A new species of marine goby has been described from Bali, Indonesia. Named the Sponge Frillgoby, the newly discovered species grows to just 36mm in length and has a commensal association with the large barrel sponge (Xestospongia testudinaria). The other…
Unusual Gold Parrotfish arrives from Indonesia
A xanthic Scarus psittacus has arrived in the UK, which its importers say is the first of its kind they’ve seen. The 5” fish was caught at Serangan Island just off Bali in the Indian Ocean, in 2-3 meters of…
United States and Indonesia sign $35m Debt For Nature Swap to Protect Coral Reefs
The United States and Indonesia have signed a debt-for-nature swap that will see the US redirecting $35 million of Indonesia’s debt into an investment in coral reef conservation. The fourth agreement under the Tropical Forest and Coral Reef Conservation Act…
Indonesian Acropora tenuis has been renamed Acropora bifaria
A team of 11 coral researchers has used phylogenomic techniques to resolve the taxonomy of the genus Acropora. Historically, coral taxonomy was based almost exclusively on skeletal morphology, resulting in the description of some 400 species of Acropora, with two-thirds…
Watermelon Chalice is a stunning coral
While diving in North Sulawesi, we came across a fantastic small colony of Oxypora lacera, the Watermelon Chalice. While this color morph is quite common in Australia, it’s quite rare in Indonesia. The perfect red colony color, with a green…
Are Goni gardens the next big thing from Indonesia?
When you see three coral suppliers all showing off the same thing in the same week it’s safe to say they are about to trend in the hobby. That has been the case this week for Goniopora gardens from Indonesia,…
Millies and Spaths found hand in hand in Indonesia!
These two iconic Acropora are so closely related that for many years A. spathulata were thought to be thick versions of Acropora millepora on the top and exposed reef. Acropora spathulata was even called A. millepora by the most eminent…
Grafted Pikachu Acropora anthocercis is a rare sight
It’s the spawning season, and like every year, we spend many nights for months, doing night dives, and observing different spawning species. With coral spawning, there are many missed nights, where nothing is happening. Going from coral to coral, checking…
Acropora awi is another deepwater beauty!
Acropora awi is a deep water Acropora that has been grown in Indonesian mariculture farms for quite a while. Nevertheless, it has never had the credit it deserves, probably due to misidentification, and its dull natural coloration. But after cooking…
The Mimic Anemone strikes again, this time pretending to be algae!
It’s not the first time we’ve written about the insane anemone, Phyllodiscus semoni, and its crazy ability to disguise itself in its environment, mimicking different species of corals such as Acropora, Porites, Tubipora, Sinularia, Algae, and even other anemones. And…
