Pictichromis dinar is a new species of Pseudochromis discovered in the Western Gulf of Tomini, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Although we’ve seen Pictichromis dinar in person on a couple occasions over the last 18 months, the species was only recently described by John Randall and Karen Schultz in the October 2009 Journal of Ichthyology. Pictichromis dinar closely resembles the bicolor dottyback, Pictichromis paccagnellae, and although it was distinguished primarily based on molecular techniques, it does sport some morphological (visible) differences; P. dinar differs by having a more purple than pink anterior body coloration, a more angular demarcation between the yellow and purple coloration and the specimens we’ve seen appeared to also have a very thin “overlapping color” of pink between the front and back half. Big thanks to Jim Walters of Old Town Aquarium for pointing out their specimen on a recent visit which is the subject of these exclusive images. For more about what makes this species unique, be sure to visit Scott Michael’s blog entry on the closely related Pictichromis species and follow the break for some different angles of what makes Pictichromis dinar the newest Pseudochromid species. So, is anyone willing to pay $50 for the Sulawesi bicolor dottyback?
This specimen on the LiveAquaria Diver’s Den is the newly described Pictichromis dinar, only $50. This specimen more clearly shows the Lyretail and blueish eye that is typical of this species.
