Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Life history pathways in false clown Amphiprion ocellaris Cuvier, 1830: A journey from egg to adult under captive condition

Volume 54 Issue 1

Rema Madhu, K. Madhu and T. Retheesh doi: 10.6024/jmbai.2012.54.1.01698-10

Abstract

There is a vast literature on distribution, rearing conditions and behavioural studies of clownfishes. However, descriptive information on reproductive behaviour, early developments and life history pathways of Amphiprion ocellaris are scarce. In this study, 7 pairs of A. ocellaris having size 89 to 100 mm presumptive females) and 40 to 60 mm (presumptive males)were developed through pair formation to generate information on breeding and spawning behaviour, egg morphology, and embryonic, larval, juvenile and adult developments. The spawning was found to be year-round with reproductive cycle of 12 to 15 days intervals and laid 300 to 1000 capsule shaped and adhesive type eggs. The eggs were 1.5-3.0 mm in length and 0.8-1.84 mm in width containing multiple oil globules of varying size and were pale yellow or white for initial two days, turned to black on 3rd to 5th day and silvery on 6th to 7th day of incubation. Hatching took place 168 h after fertilization at a water temperature of 28.5 ± 0.5°C. The ontogeny which began with activation of ovum was classified into embryonic, larval, juvenile, sub-adult, adult and senescent period. The embryonic developments were divided into 29 stages based on the morphological characteristics. The present study is the first scientific report in India on the life history pathways of A. ocellaris commencing from the time of embryonic development to senescent.

Keywords

False clown anemonefish, Amphiprion ocellaris, egg morphology, embryonic development, juvenile, adult, senescent.

Date : 27-06-2012