Pseudanthias bimarginatus from the Maldives. Photo: John Randall

Pseudanthias bimarginatus and P. unimarginatus are two new species of Anthias from the Western Indian Ocean. Pseudanthias bimarginatus was described from specimens collected at 48m (~150ft) in the Maldives and it looks like a parvirostris anthias with a purple body and a broad lavender-blue upper and lower tail margin. Pseudanthias unimarginatus was described from a single male specimen collected from a similar depth in Mauritius.  P. unimarginatus is also closely related to Pseudanthias parvirostris but is distinguished from that species by having a different caudal fin coloration which is red with only the upper margin being edged in lavender-blue.  Both of the new anthias species are described in volume 13 of the Smithiana Bulletin.

Pseudanthias unimarginatus from Mauritius. Photo: John Randall