Two new gobies have been collected and described from deep waters in the Caribbean Sea. New species Robinsichthys nigrimarginatus becomes only the second member of the genus Robinsichthys, while Birdsongichthys rectus is given both new genus and new species status. …
30 New Deep-Sea Species Discovered Near The Galapagos
A team of scientists have announced the discovery of 30 new invertebrate species collected on deep water expedition around the Galapagos National Park. The team discovered new corals and sponges, including ten bamboo corals, four octocorals, one brittle star, and…
Surprising Growth Rates Found In Deep Water Leptoseris Coral
New research published in the journal Coral Reefs revealed unexpectedly high growth rates for deep water photosynthetic coral. The study measured growth rates of deep water Leptoseris corals in Hawaii and found growth rates between 1in – 0.3in or (25mm – 7.5mm)…
Acropora tenella Ties World Record for Deepest Staghorn Coral
Acropora tenella is one of the lesser known ‘deep water’ or ‘naked’ style Acros, and it can be quite beautiful and colorful too. However a recent observation of this species in the coral obliterates the maximum known depth for this…
New Decodon hogfish collected in Dominica
The Curasub responsible for so many new discoveries and new species in Curacao is on the move. As part of the Smithsonian Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP), a team of researchers and the Curasub are currently in Dominica, to do…
CAS finding success with hyperbaric chamber to decompress fish
The California Academy of Sciences is finding success in decompressing reef fish from depths around 300 ft. thanks to a unique hyperbaric decompression chamber that provides a safer alternative to piercing the swim bladder. The CAS’s Matt Wandell used a…
The new Grammatonotus from Philippines has a stunningly unique tail
The recent expedition to the Philippines have yielded many bonuses for the California Academy of Sciences. A few days ago we saw the collection of Sacura speciosa, and just when we thought nothing could top that, boom. A new Grammatonotus…
The Blunt-nosed Basslet is a perfect Caribbean curiosity for your deepwater tank
Bullisicthys caribbaeus is a remarkably cute fish from the deep waters of the Caribbean that is worth taking a second look. Not often is the word cute used to describe a fish, but the blunt-nosed or pug-nosed basslet is certainly cute,…
The mind-blowing Odontanthias elizabethae has left us speechless
There are some fish that are just so rare they’re almost mythical, and to see one would probably require divine intervention on some cosmic celestial level. We’re so fascinated with Odontanthias, and over the years few representatives from this genus…
Chromis brevirostris is a gorgeous species which is barely documented
Here at Reef Builders we are a fan of all things Chromis, and are especially fond of the deep water species such as the world famous Chromis abyssus. C. abyssus was described in 2008 together with four other species –…
