❤️ Obi (sash) 🦒

"Back of a woman wearing a kimono with the tied in the style An is a belt worn with both traditional Japanese clothing and uniforms for Japanese martial arts styles. Originating as a simple thin belt in Heian period Japan, the developed over time into a belt with a variety of different sizes, lengths and methods of tying, with a greater variety of women's types of than men's. Despite kimono appearing to be held shut with an , many – mostly women's – are too stiff and wide to actually function in this way, with a series of ties known as , worn underneath the obi, used to keep the kimono closed instead. are categorised by their design, formality, material, and use, and can be made of a number of fabrics weaves, with heavy brocade weaves worn for formal occasions, and some lightweight silk worn for informal occasions. are also made from a variety of fibres, such as cotton, hemp and polyester; for formal occasions, however, only silk are worn. In the modern day, pre-tied , known as or , are also worn, and do not appear any different to a regular when worn. Though can be inexpensive when bought second-hand, they can often cost more than the kimono they will be worn with when purchased brand-new. A number of different fabrics produced specially within Japan are highly prized, such as originating from the district of Kyoto, and produced in Fukuoka prefecture. History =Heian period to Edo period= A Japanese woman tying the of a geisha in the 1890s. In its early days, the was a cord or ribbon-like sash, approximately in width. Men's and women's were similar. At the beginning of the 17th century, both women and men wore a thin, ribbon-like . By the 1680s, the width of women's had already doubled from its original size. In the 1730s women's were about wide, and at the turn of the 19th century were as wide as . At that time, separate ties and cords were already necessary to hold the in place. The men's was at its widest in the 1730s, at about .Dalby, pp. 47–55 Before the Edo period, which began in the mid-1600s, robes were fastened with a narrow sash at the hips.Fält et al., p. 450. The mode of attaching the sleeve widely to the torso part of the garment would have prevented the use of wider . When the sleeves of the began to grow in width (i.e. in length) at the beginning of the Edo period, the widened as well. There were two reasons for this: firstly, to maintain the aesthetic balance of the outfit, the longer sleeves needed a wider sash to accompany them; secondly, unlike today (where they are customary only for unmarried women) married ladies also wore long- sleeved kimono in the 1770s. The use of long sleeves without leaving the underarm open would have hindered movements greatly. These underarm openings in turn made room for even wider . Originally, all were tied in the front. Later, fashion began to affect the position of the knot, and could be tied to the side or to the back. As grew wider the knots grew bigger, and it became cumbersome to tie the in the front. In the end of the 17th century were mostly tied in the back. However, the custom did not become firmly established before the beginning of the 20th century. At the end of the 18th century it was fashionable for a woman's to have overly long hems that were allowed to trail behind when in house. For moving outside, the excess cloth was tied up beneath the with a wide cloth ribbon called . Contemporary women's kimono are made similarly over-long, but the hems are not allowed to trail; the excess cloth is tied up to hips, forming a fold called the . are still used, but only as a decorative accessory. =Modern day= The most formal women's , the , is technically obsolete, worn only by some brides, and a modified version worn by , in the present day. The lighter has taken the place of . The originally everyday is the most common used today, and the fancier ones may even be accepted as a part of a semi-ceremonial outfit. The use of fancy, decorative knots has also narrowed, though mainly through the drop in the numbers of women wearing kimono on a regular basis, with most women tying their in the (lit., "drum knot") style.Dalby, pp. 208–212 , also known as , have gained popularity as pre-tied belts accessible to those with mobility issues or a lack of knowledge on how to wear . Textile located in in Kyoto is a centre of manufacturing today. Founded by I in the 19th century, it is renowned for making some of the most luxurious . Amongst his students studying design was the later-painter . The technique is intricately woven and can have a three dimensional effect, costing up to 1 million Yen. The "Kimono Institute" was founded by in the 20th century and teaches how to tie an and wear it properly.http://www.minpaku.ac.jp/sites/default/files/research/activity/news/rm/pdf/100827_hattori.pdfhttp://www.thekyoto.net/kyoukyou/0811/081113_03/ Women's Women's in scale: 1\. 2\. 3\. 4\. 