Spine-cheeked anemonefish 2 Jul 2025

Spine-cheeked anemonefish

That bright fish hiding in the anemone? That"s the spine-cheeked anemonefish, or 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

Were halfway there
Halfway there
2 Jul 2024Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

More Desktop Wallpapers:

25 Dec 2023Christmas Day
A touch of magic
11 Mar 2024Koala
10 Aug 2024Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA
An island park
7 Mar 2025Plum blossoms, China
30 Oct 2024Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
15 Jul 2024Marine Day, Japan
Go fly a kite!
23 Nov 2023Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
14 Nov 2025Mother manatee and calf, Crystal River, Florida, United States
A gorge-ous place to drop in
Where is this scenic view?
28 Nov 2023Giving Tuesday
One on land, a million in space
23 Mar 2025World Meteorological Day
Sway with the Amazonian canopy
21 Feb 2026Red fox, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, United States
The bears and the bees…
Celebrating the tropics
30 Jan 2025Rolands Breach, Spain
16 Feb 2024Female pyrrhuloxia in Texas, USA
Best views tower
A day for the worlds Indigenous populations
Where is this ethereal mountain?
11 Jun 2025Greater flamingos, Lüderitz, Namibia
Dare to delve into this dense swamp
30 May 2024Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
31 Jul 2024Hoodoos, Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
28 Oct 2023Castilla-La Mancha, Spain