Halichoeres sanchezi is a New Species of wrasse from the tropical eastern Pacific 

A new species of wrasse has been described from the Revillagigedo Archipelago of Mexico, in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. Named the Tailspot wrasse, Halichoeres sanchezi belongs to the Halichoeres melanotis species complex that is found throughout the region, and…

Phestilla arnoldi is a New Species of Acropora Eating Nudibranch

Researchers surveying a coral reef in the Gulf of Thailand have found 13 species of coral-eating nudibranch, including one that’s totally new to science. The nudibranchs belong to the genus Phestilla – small, frilly, parasitic/predatory sea slugs which mimic the…

Trimma nubarum is a New Species of Pygmygoby from the Red Sea

A new species of Trimma goby has been described from the Saudi Arabian coast of the Red Sea. Named the Rift Pygmygoby, Trimma nubarum was formerly identified as Trimma taylori, only closer inspection by Winterbottom, Bogorodsky, and Alpermann revealed that…

Tomiyamichthys elliotensis is a new species of shrimpgoby from the Great Barrier Reef

A new species of symbiotic shrimpgoby has been described from one of the southernmost reefs of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Named the Lady Elliot Shrimp Goby, Tomiyamichthys elliotensis is the nineteenth species of Tomiyamichthys and it was found in a…

Eviota atauroensis is a New Species of Dwarfgoby from Timor-Leste

A tiny new species of dwarfgoby has been described from Berau Bay, Atauro Island, Timor Leste. Named the Atauro Dwarfgoby, Eviota atauroensis is just half an inch long and was collected from the upper surfaces of Porites coral bommies situated…

Two New Species of Gobies Described from the Deep Reefs of the Caribbean

Two new species of cryptobenthic gobies have been described following their collection in Roatan, Honduras in 2018. Named Varicus prometheus and Varicus roatensis, the two new species were collected using a submersible, and make up the 11th and 12th species…

Flashers from down under! Australia’s Flasher Wrasses and the newest species from the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea 

The eponymous flasher wrasses are so named for their dazzling courtship displays, in which males flash iridescent neon colours to attract females and to ward off rival males. This behaviour is best appreciated about an hour before sunset, or as…

Meet Iniistius bakunawa, the wrasse that devoured the Moon

New species can be discovered through a multitude of avenues, from thrilling expeditions in faraway places to the loud hustle and bustle of wet markets, or even the quiet halls of museum collections. More often than not, careful examination of…

Indonesian Acropora tenuis has been renamed Acropora bifaria

A team of 11 coral researchers has used phylogenomic techniques to resolve the taxonomy of the genus Acropora. Historically, coral taxonomy was based almost exclusively on skeletal morphology, resulting in the description of some 400 species of Acropora, with two-thirds…

Heterodontus marshallae is a New Species of Hornshark from Northern Australia

A new species of Hornshark has been hiding in plain sight off the coast of northwestern Australia. Named the Painted hornshark, Heterodontus marshallae, was previously considered to be an Australian population of the Zebra bullhead shark, Heterodontus zebra, but it…