Record Details

Occurrence of anemonefishes and host sea anemones in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

CMFRI Repository

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Relation http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/2123/
 
Title Occurrence of anemonefishes and host sea anemones in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
 
Creator Madhu, Rema
Madhu, K
 
Subject Ornamental Fishes
 
Description Among the anemonefishes, 13 species under the genus Amphiprion viz., A. akallopisos, A. bicinctus, A. chrysogaster, A. clarkii, A. ephippium, A. frenatus, A. melanopus, A. ocellaris, A. percula, A. perideraion,
A. polymnus, A. sandaracinos and A. sebae, and one species under the genus Premnas viz., P. biaculeatus are reported from 14 selected study sites of the coral reef ecosystem of Andaman and Nicobar Islands during 2000-2005. Field observations reveal that the anemonefish are found in association with 10 host sea anemones viz., Cryptodendrum adhaesivum, Entacmaea quadricolor, Heteractis aurora, H. crispa, H. magnifica, H. malu, Stichodactyla gigantea, S. haddoni, S. mertensii and Macrodactyla doreensis. The
fishes and their hosts were observed at a depth of 0.5 to 10 m during low tide in the coral reef areas and
slopes. The sea anemones such as C. adhaesivum, H. aurora, H. malu, S. haddoni, M. doreensis are often
found buried in the sediment or sand and retracted completely when disturbed whereas, H. magnifica, H.
crispa, S. gigantea, S. mertensii and E. quadricolor were usually found attached to hard substrata. Among
the fish species, melanistic variation was noticed only in A. ocellaris. The surveys show that the numerical
abundance of Amphiprion populations from these groups of islands has diminished. Rapid developmental
activities in the islands, turbidity, discharge of waste, increase in water temperature and deposition of sand
due to tsunami and destruction of natural habitats due to ecological imbalance in the coastal belt are
considered as the probable reasons for decrease in population.
 
Publisher MBAI
 
Date 2007
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/2123/1/Rema_118-126.pdf
Madhu, Rema and Madhu, K (2007) Occurrence of anemonefishes and host sea anemones in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India, 49 (2). pp. 118-126.