Fig. 1

Life cycle of anemonefish. Anemonefish lay their eggs close to their sea anemone, where they will develop for six to ten days, depending on temperature and species. After hatching, larvae are directly dispersed into the open ocean, where they will grow for 10 to 15 days before returning to the reef. Larval development is characterized by seven distinct stages [75]. The transition between the ocean and the reef is associated with the metamorphosis of larvae into juveniles. Juveniles will then settle in a sea anemone. Picture credits: Embryos: Shu-Hua Lee; Larvae: Natacha Roux and Pauline Salis