Oman anemonefish (Amphiprion omanensis)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Ovalentaria incertae sedis · Family: Pomacentridae · Genus: Amphiprion.

Accepted name: Amphiprion omanensis · Authority: Allen & Mee, 1991 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 278401.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=278401 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Amphiprion omanensis. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 14 cm · Depth range: 2–10 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100.

FishBase notes: Adults inhabit inshore reefs; information on host anemone species lacking (Ref. 7247). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate (Ref. 205). Males guard and aerate the eggs (Ref. 205).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 11856) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Amphiprion-omanensis.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

30 georeferenced occurrence records for Amphiprion omanensis are published through GBIF from 2 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 9 distinct locations from a sample of 30 records, omitting 1 inland record that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Oman (29); Yemen (1).

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 5212120) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=5212120&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=278401 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Amphiprion omanensis Allen & Mee, 1991 as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 188344) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/188344/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 5212120) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/5212120/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The body of A. omanensis is dark brown and with two white bars and distinctive forked caudal fin, which is blackish in juveniles fading to white in adults. The midbody bar is narrow and does not extend onto the dorsal fin while the headbar is also narrow and usually constricted across the nape They have 10 dorsal spines, 2 anal spines, 10-17 dorsal soft rays and 14-15 anal soft rays. They reach a maximum length of 14 cm.

None known.

The white forked caudal fin is distinctive, with only A. latifasciatus having a forked caudal fin, however A. omanensis has a narrow midbody bar, white caudal fin and black pelvic and anal fins while A. latifasciatus has a much wider midbody bar, and yellow fins.

A. omanensis is found in Oman in the Arabian Peninsula. Anemone fish are sedentary and depend on ocean currents for dispersal.

As A. omanesis is confined within a small range, it was used to study long-distance dispersal, from sites 400 km apart at either end of its range. Adults provide high levels of parental care to their young that hatch with well-developed swimming and sensory capabilities before embarking on a <3 week pelagic larval phase, during which time they may disperse over long distances. The study found an asymmetrical dispersal pattern between the two regions with a higher occurrence of southward dispersal, consistent with the prevailing currents, with immigration rates of 5.4% in the south and 0.7% in the north.

A. omanensis is associated with the following species of anemone:

Source: Wikipedia: Amphiprion omanensis — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphiprion_omanensis (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.