Avatar
KaiTheFishGuy
457 Articles0 Comments

Kai is a systematic ichthyologist at The Australian Museum, Sydney. His research interests combine the use of cutting-edge next generation sequencing techniques with traditional methods of morphology to better understand the evolutionary history of coral reef fishes. He is a legacy ReefBuilders contributor, having previously written close to give hundred articles under his pseudonym LemonTYK.

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…

Meet Nemateleotris lavandula, the Lavender-blushed Dartfish

The 19th century was a golden age for ichthyological exploration. It signified an era of what seemed like an endless slew of new discoveries, where even the most iconic and noble of species we know today were without names. Taxonomists…

3.4 Fairy Wrasses: The filamentosus group

The filamentosus group presents the reader with a collection of familiar, aquarium-friendly species, many of which are exuberantly colored and morphologically quirky. Despite some superficial differences in colors and fin shapes, the overall morphology strongly implies that this is the…

3.3 Fairy Wrasses: The rubriventralis group

The rubriventralis group features some of the most beloved and charming species of fairy wrasses, ornately adorned with painterly brilliance and morphological exuberance. Unlike some of the characteristically larger members of Cirrhilabrus, the rubriventralis group members remain small, rarely exceeding…

3.2 Fairy Wrasses: The temminckii group

The temminckii group plays host to some of the genus’ larger and more unappealing species. Burley, pugnacious and often glazed in matte grey, these un-fairy looking fairy wrasses are more often than not associated with the ugly duckling sobriquet. Despite…

Destination Tokyo, the final frontier

In all the years as a fish writer, nothing has been more rewarding to me than travelling the world and seeing new things. The relationships that i’ve forged with people throughout my time is something that can never be taken away, and…

Top 5 reasons why we love MACNA

The Marine Aquarium Conference of North America is a yearly event buzzing with a cornucopia of reef related awesomeness. For some, it’s an annual tradition, for others, a pilgrimage. Regardless, MACNA presents its attendees with an exuberant atmosphere of fun and…

Okayama’s “Liopropoma boss” shows us how he got that name

We’re at the penultimate last leg of our recent Japanese tour recount, and if you’re just following, be sure to check out the previous parts here, here, here, here and here. We’ve toured Osaka and the surrounding Kansai region extensively…

A visit to the okayama University of Science

In light of MACNA and the hectic schedule of traveling, we haven’t been able to finish up recounting our visit to Japan. Now that the dust has settled, we’re obligated to tie up the loose ends and finish up this short series.…