The diet of the common clownfish is largely made up of algae and small invertebrates such as zooplankton and marine isopods. However, parts of organisms killed by the host anemone are also consumed. Clownfish breeding takes place throughout the year. It begins when a female lays between 100 and 1,000 eggs. To deposit the eggs, the female drags her ovipositor over the substrate of a nest made clean earlier by the breeding male. The nest may occur within a sea anemone or on a nearby rock protected by a sea anemone’s overhanging tentacles. After the breeding male fertilizes the eggs, both parents guard them until they hatch some 8–12 days later. Parental care ceases at this time, and the young float away on ocean currents. At sea, many of the young are eaten by various predators. However, after approximately two weeks, surviving young begin to explore nearby coral reefs for an appropriate sea anemone host. Survival of the common clown fish depends on mutualism with sea anemones. The anemone’s tentacles, which contain numerous stinging cells that are used to immobilize the anemone’s prey, protect the common clownfish from its predators. In return, the fish cleans parasites from the anemone’s body and prevents butterfly fishes from consuming the anemone’s tentacles. (Adapted from: www.britannica.com. Accessed on February 18, 2020) “Parental care ceases at this time….(paragraph 4)” The underlined word is closest in meaning to…

Question

The diet of the common clownfish is largely made up of algae and small invertebrates such as zooplankton and marine isopods. However, parts of organisms killed by the host anemone are also consumed.

Clownfish breeding takes place throughout the year. It begins when a female lays between 100 and 1,000 eggs. To deposit the eggs, the female drags her ovipositor over the substrate of a nest made clean earlier by the breeding male. The nest may occur within a sea anemone or on a nearby rock protected by a sea anemone’s overhanging tentacles. After the breeding male fertilizes the eggs, both parents guard them until they hatch some 8–12 days later. Parental care ceases at this time, and the young float away on ocean currents. At sea, many of the young are eaten by various predators. However, after approximately two weeks, surviving young begin to explore nearby coral reefs for an appropriate sea anemone host.

Survival of the common clown fish depends on mutualism with sea anemones. The anemone’s tentacles, which contain numerous stinging cells that are used to immobilize the anemone’s prey, protect the common clownfish from its predators. In return, the fish cleans parasites from the anemone’s body and prevents butterfly fishes from consuming the anemone’s tentacles.

(Adapted from: www.britannica.com. Accessed on February 18, 2020)

“Parental care ceases at this time….(paragraph 4)”

The underlined word is closest in meaning to…