That finding in itself was not unexpected, but the groupings of the species were very different than what previous work had predicted. They found that as a group, anemones independently evolved the ability to host clownfish three times throughout history. There is a 'whale language' though Dory probably cant speak it. Clownfish really do look like that and live in sea anemones. 'Finding Nemo' came out in 2003 and was beloved for its storyline and (somewhat) accurate depiction of life in the ocean. To fill in these gaps, the research team, led by Museum Gerstner Scholar and Lerner Gray Postdoctoral Fellow Benjamin Titus, built a phylogenetic tree based on DNA from newly collected anemone specimens. 'Finding Nemo' has some accurate science facts baked in. And the information on the origin of these species, as well as the number of times the symbiosis evolved in anemones, is sparse and dated. There are 10 described species of clownfish-hosting anemones, but scientists suspect that the total number may be much higher. There are about 30 clownfishes that have this symbiotic relationship with anemones, and they originated in the "coral triangle" of southeast Asia. In addition, their feces serve as an important source of nitrogen for the anemone, and some research suggests that as the fish wiggle through the anemone's swaying tentacles, they help oxygenate the host, possibly helping it grow. In return, the highly territorial clownfishes will ward away animals that might try to eat the anemone. This protects clownfishes from bigger fishes, like moray eels, which can be stung by the anemone if they get too close. The fish have the ability to produce a mucus coating that allows them to shelter within the anemone's venom-filled tentacles without being stung. This fish is also known as an anemonefish because if its close relationship with anemones. The bright orange and three distinctive white bars make this fish very recognizable on the coral reef. The relationship between the anemone and the clownfish is a mutually beneficial one. Character pic Character - Species Marlin, Nemo & Coral Clownfish, Clown Anemonefish : Amphiprion percula. "It's astounding that when we look at the relationship between clownfishes and sea anemones, which is perhaps one of the most popular examples of symbiosis out there, we have essentially no clue what is going on with one of the two major players," said EstefanÃa RodrÃguez, one of the co-authors on the new study and an associate curator in the American Museum of Natural History's Division of Invertebrate Zoology.
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