the body. The caudal fin is white, and all other fins are orange. This species has 10–11 dorsal spines, two anal spines, 15–17 dorsal soft rays, and 15–17 anal soft rays. It reaches a maximum total length of 14 cm (5+1⁄2 in). Allard's anemonefish is distributed in waters off east Africa, ranging between Kenya and Durban, and extends east to the Seychelles and Mascarene Islands. Individuals are usually found near or within the tentacles of their host sea anemones.
