McCulloch's Anemonefish

Amphiprion mccullochi

Status in NSW

Critically endangered

Characteristics

The McCulloch’s anemonefish is a dark coloured anemonefish and is distinguished by:

• Dark brown to black colouring with a pale snout
• Adults have one white bar on the cheek and a white caudal peduncle and caudal fin
• Juveniles have a yellow face, trailing edge of pectoral fins and caudal peduncle and 2 posterior white bars on the body.
• By 50mm, the fish usually exhibit adult colouring

Figure 1: Adult McCulloch's anemonefish

Figure 2: Juvenile McCullochs anemonefish. (Photo Justin Gilligan)

Species similar in appearance

Nil

Size

The maximum size for a McCulloch’s anemonefish is 120mm.

Distribution

McCulloch’s anemonefish is endemic to Australia, occurring within the Ramsar listed Middleton Reef and Elizabeth Reef, in Commonwealth waters and at Lord Howe Island in New South Wales. They are found throughout the inshore waters of the island and the protected Lord Howe Island lagoon within the Lord Howe Island Marine Park.

Figure 3: Lord Howe Island lagoon where Amphiprion mccullochi inhabits shallow coral reef habitats (Photo Justin Gilligan).

Report a McCulloch’s anemonefish sighting

Habitat

The McCulloch’s anemonefish is known to live in its host bubbletip anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor). These bubbletip anemones are found on coral reefs throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific. In Australia, its distribution extends south to at least Coffs Harbour on the east coast, and Perth in Western Australia. At Lord Howe Island, the anemone is distributed from the low water mark to 40 m depth and is most common in the lagoon (1-5 m).

Figure 4: McCulloch's anemonefish within Entacmaea quadricolor (bubbletip anemone). (Photo Justin Gilligan)

Why is the McCulloch's anemonefish threatened?

• Rising sea surface temperatures due to climate change
• The distribution and abundance of McCulloch’s anemonefish is determined by that of its host anemone. It has been demonstrated increased sea temperatures cause bleaching and mortality of anemones leading to decline in McCulloch’s anemonefish

More Information

Fisheries Scientific Committee Final Determination

Primefact: McCulloch’s anemonefish - Amphiprion mccullochi 

Priorities Action Statement – Draft Actions for McCulloch’s anemonefish