5\. There are many types of for women, with certain types of worn only with certain types of kimono to certain occasions.Fält et al., p. 452. Often, the can adjust the formality of the entire kimono outfit, with the same kimono being worn to occasions of differing formality depending on the worn with it. Most women's no longer keep the kimono closed, owing to their stiffness and width, and a number of ties worn under the keep the kimono in place. A woman's formal can be wide and more than long, with the longest variety – the , nearing in length – worn only by in some regions of Japan. Some women's are folded in two width-wise when worn, to a width of about to ; the full width of the is present only in the knot at the back of the kimono, with the band around the middle appearing to be half-width when worn. There are a number of different ways to tie an , and different knots are suited to different occasions and different kimono. The itself often requires the use of stiffeners and cords for definition of shape and decoration, and some knots, such as the , require additional accessories in order to keep their shape. = Women's types = The , the most common variety of women's are much shorter than the other types of . The separate bow part of a is attached using a wire hook. Girl wearing a . The two-toned effect is obtained by folding the reversible to reveal the contrasting underside. * are very long worn by in some regions of Japan. A 's features the crest of the geisha house she is affiliated with at the end of the , below the (end lines). can be long. * are slightly less formal than , despite being functionally the most formal variety of worn today. are made from either a single double-width length of fabric with a seam down one edge, or from two lengths of fabric sewn together down each edge; for made from two lengths of fabric, the fabric used for the backside may be cheaper and appear to be more plain. are made in roughly three subtypes. The most formal and expensive of these is patterned brocade on both sides. The second type is two-thirds patterned, the so-called "60% ", and is somewhat cheaper and lighter than the first type. The third type has patterns only in the parts that will be prominent when the is worn in the common style. are roughly wide and to long. When worn, a is nearly impossible to tell from a . * or is an that has been sewn in two only where the knot would begin. The part wound around the body is folded when put on. The is intended for making the more formal, two-layer variation of the , known as the . It is about long. * is a collective name for informal half-width . are to wide and roughly long. ** are a type of thin and informal worn with a or a lower-formality . are very popular, as they are easy to wear, relatively cheap, and often come in a variety of colourful designs. For use with , reversible are popular: they can be folded and twisted in several ways to create colour effects. A is wide and to long. Tying it is relatively easy, and does not require pads or strings. The knots used for are often simplified versions of . As it is easy to tie and less formal, the is sometimes worn in self-invented styles, often with decorative ribbons and accessories. ** is an unlined roughly to wide and roughly long. * or is an informal that has sides of different colours. Having been historically popular, the is frequently seen in woodblock prints and photographs from the Edo and Meiji periods, and most are vintage or antique pieces; it is not as frequently made or worn today. typically have a dark, sparingly decorated underside and a more colourful, decorated topside; the underside is commonly plain black satin silk ( silk) with no decoration, though with decoration on both sides do exist. are frequently not lined, making them relatively floppy, soft and easy to tie. They are about wide and to long. * is a very informal made of soft, thin cloth, often dyed with . Its traditional use is as an informal for children and men, and though historically would have been inappropriate for women to wear, the is now also worn by young girls and women with modern, informal kimono and . An adult's is roughly the same size of any other adult , about to wide and about long. * are made from cloth stiff enough that the does not need a lining or a sewn-in stiffener. One well-known type of is the , which consists of thick weft thread interwoven with thin warp thread with a stiff, tight weave; made from this material are also called . A can be worn with everyday kimono or . A is to wide (the so-called ) or wide and about long. * was invented in the 1970s in , Kyoto. It lies between the and the in terms of formality and use, and can be used to smarten up an everyday outfit. A is structured like a but is as short as a . It thus can also be turned inside out for wear like reversible . A is about wide and long. * is the most formal type of women's , though all but obsolete today. It is made from cloth about 68 cm wide and is folded around a double lining and sewn together. were at their most popular during the and periods. Their bulk and weight make difficult to tie by oneself, and are worn only by and brides in the present day. A is about to wide and to long, fully patterned and is often embroidered with metal-coated yarn and foilwork. * is the style of front-tied, flat worn historically by some (courtesans), and now worn by courtesan-reenactors and kabuki actors on stage. are thickly padded and commonly feature large-scale, heavily-decorated and sometimes three-dimensional motifs such as butterflies, clouds and Chinese dragons, typically on a background of satin silk. * – also called – is the most-used type today. A is distinguished by its structure: one end is folded and sewn in half, the other end is of full width. This is to make putting the on easier. A