Kinship in the orange-fin clownfish, amphirpion chrysopterus, from Moorea, French Polynesia
Résumé
The orange-fin clownfish, Amphiprion chrysopterus, are diurnal planktivores that occupy the sea anemone Heteractis magnifica. They lay benthic eggs that hatch after 6 days, releasing pelagic larvae that settle to anemones after 8–12 days. Orange-fin clownfish generally live in pairs (an adult of each gender) and remain closely associated with the host anemone throughout their lives. In Moorea, French Polynesia, settlement of this species tends to be sporadic and at a very low level. We collected fin-clips from 151 individuals, mostly inside the lagoon, all around Moorea and used microsatellites to investigate kinship among individuals. Seven related specimens were found in the southeast quadrant of Moorea. All these specimens were collected inside the lagoon relatively far from any pass. Even though the geographical origin of this group of related individuals has not been established, the present findings point to the possibility of either self-recruitment of the orange fin clownfish in Moorea or the potential for related larvae to recruit in cohorts.