The pink anemonefish was first described by Bleeker (1855) as Amphiprion perideraion. The genus name Amphiprion is derived from the the Greek word "amphi" which means on both sides, around and the Greek word "prion" which means saw. In 1855 Bleeker used Prochilus perideraion to name the anemonefish in scientific literature. Other synonyms that have been used include Prochilus rosenbergi Bleeker 1859, Amphiprion rosenbergi Bleeker 1859, Amphiprion perideraeus Günther 1881, and Amphiprion amamiensis Mori 1966.
Their common name comes from the coloration of the species and where it makes its home. They have a pinkish orange coloration and live within different anemone species: Heteractis magnifica, Heteractis crispa, Mactodactyls doreenis, and Stichodactyla gigantea. Other common names that are used to identify the species include false skunk striped clown, false skunkstriped anemonefish, pink anemonefish, pink skunk clown, salmon clownfish, whitebanded anemonefish (English); halsbånd-klovnfisk (Danish); iga ni gavoro (Gela); hanabira-kumanomi (Japanese); bombin, geger putih, gombing, inggu (Malay); amfiprion zloty (Polish); and vitpannad clownfisk (Swedish).
The pink anemonefish is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They occur around Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean near the Philippines. Their range also includes the Philippine Islands, north to Japan, and throughout Micronesia south to Australia and east to the Samoan Islands. The pink anemonefish lives in tropical environments. They inhabit brackish and marine water areas associated with algal reefs as well as in lagoons. The pink anemonefish is a non-migratory fish, residing in the area where it is born. They primarily inhabit the magnificent sea anemone, Heteractis magniica, in reef systems for protection. The pink anemonefish is either innately protected or must go through a behavioral process called acclimation in order to live in with the anemone. Acclimation is where a species has to adjust to a new environment. Pink anemeonefish have to adjust to the stinging of anemones tentacles in order to live in the anemone.
