Here are five seconds of designer clownfish heaven, showing what is undeniably the first “Picasso-type” stripe variation in the True Sebae Clownfish, Amphiprion sebae. We’ve seen images of “Platinum” Saddleback Clownfish (A. polymnus), and we’ve seen the hybrid of A. sebae and A. polymnus created and called the “White Tip” Clownfish (which has also proven fertile, with Joe Lichtenbert producing F2 offspring from “White Tip” parentage). But we have never seen a captive-born variant of A. sebae until now. This from the people who brought us captive-bred Pinnatus Batfish and Picasso-type “Galaxy” Clarkii clownfish. What’s next from Bali Aquarich?
With Picasso-type overbarring mutations showing up in more and more species of clownfish (including Bincinctus, Clarkii, Maroons, Percula, Ocellaris) it begs asking whether there is a common genetic mutation at play in the base genetic code that drives stripe formation in clownfish. And how interesting is it that we’ve yet to see this type of mutation in the Tomator or Skunk complexes? If only there were an intrepid genetic researcher who felt like obtaining samples from all these variations and telling us what they found.
– Update – Wen-Peng Su of Bali AquaRich sent us a couple more photos to share with you all:
