Clownfish hosting anemones (Anthozoa, Actiniaria) of the Red Sea: new associations and distributions, historical misidentifications, and morphological variability

Abstract Background The Red Sea contains thousands of kilometers fringing reef systems inhabited by clownfish and sea anemones, yet there is no consensus regarding the diversity host anemone species that inhabit this region. We sought to clarify a historical record recent literature sources disagree on in Sea, which one endemic anemonefish, Amphiprion bicinctus Rüppell 1830. Results conducted 73 surveys spanning ~ 1600 km coastline from northern Saudi Arabian Gulf Aden encountered seven six hosted A. bicinctus. revise list symbionts for include Stichodactyla haddoni (Saville-Kent, 1893) mertensii Brandt, 1835 were both observed multiple regions. describe phenotypic variability Heteractis crispa (Hemprich & Ehrenberg Ehrenberg, 1834) aurora (Quoy Gaimard, 1833), may indicate these hybridize did not encounter gigantea (Forsskål, 1775), although type locality species. Further, thorough review peer-reviewed literature, occurrence records, misidentified basis reports dating back early twentieth century it unlikely S. occurs Sea. Conclusions In sum, we present new guide anemones specificity bicinctus, question whether central western Indian Ocean.