can be partly- or fully-patterned. It is normally worn only in the style, and many are designed so that they have patterns only in the part that will be most prominent in the knot. are shorter than other types, about to long, but of the same width, about . The is relatively new, developed by a seamstress living in at the end of the 1920s. The new, easy-to-use gained popularity among Tokyo's geisha, from whom it then was adopted by fashionable city women for their everyday wear. The formality of a depends on its material, just as with other types. Since the was originally used as everyday wear, it cannot be worn to very formal occasions, but a made from heavy brocade is considered acceptable as semi- ceremonial wear. The term can also refer to another with the same name, used centuries ago. This was cord-like. * is a name for used in dance acts. An is typically simply-patterned with large, obvious motifs, commonly woven in gold or silver metallic threads, so as to be easily-visible from the audience. can be to wide and to long. As the term is not established, it can refer to any meant for dance acts, though is generally understood to refer to with large and simplistic metallic designs. * are a style of made by using strips of old cloth, woven into a narrow, striped fabric. The warp yarn is typically an actual yarn, whereas the strips of recycled cloth as used as the weft; though narrow, may require cloth the equivalent of three kimonos' worth to create. Historically woven at home out of necessity, are informal, and are generally not worn outside the house. A is similar to a in size, and though informal, is prized as an example of rural craftsmanship. * resemble , but are considered to be more formal. They are usually wider and made from fancier cloth more suitable for celebration. The patterns usually include auspicious, celebratory motifs. A is about wide and to long. * or or refers to any ready-tied , regardless of the knot the has been sewn into. It often has a separate, internally-stiffened knot piece, and a piece that is wrapped around the waist. The is fastened in place by ribbons attached to each piece. are most commonly informal styles of , though more formal pre-tied do exist, as they are indistinguishable from a regular when worn. Accessories for women's The structure of the common (drum bow). The is shown in mid-shade grey, the in dark grey. The is hidden by the . * is a scarf-like length of cloth worn above the . Though it functions as decoration, it may also function to cover the and keep the upper part of the knot in place. The can be worn by women at any age, with it being custom to show more of the the younger one is. It can be tied in a variety of different ways, and is commonly dyed using the – typically the – dye technique. * is a small, decorative brooch fastened onto the at the front, commonly made from precious metals and gemstones. Though most are relatively small, the worn by are comparably much larger, and may be the most expensive item of the 's finished outfit. Certain types of are woven specifically for to be fastened to them. * are long stiffeners inserted between folds of the at the front, giving it a smooth, flat appearance. Some types of are attached around the waist with cords before the is put on; are available in a number of different sizes, weights and materials to suit both the season and the itself. * are decorative cords roughly long tied around the and knotted at either the front or the back. The can be both functional and decorative, serving to keep certain in place and add extra decoration to an outfit. Most are woven silk, with a number of varieties - such as rounded worn with , open-weave worn for summer and with gold and silver threads worn to formal occasions - available. One less commonly-worn variety of , the , is not a woven cord, and is instead a sewn, stuffed tube of fabric; this variety is generally only worn with worn to highly formal events and on stage by kabuki actors. Woven or otherwise, most feature tassels at each end. * is a small pillow that supports and shapes the knot. The most common knot worn by women today, the , is shaped and held in place with the use of an ; elsewhere, one or two large are used in the tying of the worn by some . Men's A reversible , about wide The worn by men are much narrower than those of women, with the width of most men's being about at the most. Men's are worn in a much simpler fashion than women's, worn below the stomach and tied in a number of relatively simple knots at the back - requiring no or to achieve. =Men's types= * are soft, informal made from drapey and often -dyed fabrics such as crêpe, silk , cotton and others. It is generally tied in a loose, casual knot; though for children are short, for adults are roughly as long as any other adult-sized – to long – but can be comparably wider, at up to . Adult men generally wear only at home or in the summer months with a , whereas young boys can wear it in public at mostly any time of year. * is the second type of men's , roughly wide and long. Depending on its material, colours and patterns, are suitable for any and all occasions, from the most informal to the most formal of situations. are most commonly made of ), but can also be made from silk pongee (known as ), silk gauze and heavier, brocade-type weaves of silk. A variety of knots exist for the , and it is most commonly worn in the knot. =Accessories= Men's are not generally worn with accessories, being for the most part too thin to accommodate any of the accessories worn with women's . However, men's may be worn with an (a kind of hard-cased coin purse) worn underneath the belt, suspended from the top by a – a kind of cord- lock ornament designed to hook over the top of the and prevent the from slipping. are often decoratively-carved from wood, bone, ivory or other semi- precious stones such as jade. Children's A little girl wearing kimono. A simple soft is tied around the waist. Children's are generally soft, simple sashes, designed to be easy and comfortable to wear, though older children may wear simple, stiffer made short, such as and ; as they age, children begin to wear kimono outfits that are essentially miniaturised versions of adult kimono and . The youngest children wear soft, scarf-like . =Children's types= * is a type of men's . It is named for its length, three . The is sometimes known simply as . During the Edo period, it gained popularity as a simple and easy-to-wear paired with casual, everyday kimono. According to some theories, the originates from a scarf of the same length, which was folded and used as a sash. A typically is shaped like a , narrow and with short stitches. It is usually made from soft cotton-like cloth. Because of its shortness, the is tied in the style, which is much like a square knot. * were previously worn to prevent kimono from trailing along the floor when walking outside, used to tie up the excess length when going out; over time, this style of wear became the standard for wearing kimono both inside and outside, evolving into the hip fold worn today. Nowadays the 's only function is decorative. It is part of a 7-year-old girl's outfit for celebration of . * (pre-tied ) are popular as children's because of their ease of use. There are even formal available for children. These correspond to on the formality scale. In martial arts for . The colours shown range from yellow to brown, corresponding to judo (levels) from 9th to 1st. Many Japanese martial arts feature an as part of their uniform. These are often made of thick cotton and are about wide. The martial arts are most often worn in the style; in practice where the is worn, the is tied in other ways. In many martial arts the colour of the signifies the wearer's skill level. Usually the colours start from the beginner's white and end in the advanced black, or masters' red and white. When the exercise outfit includes a , the colour of the has no significance. Knots () The knot of the is called the . Though held the kimono closed in previous centuries, the modern is typically too wide and/or stiff to function in this way alone; instead, a number of ties and accessories are used to keep the kimono in place, with the functioning in a more decorative capacity. Though most styles of can be tied by oneself, some varieties of formal women's can be difficult to tie successfully without the assistance of others. There are hundreds of decorative knots, particularly for women, often named for their resemblance to flowers, animals and birds. knots follow the same rough conventions of style and suitability as kimono do, with the more complex and fanciful knots reserved for younger women on festive occasions, and the more subdued knots mostly worn by older women, though they may also be worn by younger women. In earlier days, the knots were believed to banish malicious spirits. Many knots have a name with an auspicious double meaning. =Types of knots= * is a knot resembling the Japanese morning glory, suitable to be worn with . The knot requires a very long , so it can be usually only be made for little girls. * is a very complex and decorative knot resembling an iris blossom. It is considered suitable for young women in informal situations and parties. Because of the complexity and conspicuousness of the knot, it should be worn with more subdued, preferably monochrome kimono and . * is a contemporary knot suitable for young women, often worn to formal occasions at the lowest end of "formal". Because of the complexity of the knot, a multi- coloured or strongly patterned should not be used, and the patterns of the kimono should generally match the knot. * is a version of the , tied using the . Most ready-made are made with the butterfly knot. * is a knot worn only by , dancers and kabuki actors. It is easily distinguishable by its long "tails" hanging in the back, which require an of up to in length to achieve. In the past, courtesans and daughters of rich merchants would also have their tied in this manner. A half-length version of this knot, known as the (lit., "half- dangling knot"), also exists, with apprentice geisha in some regions of Japan wearing this at various stages throughout their apprenticeship; the knot is worn specifically by maiko in to perform the , a well-known short song performed at geisha parties whose lyrics - "dear lovely , the dangling " - explicitly mention it, referring to the classical image of 's . * is a decorative knot that resembles a sparrow with its wings spread, and is generally worn only by young women. It is suitable for formal occasions and is typically only worn with a . Traditionally, the worn with a indicated a woman was available for marriage. * is a