Editing Clownfish (section)

==Taxonomy==
Clownfish are damselfish (family [[Pomacentridae]]) in the genus ''Amphiprion'' (Greek {{lang|grc|amphi}}, 'on both sides' and {{lang|grc|prion}} 'saw'), which was coined by [[Marcus Elieser Bloch]] and [[Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider]] in 1801.<ref name=Tang2021/><ref>Colleye, O.; Iwata, E.; Parmentier, E. "Clownfishes" in {{harvnb|Frédérich|Parmentier|2016}} pp. 303, 306</ref> [[Georges Cuvier]] considered the [[maroon clownfish]] ([[specific name (zoology)|specific name]] ''biaculeatus'') morphologically different enough to be placed in its own genus ''Premnas'' in 1817.<ref>Colleye, O.; Iwata, E.; Parmentier, E. "Clownfishes" in {{harvnb|Frédérich|Parmentier|2016}} p. 306</ref> The status of ''Premnas'' has been disputed over the years, switching between a synonym or subgenus of ''Amphiprion'' and being its own genus. In 2021, two expansive [[phylogenetic]] analyses of damselfishes found the maroon clownfish to be within ''Amphiprion'', making ''Premnas'' a junior synonym.<ref name=Tang2021>{{cite journal |last1=Tang |first1=Kevin |last2=Stiassny |first2=Melanie |last3=Mayden |first3=Richard |last4=DeSalle |first4=Robert |title=Systematics of Damselfishes |journal=Ichthyology & Herpetology |date=May 2021 |volume=109 |issue=1 |page=258 |doi=10.1643/i2020105 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name=McCord2021/> In 1975, [[ichthyologist]] [[Gerald R. Allen]] placed clownfishes in their own subfamily Amphiprioninae.<ref>{{cite book|last=Allen|first=G. R.|year=1975|title=Damselfishes of the South Seas|publisher=TFH Publications|page=34|isbn=978-0876660348}}</ref> A 2009 study suggested creating the [[Tribe (biology)|tribe]] Amphiprionini for clownfishes and moving them to the subfamily [[Pomacentrinae]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Cooper|first1=W. J.|last2=Smith|first2=L. L.|last3=Westneat|first3=M. W.|year=2009|title=Exploring the radiation of a diverse reef fish family: phylogenetics of the damselfishes (Pomacentridae), with new classifications based on molecular analyses of all genera|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|volume=52|issue=1|pages=1–16|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2008.12.010}}</ref> 

===Phylogeny===
The clownfish [[Lineage (evolution)|lineage]] diverged from other living damselfishes around 35 million years ago (mya) during the late [[Eocene]],<ref name=McCord2021/> and the [[most recent common ancestor]] is dated around 10.5 mya during the [[Early Miocene]]<ref name=Gaboriau2025/> in the waters of the [[Malay Archipelago]].<ref name=Litsios2014>{{cite journal|last1=Litsios|first1=G|last2=Pearman|first2=P. B.|last3=Lanterbecq|first3=D|last4=Tolou|first4=N|last5=Salamin|first5=N|year=2014|title=The radiation of the clownfishes has two geographical replicates|journal=Journal of Biogeography|volume=41|issue=11|pages=2140–2149|doi=10.1111/jbi.12370}}</ref> Clownfishes experienced an increase in species diversification starting around 5 mya,<ref name=McCord2021>{{cite journal|last1=McCord|first1=C. L.|last2=Nash|first2=C. M.|last3=Cooper|first3=W. J.|last4=Westneat|first4=M. W.|year=2021|title=Phylogeny of the damselfishes (Pomacentridae) and patterns of asymmetrical diversification in body size and feeding ecology|journal=PLoS ONE|volume=16|issue=10|page=e0258889|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0258889|doi-access=free}}</ref> with two major [[adaptive radiation]]s; one centred on the Malay Archipelago and later in the waters of the western Indian Ocean.<ref name=Litsios2014/> High amounts of interbreeding between species occurred and the most recently diverged species are descended from hybrids.<ref name=hybrid>{{cite journal|last1=Litsios|first1=G|last2=Salamin|first2=N|year=2014|title=Hybridisation and diversification in the adaptive radiation of clownfishes|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|volume=14|page=245|doi=10.1186/s12862-014-0245-5|doi-access=free}}</ref> Clownfish speciation has been linked to their [[sea anemone]] hosts, species of which can be found in different habitats and thus drove ecological separation.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Litsios|first1=G|last2=Sims|first2=C. A.|last3=Wüest|first3=R. O.|last4=Pearman|first4=P. B.|last5=Zimmermann|first5=N. E.|last6=Salamin|first6=N|year=2012|title=Mutualism with sea anemones triggered the adaptive radiation of clownfishes|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|volume=12|page=212|doi=10.1186/1471-2148-12-212|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=Gaboriau2025/>

