Interesting Facts from the Academy of Sciences

Hello! You emailed the Naturalist Center a little over a week ago asking for pictures and information on some of the animals we have in the aquarium. Below you will find, listed under each animal, an interesting fact, some basic sources, and links to some images of the creature.

Clown fish

Fact
The Clown anemonefish’s immunity to its host’s venomous sting is not a genetic trait. Instead it is acquired slowly by acclimation. The fish will initially take several approaches, each time rubbing the anemone’s stinging tentacles on specific parts of its body. After several of these interactions the fish will be immune the venom. However, this immunity is not permanent. If the fish leaves its host for too long, it will lose the immunity and have to restart the process.

General Info
- http://www.eol.org/pages/212597
-http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Amphiprion_ocellaris.html
- http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=29

-http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=6509&genusname=Amphiprion&speciesname=ocellaris&lang=English

Images
-http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?stat=BROWSE&query_src=photos_fauna_com-Fish&where-lifeform=Fish&where-namesoup=Clown+Fish&rel-namesoup=matchphrase&title_tag=Clown+Fish

-http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?stat=BROWSE&query_src=photos_fauna_com-Fish&where-lifeform=Fish&where-namesoup=Clownfish+In+Anemone&rel-namesoup=matchphrase&title_tag=Clownfish+In+Anemone

Emperor angelfish

Fact
The Academy only has one Emperor Angelfish on display, Mr. B. This is because Emperor Angelfish are highly territorial. If Mr. B was in the Coral Reef Tank with another angelfish, the two of them would fight to the death. Recently Mr. B had to be moved into the top portion of the tank due to his habit of eating our coral, which does not grow fast enough to replenish itself after his meals.

General Info
- http://www.eol.org/pages/205824
-http://www.fishbase.org/summary/speciessummary.php?id=6504

Images
-http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?stat=BROWSE&query_src=photos_fauna_com-Fish&where-lifeform=Fish&where-namesoup=Emperor+Angelfish&rel-namesoup=matchphrase&title_tag=Emperor+Angelfish

Starfish

Fact
Starfish are not actually fish. Instead the proper term for them is “Sea Stars”. They belong to a group of invertebrates called Echinoderms, which also include Sea cucumbers, Sea urchins, and Sand dollars. Sea Stars are a varied group with members living in many different ocean ecosystems. You can find them clinging to piers on the shore as well as feeding on detritus at the bottom of the ocean.

General Info
- http://www.eol.org/pages/1927
-http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Asteroidea.html
-http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/starfish/
-http://www.edc.uri.edu/restoration/html/gallery/invert/sea.htm

Images
-http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?stat=BROWSE&query_src=photos_fauna_com-Invertebrate-Other&where-lifeform=Invertebrate-Other&where-namesoup=Ochre+Sea+Star&rel-namesoup=matchphrase&title_tag=Ochre+Sea+Star

-http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?stat=BROWSE&query_src=photos_fauna_com-Invertebrate-Other&where-lifeform=Invertebrate-Other&where-namesoup=Sea+Star&rel-namesoup=matchphrase&title_tag=Sea+Star