subdued which is commonly worn by men, and sometimes worn by older women for convenience, or by women in general as a style choice. * is a square knot often used for tying and . The short worn by children is also tied in this way. * is the most commonly-worn knot worn by women in the present day. It is a knot with a simple, subdued appearance, and resembles a box with a short tail underneath. The is suitable for women of almost every age, mostly every kind of kimono, and is suitable for mostly all occasions; only and mostly all are considered unsuitable to be worn with the . Though the knot is associated with the drum, the knot was actually created to celebrate the opening of the bridge in Tokyo in 1823 by some geisha, a style which soon widely caught on.Dalby, pp. 337–348 * is a version of the , tied with the formal are longer than the , so the must be folded in two when tying the knot. The knot has an auspicious double meaning of "double joy".Yamanaka, pp. 66–70 * is a knot resembling a large bow, and is one of the most simple knots worn with the . According to (kimono dressing) teacher , it is the most suitable knot to be used with the - a with full length sleeves. * is a bow resembling a certain plant thought to look like an eagle taking flight. See also * Kimono * Obi strip: a paper band around a book * Traditional Japanese clothing Gallery File:Kimono-obi-3.jpg A complex knot worn as part of a wedding ourfit File:Yukata-obi.jpgTying a around a File:geisha- obi.jpgA in Kyoto wearing an tied in the style File:Washikusa I-002.pngThe Notes References * * Category:Belts (clothing) Category:Sashes Category:Fashion accessories Category:Japanese clothing Category:Japanese words and phrases Category:History of Asian clothing "

❤️ Christina Scherwin 🦒

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❤️ Ocellaris clownfish 🦒

"The ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris), also known as the false percula clownfish or common clownfish, is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, which includes clownfishes and damselfishes. Amphiprion ocellaris are found in different colors, depending on where they are located. For example, black Amphiprion ocellaris with white bands can be found near northern Australia, Southeast Asia, and Japan. Orange or red-brown Amphiprion ocellaris also exist with three similar white bands on the body and head. Amphiprion ocellaris can be distinguished from other Amphriphon species based on the number of pectoral rays and dorsal spines. Amphiprion ocellaris are known to grow about 110 mm long. Like many other fish species, females are, however, larger than males. The life cycle of Amphiprion ocellaris varies in whether they reside at the surface or bottom of the ocean. When they initially hatch, they reside near the surface. However, when Amphiprion ocellaris enter into the juvenile stage of life, they travel down to the bottom to find shelter in a host anemone. Once they find their anemone, they form a symbiotic relationship with them. Phylogeny Purple anemone (Heteractis magnifica) and resident anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in East Timor. The species Amphiprion ocellaris belongs to the class Actinopterygii which contains bony Teleost fish and other ray-finned fish. A. ocellaris is the most basal species in the genus Amphiprion which is closely related to the genus Premnas. The species' most closely related ancestor is Amphiprion percula, the Orange clownfish. It is thought that A. ocellaris specialized after diverging from the genus Premnas, and scientific evidence confirms that all clownfish belonging to the genus Amphiprion initially could withstand the stings of only one type of anemone; after further speciation the 28 different species of clownfish including A. ocellaris have specialized to be able to resist the poisonous stings of many different anemone species. Description The common clownfish is a small fish which grows up to 11 cm (4.3 inches). Its body has a stocky appearance and oval shape. It is compressed laterally, with a round profile. The coloration of its body is orange to reddish-brown, but it can also be black in some particular areas such as the Northern Territory in Australia.Allen, Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-East Asia,Western Australian Museum,1997, It has three vertical white stripes outlined with a fine black line. The first passes just behind the eye, the second in the middle of the body widens forward to the head centrally and the third one circles the caudal peduncle. All the fins are also outlined with a fine black line. A. ocellaris is often confused with Amphiprion percula, which possesses exactly the same colours and patterns at first sight but distinguishes itself by the thickness of the black outlines. Additionally, A. ocellaris has a taller dorsal fin, and typically possesses 11 dorsal-fin spines vs. 10 spines in Amphiprion percula.Dianne J. Bray, 2011, Western Clown Anemonefish, Amphiprion ocellaris, in Fishes of Australia, accessed 25 Aug 2014, http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/1275 Distribution and habitat This species is found in the Eastern Indian Ocean and in the western Pacific Ocean. As mentioned earlier, they can also be found in Northern Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. Amphiprion ocellaris typically