Amphiprion omanensis (pictures)

[Yuri Barros]

In this link........there are good pictures of Amphiprion omanensis........

http://www.peerintoyourworld.com/species/pomacentridae/amphiprion-omanensis-oman-anemonefish/

 

[Yuri Barros]

This is also a nice pic..........of Amphiprion omanensis..........

 

[Overboard]

Nice to see some new pics of these guys. Thanks!

 

[Reefahholic]

Are these really rare?

 

[Yuri Barros]

Yes..........they are very rare............and a vulnerable species.........

The main population is located in Masirah Island...........located in South West Oman´s Sultanate..............

Thes pictures is from Masirah Island...........

This species Geographic range is very limited..........

And another limiting factor is that Reefs are rare...........I mean...........rock substrate for Coral attachement is rare..............

The place is dominated by sandy substrate..............not suitable for Reef formation............

So along the entire range.............(basically from Mirbat region in South West Oman............to Muscat Region in Oman´s Gulf).............the Reef Formation is not continuous..............

Oman´s Reefs Map........

http://www.coral.noaa.gov/reef_maps/volume2/oman_large.jpg

The hot spot of this species is Masirah Island..........between the Island and the Continent..........

All the range suffer the action of the Oman Dust..........that carries the sand from the continent to the sea............

The Area have high Chlorophyll A taxa.........maybe due the iron content in the sand carried bu the Oman Dust.............

Basically tha same that happens with Sahara dust in the Atlantic............

This give the Oman Waters a nice Emerald Color...........

Amphiprion omanensis lives in this specific habitat conditions..........

Very vulnerable species.............and maybe endangered...........???

 

[marc price]

Re post #2, great picture as always Yuri! Do we add S. haddoni to the A. omanensis host anemone list?

 

[Winwood]

Ahh... The akindynos of the Western Indian Ocean! Lovely photos yuri as always.

 

[Yuri Barros]

Yes...........Stichodactyla haddoni is a Host Anemone for this species............but large groups are founded assossiated with colonies of Entacmaea quadricolor............

Yesterday I worked in these pictures...........re-sizing them.........

 

[Yuri Barros]

Amphiprion omanensis............Juveniles.............from Mirbat.........South West Oman.........

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Wow! Great pictures!

 

[Reefvette]

My fav is the akiny, Oman show much better colors then GBR. I wish i could find a pair of these.

 

[Winwood]

Yuri, do you have any photos of chagosensis? I'd like to compare them to omanensis.

 

[Yuri Barros]

Yes.........I selected a few.........

Chagos Archipelago belongs to a Chagos-Laccadives formation...........it´s a geolocical formation that includes Maldives and Lackshadweep Islands............

This is the aspect of Amphiprion chagosensis Habitat............

Heteractis magnifica is one of the favorite host............

Amphiprion chagosensis

Pero Banhos..........

Amphiprion chagosensis hosted in Entacmaea quadricolor...........

Here in Diego Garcia Atoll...........

Some fishes have a brownish tan...........

Stichodactyla mertensii..............is another host anemone for this species...........

Here in Diego Garcia Atoll..............

Amphiprion chagosensis belongs to the same Clownfish Complex of Amphiprion bicinctus and Amphiprion omanensis..............

Juveniles of this three species are very similar..................



OBS:

Amphiprion allardi do not belong to this Clownfish Complex..........

Amphiprion allardi belongs to the same Complex of Amphiprion latifasciatus...........the Juveniles of these two species are similar..............

Amphiprion allardi and Amphiprion latifasciatus........belongs to another context..................

Bicinctus Complex have just these three species...............Amphiprion chagosensis...........Amphiprion bicinctus............and Amphiprion omanensis..................

Amphiprion chagosensis

 

[Winwood]

Man, not knowing the location, I would be hard pressed to tell them apart from bicinctus.

 

[marc price]

Man, not knowing the location, I would be hard pressed to tell them apart from bicinctus.

Me too. Color wise, they look just like the wild caught juvenile A. bicinctus my lfs got in around the millennium 14 years ago.

I was under the impression A. chagosnesis is thought to be a A. bicinctus X A. nigrips hybird with varying degrees of black coloration of the anal and ventral fins.

So now i'm curious, i've seen underwater pix of A. bicinctus hosted by S. haddoni and A. nigrips with S. mertensii, just wondering if bicinctus associates with S. mertrnsii in the wild?

 

[Winwood]

Me too. Color wise, they look just like the wild caught juvenile A. bicinctus my lfs got in around the millennium 14 years ago.

I was under the impression A. chagosnesis is thought to be a A. bicinctus X A. nigrips hybird with varying degrees of black coloration of the anal and ventral fins.

So now i'm curious, i've seen underwater pix of A. bicinctus hosted by S. haddoni and A. nigrips with S. mertensii, just wondering if bicinctus associates with S. mertrnsii in the wild?

Bicinctus most certainly do associate with S. mertensi.

 

[Overboard]

Nice thread going here. Never seen so many pics of A. chagosensis either. Also love the red column on the H. magnificas in that area. These are really special photos.

Any more pics of other wild anemonefish rarities? If so, keep them coming!

 

[Yuri Barros]

I forgot the link of the last pic.........

http://cctus.org/conservation-scien...las-fenner-ph-d/2014-expedition-scholar-blog/


Yes..........we have to pay special attention about the original localities.............first of all.............

Is difficult to identify them...........


But Amphiprion chagosensis have a slightly differenciated band shapes...........

From Chagos Archipelago.........

 

[Winwood]

Is chagosensis in a protected preserve or just so remote that they aren't collected. I find their pattern and color very pleasing, and feel as if there would be a demand for them in the hobby as a captive breeding project.

 

[marc price]

MPA (marine protected area)