[1] There are significant color-pattern differences, with A. melanopus having a dark brown or blackish body, compared to the red orange of A. barberi.

[1] A. barberi is reliably only known in the Western Pacific in Fiji, Tonga, and the Samoan Islands, a regional hotspot of endemism.

Like corals, anemone's contain intracellular endosymbionts, zooxanthellae, and can suffer from bleaching due to triggers such as increased water temperature or acidification.

[6][7] While A. barberi has a small geographic range, it is said to be common in Fiji and frequently encountered in Samoa [1] and its ability to use two different anemone hosts may reduce the risk of extinction associated with extreme specialisation.

The specific name honours Paul Barber of Boston University in recognition of his contributions to the study of genetic relationships of the organisms of Indo-Pacific coral reefs.