The Maya hamlet and Tan Hamlet, Hypoplectrus maya and H. randallorum are two new species of serranids recently described from the Caribbean. As if hamlets needed any more species differentiated based just on coloration, along comes Phillip Lobel describing a new species of blue hamlet and a new species of brown hamlet. We’ve already got the blue and indigo hamlets but the Maya hamlet is distinguished by having no black markings whatsoever and it only occurs in one restricted locality in Belize.
The tan hamlet Hypoplectrus randallorum occurs more widely in the Western Caribbean and as its name implies, it is a light brown coloration with some black markings on the face, base of the pectoral fin and sometimes on the caudal peduncle. Blue and Indigo hamlets are widely available and cheap in the aquarium trade, so its a wonder why they are rarely ever sought after and seldom seen in shops or prominent fish display. The Maya hamlet looks really neat, seemingly has a high body and stronger face of an indigo hamlet but without the barring.
Both the Maya and Tan hamlets are described in the latest issue of Zootaxa – A review of the Caribbean hamlets (Serranidae, Hypoplectrus) with description of two new species.