lives in small groups on outer reef slopes or in sheltered lagoons at a maximal depth of 15 meters. It inhabits three different species of sea anemones: Heteractis magnifica, Stichodactyla gigantea and Stichodactyla mertensii and have symbiotic relationships with the anemone. Behavior A. ocellaris is a diurnal fish. It is a protandrous hermaphrodite, which means the male can change its sex to female during its life, and lives in a harem in which an established dominance hierarchy manages the group and keeps individuals at a specific social rank. It is aggressively territorial and is completely dependent on its sea anemone. =Shelter= A. ocellaris are reliant on sea anemone for shelter (they have a symbiotic relationship with the sea anemone). Sea anemone are protection for the fish and their nests. This is because when A. ocellaris are in the open waters, they have a higher risk of predation. It is postulated that the fanning behavior of the fish and removal of parasites promotes the health of sea anemones which contain A. ocellaris fish. In addition, the anemone provides protection for the fish with its tentacles, however, the fish's mucus protection prevents it from being stung by the tentacles.Allen, G. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-East Asia. Perth: Western Australian Museum.Myers, R. 1999. Miconesian Reef Fish: A Field Guide for Divers and Aquarists. Barrigada: Territory of Guam: Coral Graphics. The presence of the clownfish can be interpreted as a lure to attract potential anemone's preys close to the tentacles. And the clownfish can also defend the anemone against some reef fishes which could eat the tentacles. =Social system= rightthumb Ocellaris clownfish in the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth Social systems can be defined as society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships."social system." WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. 2003-2008. Princeton University, Clipart.com, Farlex Inc. 6 Dec. 2013 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/social+system A. ocellaris form specific social hierarchies within their societies. These social hierarchies result in competition to travel between the different levels of society, which is seen between various ages as well. Queue selection Queues is the term for social groups of A. ocellaris. This is because these fish form social hierarchies, or social rank, by “outliving” the more dominant members of the group. The dominant pair of each queue reproduces more compared to the subordinate fishes. This is the reason for why these individuals should adopt various tactics in which they increase their probability of attaining social dominance. There are two types of A. ocellaris, settlers and switchers. Settlers prefer shorter queues, while switchers will usually move after settlement. However, studies show that there is no difference in the characteristics between switchers and non-switchers, and there is no data demonstrating that A. ocellaris utilize the switching tactic for dominance. Although settlement preferences increase the likelihood of gaining social dominance, switching could have the function of increasing social dominance benefits after social dominance has been acquired.Mitchell, Jeremy. "Queue Selection and Switching by False Clown Anemonefish, Amphiprion Ocellaris." Animal Behavior 69 (2005): 643-52. Science Direct. Web. Juvenile Amphiprion ocellaris Juvenile A. ocellaris have difficulty finding a sea anemone to live in (since they need anemone for survival and shelter). The difficulty also arises in the fact that there exists a hierarchy in each anemone. Thus, when a new juvenile enters an anemone, it begins at the bottom of the social ladder where it is often the victim of aggression by other clownfish. This aggression from other A. ocellaris in the anemone can cause the juvenile to be chased out of the anemone, and left to search for another anemoneArvedlund, M., L. Nielsen. 1996. Do the anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris (Pisces: Pomacentridae) imprint themselves to their host sea anemone Heteractis magnifica (Athozoa: Actinidae)?. Ethology, 102: 197-211.Thresher, R. 1984. Reproduction in Reef Fishes. New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications, Inc.. Group size and patch size Studies have shown that there is a correlation between the size of the group and the size of the patch; however this correlation provides no implication that subordinate group members have less resources. More likely, it is the effects of the patch size on the group member that dominates interactions. An experiment was performed to study the mechanism responsible for the positive correlation between the group size and patch size. The scientists argued that the correlation between the group size and patch size is because of the indirect consequence of the positive relationship between the dominant group member's length and the anemone size. The length of the dominant group member limits the group size because the length of the dominant group member prevents the group of the subordinate group members. This data shows that the patch size and group size correlation does not necessarily imply the decrease in resources of group members subordinate to the dominant group member.J.S. Mitchell1,2 and L.M. Dill. Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada. =Food habits= A. ocellaris feed on plankton and algae, thus they are considered omnivores. Feeding is also affected by the hierarchy in A. ocellaris groups. Since the smaller, less dominant fish face aggression from the more aggressive fish, they have less energy to forage for food. Thus, they usually do not eat as much as the dominant fish do, because of reduced energy, but also because of the increased danger they face when they leave their anemone since they are smaller. In other words, the larger fish will usually travel farther than the smaller fish. Generally, the A. ocellaris feed on algae, copepods, and zooplankton.Sano, M., M. Shimizu, Y. Nose. 1984. Food habits of teleostean reef fishes in Okinawa Island, Southern Japan. Japan: University of Tokyo Press. =Reproduction and life history= A. ocellaris have reproductive behaviors very similar to that of all anemonefish. They have monogamous mating systems, and in their spawning processes, they also have different levels of aggressiveness between males and females. In addition, there is a reproductive hierarchy that exists between age and sex. Clownfish are initially male; the largest fish in a group becomes female. Spawning There is not much data on the reproduction of A. ocellaris. However, similar behaviors throughout all anemone fishes have been recorded. These fish have monogamous mating systems, and are territorial of their anemone. Males become more aggressive during spawning. Male behavior also changes to attract females: biting, chasing, fin extension. Before spawning, the male prepares the nest near the anemone (so that the tentacles of the anemone can protect the nest). After the male chases the female to the nest, the female begins the spawning process. She lays eggs for about one to two hours, and then leave the nest for the male to fertilize the eggs. The eggs take approximately six to eight days to hatch (this time period can be affected by the temperature of water). Because of the external fertilization, males usually care for the eggs. They also have responsibilities for eating fungi-infected or infertile eggs, and fanning the eggs. Reproductive hierarchy The males can change sex to female during their lives, and live in a harem in which an established dominance hierarchy manages the group and keeps individuals at a specific social rank. All anemonefish are protandrous hermaphrodites, meaning they first develop into males and may become females later in life. Anemonefish exhibit phenotypic plasticity when males, females, and juveniles inhabit the same anemone. In an anemonefish social group, the female is the dominant and largest member, followed by the dominant male, while other anemonefish remain non-reproductive.Fricke, H., S. Fricke. 1977. Monogamy and sex change by aggressive dominance in coral reef fish. Nature, 266: 830-832. One experiment placed three juvenile anemonefish in a tank and observed their behaviors over the course of a month. The researchers drew conclusions about the fish's social hierarchy based on signs of dominance such as aggressive or appeasing behaviors, occupation of territory in the tank, and body mass increase. The dominant fish grew larger compared to lower-ranked fish, suggesting the lower- ranked fish experienced growth suppression. In addition, a difference in the fish's levels of certain steroids suggested that lower-ranked individuals also experienced reproductive suppression.Iwata, Eri, Yukiko Nagai, Mai Hyoudou, and Hideaki Sasaki. "Social Environment and Sex Differentiation in the False Clown Anemonefish, Amphiprion ocellaris." Zoological Science 25.2 (2008): 123-28. Print. Another experiment demonstrated that when a female anemonefish is removed from the anemone, then the dominant male becomes the female and the next-highest-ranked male moves up the dominance hierarchy to become the dominant male. Females use aggressive dominance behavior to control the males, preventing the formation of other females, and dominant males prevent juvenile males from mating. In aquaria In nature, the false percula clownfish is hosted by Heteractis magnifica and Stichodactyla gigantea. However, in captivity in a reef aquarium, the false percula is hosted by other species of anemone, including Entacmaea quadricolor. In addition, clownfish may adopt a surrogate host as opposed to an anemone, such as Euphyllia divisa, xenia coral, etc. Human interaction A. ocellaris are utilized as part of the tropical fish aquarium trade. However, only certain colors are in demand. In addition, A. ocellaris are used in research since they can be bred easily.Sadovy, Y., A. Vincent (2002). "Ecological Issue and the Trade in Live Reef Fishes". pp. 395 in P Sale, ed. Coral Reef Fishes. San Diego, California: Academic Press. This high demand in trade has been dangerous for A. ocellaris population due to overexploitation. In popular culture The protagonists Marlin and his son Nemo from the animated film Finding Nemo, and its sequel Finding Dory, are Ocellaris clownfish. See also * References External links Aquaticdatabase entry for Amphiprion ocellaris (Ocellaris Clownfish). * Photo Gallery of Amphiprion ocellaris and their eggs (ger.) * Aquarium Wiki care information on Amphiprion ocellaris * * Category:Amphiprion Category:Fish described in 1802 Category:Articles containing video clips "