New Species

Cirrhilabrus rubeus & C. africanus Are The Two Newest Species of Fairy Wrasse

Cirrhilabrus africanus and C. rubeus are the two newest species of fairy wrasses that have been added to this quickly growing genus of reef fish. Descriptions of fairy wrasse species have been fairly frequent the last couple years, but today…

Bodianus bennetti is the newest species of hogfish from the South Pacific

Bodianus bennetti is a new species of colorful hogfish which the aquarium hobby is fully responsible for bringing to the light of day. Bodianus bennetti is closely related to several species in the Trochocopus subgenus of hogfish that are typified by having a…

Synchiropus sycorax Is The New Official Name of the Ruby Red Dragonet

Synchiropus sycorax is the newest species of dragonet to get an official name, brought to you by Yi-Kai Tea, better known as Lemon in the Reef World, and his advisor Dr. Anthony Gill. The Ruby Red Dragonet, which the aquarium…

Echinophyllia bulbosa & E. gallii, Two New Species of Chalice Corals from the Indian Ocean

The diversity of chalice corals in the aquarium hobby is already very high but now we’ve got two new species to add to that lineup. Echninophyllia gallii and E. bulbosa are two new recently described species of chalice corals from the Indian Ocean, the…

Newly Discovered Tosanoides Anthias to be Named in Honor of President Obama

A deep water anthias, to be honorably named after the president, was recently discovered by Richard Pyle and Brian Greene on June 5, 2016. Richard Pyle recognized an unfamiliar school of fish in the newly expanded Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Pyle…

Cherry Fairy Wrasse is an Exciting New Cirrhilabrus from the Philippines

The Cherry Fairy Wrasse is a new species of Cirrhilabrus which has just been discovered in the Philippines. The new fairy wrasse is wildly distinct from any known species of Cirrhilabrus, but shares a few similarities with some common, popular marine aquarium…

Cirrhilabrus hygroxerus, the Monsoon Fairy Wrasse Officially Described

Cirrhilabrus hygroxerus is the latin name of the newest species of fairy wrasse on the block, and it’s got a cool common name too. The monsoon fairy wrasse hails from the Timor Sea in Northwest Australia. The newly described Cirrhilabrus hydroxerus…

Sphenopus exilis is a New Species of Zoanthid Unlike Any Other

Sphenopus exilis is a new species of zoanthids that goes against almost everything we thought we knew about this group of reef animals. Not only is Sphenopus solitary, but it is also a free living zoanthid which builds itself up with…

New Wrasse and Anthias Collected in Papahanaumokuakea, Hawaii

We already know that there’s loads of new fish in the mesophotic zone of the ocean so it’s always exciting when new fish are discovered down there. It’s especially tantalizing when new fish are discovered in a national marine park,…

Cirrhilabrus isosceles finally gives the pintail fairy wrasse a name

Cirrhilabrus isosceles is the 51st member of the fairy wrasse genus, and one whose time to receive official scientific description has been long overdue. Long referred to as C. cf lanceolatus or the Pintail Fairy Wrasse, this is a fish that packs…