Spine-cheeked anemonefish Jul 2, 2025

That bright fish hiding in the anemone? That"s the spine-cheeked anemonefish, also known as the maroon clownfish and it is not just a cute creature. Native to the Indo-Pacific, from western Indonesia to Taiwan and the Great Barrier Reef, this species lives on the edges of coral reefs. This fish is easily distinguished by the spine extending from each cheek—hence the name. Groups of spine-cheeked anemonefish form around a single dominant female, and if she disappears, the top male steps up—literally changing sex to take her place. It thrives in warm, shallow waters and sticks close to its chosen sea anemone.

© Fred Bavendam/Nature Picture Library

palette

Today in History

Jul 2, 2024Italica, an old Roman city in Santiponce, Andalusia, Spain
July 2, 2026Ceiling of the Temple of Esna, Egypt

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec 4, 2024Male white rhinoceroses
Dec 11, 2024Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italy
Dec 31, 2024Fireworks over Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada
Nov 27, 2025Eastbourne Pier, England
Jun 2, 2024Ploumanach Lighthouse, France
Nov 1, 2024Vineyards in Varnhalt, Black Forest, Germany
May 31, 2025Knuthöjdsmossen nature reserve, Sweden
Sept 26, 2026Bears Ears National Monument, Utah, United States
Feb 8, 2024Mount Hood, Oregon, USA
Sep 28, 2023Container ship near a commercial port in Thailand
Oct 20, 2026Brown-throated sloth, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica
Oct 2, 2024Wind River, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA
Mar 25, 2024Tulip fields in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
Jan 1, 2024Red fox
Feb 14, 2024Red-crowned crane
Mar 28, 2025Black-naped monarch
Apr 29, 2026Belém Tower, Lisbon, Portugal
Sept 13, 2026Cadini di Misurina, Dolomites, Veneto, Italy
Feb 19, 2025European river otter
Oct 8, 2026Octopus in defensive posture, Mayotte, Indian Ocean
Oct 10, 2025Coral reef surrounding the island of Monuriki, Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
Aug 10, 2026Whytecliff Park, West Vancouver, Canada
May 24, 2024Añisclo gorge, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain
Apr 7, 2024North American beaver, Denali National Park, Alaska, USA
Apr 3, 2024Rainbow across the Kakshaal Too mountains, Kyrgyzstan
Jan 28, 2025Short-eared owl
July 19, 2026Barn swallows of different subspecies resting together
Oct 21, 2024Cypress trees in George L. Smith State Park, Georgia, United States
Jan 31, 2026Plains zebras, Etosha National Park, Namibia
Aug 27, 2023Jeju Island, South Korea