Xanthichthys greenei is now the official name given to the popular ‘Kiri’ triggerfish that has been an infrequent collection for aquariums. Over the past four years or so the Christmas Island triggerfish has gone by the provisional Xanthichthys ‘dorsopunctatus’ and X. kiritimati but…
Four new Gobiodon species from the Red Sea
A handful of new species of Gobiodon coral gobies have just been described from the Red Sea. The new Gobiodon species were teased out of coral gobies from the marisrubri although several of the species are also known to occur in the Indian…
Hemiscyllium halmahera, a new species of epaulette shark described from Indonesia
As far as sharks go, the ground-crawling epaulette sharks are some of the prettiest, most aquarium suitable, and now we have one more species to add to the mix. Discovered in Halmahera in north eastern Indonesia, Hemiscyllium halmahera is the newest…
Two new coral species found off West Coast of North America
Two new species of octocoral have been discovered off the Pacific Coast of the United States and Canada. The new corals were discovered in a tide pool in San Diego and the other off the coast of British Columbia. Octocorals are…
Pseudanthias oumati, another new Anthias from the Marquesas Islands
Pseudanthias oumati is a new species of Anthias which like yesterday’s Plectranthias flammeus was described in the same paper. The single female specimen of Pseudanthias oumati doesn’t divulge much about what makes it a distinct new species as we can…
Plectranthias flammeus is a new species from the South Pacific, French Polynesia
The South Pacific Ocean is a hotbed of new species right now with Plectranthias flammeus just the latest visually striking reef fish to be thoroughly described. Discovered living in the waters of the Marquesas Islands around French Polynesia, unlike many other…
Coralline Clam: New cryptic giant clam species is a perfect coralline algae mimic
The Coralline Clam is a new species of Tridacna giant clam has been found living in plain sight on the shallow reefs of the Solomon Islands. The very unusual clam species was discovered by Julian Sprung on some recent shallow…
Lutjanus indicus and L. papuensis, two new snapper species that are actually attractive
Snappers aren’t very high on the aquarists’ list of must-have fish although many of them are truly attractive, including the two newly described species from the Indian Ocean. Lutjanus indicus and Lutjanus papuensis are two new species of snappers described by…
Indian Ocean Chromis fieldi separated from Red Sea C. dimidiata
Chromis fieldi is a newly described species of damselfish from the Indian Ocean which was recently identified and described as a separate species from Chromis dimidiata. The new description published in Aqua now recognizes Chromis dimidiata as a Red Sea…
Leptoseris kalayaanensis grows into a plate of spines and spikes
It wouldn’t be a proper week of reef aquarium blogging here on Reef Builders if we didn’t bring your attention to a new exotic species of Leptoseris, L. kalayaanensis. Described in 2009 from the Philippines and subsequently also observed growing in…