There are 28 living species of clownfish and two hybrids forms, ''[[Amphiprion leucokranos]]'' (white-bonnet anemonefish) and ''[[Amphiprion thiellei]]'' (Thielle’s anemonefish).<ref name=preface>"Preface" in {{harvnb|Laudet|Ravasi|2023}} p. xii</ref> In 1972, Allen listed five major clades or [[species complex|complexes]] based on morphology; ''percula'',  ''akallopisos'', ''ephippium'', ''polymnus'' and ''clarkii'' with ''A. biaculeatus'' being in a [[Monotypic taxon|monotypic]] clade close to ''percula''.{{sfn|Allen|1975b|pp=46–52}}. A 2014 study lists two more major clades: Australian and Indian, with two species ''[[Amphiprion chrysopterus]]'' and ''[[Amphiprion latezonatus]]'' bring monotypic clades and ''A. biaculeatus'' under the ''percula'' clade.<ref name=hybrid/> A 2021 study placed ''A. chrysopterus'' and members of the clade ''polymnus'' in the Indian clade,<ref name=McCord2021/> while a 2025 study found the ''percula'' clade to be [[paraphyly|paraphyletic]].<ref name=Gaboriau2025/>

The following cladogram of the 28 clownfish species is based on a genetic study by Gaboriau and colleagues (2025):<ref name=Gaboriau2025>{{cite journal|last1=Gaboriau|first1=T|last2=Marcionetti|first2=A|last3=Garcia-Jimenez|first3=A|last4=Schmid|first4=S|last5=Fitzgerald|first5=L. M.|last6=Micheli|first6=B|last7=Titus|first7=B|last8=Salamin|first8=N|year=2025|title=Host use drives convergent evolution in clownfish|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|volume=122|issue=17|page=e2419716122|doi=10.1073/pnas.2419716122}}</ref>{{efn|Common names are taken from<ref name=preface/>}}

