Interesting Discovery About Clownfish

A study has revealed an intriguing finding about clownfish, indicating that they develop their characteristic white stripes at different rates depending on the species of anemone they inhabit. The Daily Mail reported that experts conducted surveys on clownfish living in both stunning and monstrous anemones in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea.

They found that juvenile clownfish living in monstrous anemones developed white stripes faster than those living in stunning anemones, primarily because more toxic anemone species would trigger stronger activity of thyroid hormones and a gene called duox.

The heightened activity of duox in clownfish living in monstrous anemones led to higher levels of thyroid hormones, promoting the development of iridophores (pigment cells) and resulting in faster white stripe formation.

Vincent Laudet, the lead author of the study and a marine scientist at the University of Okinawa, Japan, stated, “Adaptation is a crucial process for clownfish. Understanding their morphological changes in response to their living environment can help us comprehend how they adapt to different environments and how they are affected by environmental pressures, such as climate change.”

However, it is still unclear what triggers the increased activity of duox initially. The research team speculates that it may be related to the clownfish’s stress response to the greater toxicity of monstrous anemones.