{{clade|style=font-size:85%; line-height:85%
|label1=''Amphiprion''
|1={{clade
 |1=''[[Maroon clownfish|A. biaculeatus]]'' (Maroon clownfish or Spinecheek anemonefish) [[File:Clownfish (Papua New Guinea).jpg|40px]]  
 |2={{clade
  |1={{clade
   |1=''[[Amphiprion percula|A. percula]]'' (Orange clownfish) [[File:Clown.fish.arp.750pix.jpg|40px]]
   |2=''[[Amphiprion ocellaris|A. ocellaris]]'' (False clownfish) [[File:Clown fish in the Andaman Coral Reef.jpg|40px]] }}
  |2={{clade
   |1=''[[Amphiprion latezonatus|A. latezoneatus]]'' (Wide-band anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion latezonatus, Norfolk.jpg|40px]]
   |2={{clade
    |1={{clade
     |1={{clade
      |1=''[[Amphiprion perideraion|A. perideraion]]'' (Pink skunk anemonefish) [[File:Pink Anemonefish (8 cm).png|40px]]
      |2={{clade
       |1=''[[Amphiprion pacificus|A. pacificus]]'' (Pacific anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion pacificus.webp|40px]]
       |2={{clade
        |1=''[[Amphiprion akallopisos|A. akallopisos]]'' (Skunk anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion akallopisos 13376076.jpg|40px]]
        |2=''[[Amphiprion sandaracinos|A. sandaracinos]]'' (Yellow skunk anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion sandaracinos Minatoyama2.jpg|40px]] }} }} }}
     |2={{clade
      |1={{clade
       |1=''[[Amphiprion tricinctus|A. tricinctus]]'' (Three-band anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion tricinctus 11-2022.JPG|40px]]
       |2=''[[Clark's anemonefish|A. clarkii]]'' (Yellow-tail anemonefish) [[File:XRF-Amphiprion clarkii.png|40px]] }}
      |2={{clade
       |1=''[[Amphiprion barberi|A. barberi]]'' (Barber’s anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion barberi.jpg|40px]]
       |2={{clade
        |1={{clade
         |1=''[[Amphiprion frenatus|A. frenatus]]'' (Tomato anemonefish) [[File:Tomato clownfish Amphiprion frenatus.jpg|40px]]
         |2=''[[Amphiprion ephippium|A. ephippium]]'' (Saddle anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion ephippium (Bloch, 1790).jpg|40px]] }}
        |2={{clade
         |1=''[[Amphiprion melanopus|A. melanopus]]'' (Fire anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion melanopus RLS.jpg|40px]]
         |2=''[[Amphiprion rubrocinctus|A. rubrocinctus]]'' (Red anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion rubrocinctus RLS.jpg|40px]] }} }} }} }} }}
    |2={{clade
     |1={{clade
      |1=''[[Amphiprion chrysogaster|A. chrysopterus]]'' (Orange-fin anemonefish) [[File:Pomacentridae Amphiprion chrysogaster 1.jpg|40px]] 
      |2={{clade
       |1=''[[Amphiprion mccullochi|A. mccullochi]]'' (White-snout anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion mccullochi RLS3.jpg|40px]]
       |2=''[[Amphiprion akindynos|A. akindynos]]'' (Barrier reef anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion akindynos.jpg|40px]] }} }}
     |2={{clade
      |1={{clade
       |1=''[[Amphiprion sebae|A. sebae]]'' (Sebae anemonefish) [[File:XRF-Amphiprion sebae.png|40px]]
       |2=''[[Amphiprion polymnus|A. polymnus]]'' (Saddleback anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion Species.JPG|40px]] }}
      |2={{clade
       |1={{clade
        |1=''[[Amphiprion nigripes|A. nigripes]]'' (Maldive anemonefish) [[File:XRF-Amphiprion nigripes.png|40px]]
        |2=''[[Amphiprion chagosensis|A. chagosensis]]'' (Chagos anemonefish) [[File:A, chagosensis 3.jpg|40px]] }}
       |2={{clade
        |1={{clade
         |1=''[[Amphiprion chrysogaster|A. chrysogaster]]'' (Mauritian anemonefish) [[File:Pomacentridae Amphiprion chrysogaster 1.jpg|40px]]
         |2=''[[Amphiprion fuscocaudatus|A. fuscocaudatus]]'' (Seychelles anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion fuscocaudatus.jpg|40px]] }}
        |2={{clade
         |1={{clade
          |1=''[[Amphiprion bicinctus|A. bicinctus]]'' (Two-band anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion bicinctus by Patryk Krzyzak.jpg|40px]]
          |2=''[[Amphiprion omanensis|A. omanensis]]'' (Oman anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion omanensis.TIF|40px]] }}
         |2={{clade
          |1=''[[Amphiprion allardi|A. allardi]]'' (Two-bar anemonefish) [[File:Amphiprion allardi 221884898.jpg|40px]]
          |2=''[[Amphiprion latifasciatus|A. latifasciatus]]'' (Madagascar anemonefish) [[File:Clowns et oeufs à Mayotte.jpg|40px]] }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}