Deep Sea Biodiversity of Ningaloo Canyons Western Australia

Deep Sea Biodiversity Ningaloo Canyons Little is known about deep sea biodiversity, and very few deep sea areas both in and outside of Australia have been well-sampled. A large number of species still remain undiscovered and unnamed, and a recent…

Leptastrea gibbosa & L. magaloni, Two New Species of Stony Corals

Leptastrea gibbosa and L. magaloni are two new species of stony corals that were recently described from this widespread group. We’ll be the first to admit, that despite having ‘an eye for coral’ identification, the Leptastrea are a very challenging group,…

Atlantia, a New Genus of NPS Coral from the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantia is a new genus of non photosynthetic stony coral (NPS) that was just recognized as being unique and as the name implies, from the Atlantic Ocean. Previously Atlantia caboverdiana was first classified as Enallopsammia and then reclassified as a species…

Plectranthias cruentus, a New Perchlet Species from Lord Howe Island

Plectranthias cruentus is a very unexpected new species of perchlet discovered in the remote waters of Australia’s Lord Howe Island region. The sole photo of a freshly preserved specimen collected off Ball’s Pyramid shows a fish that looks quite a…

Novaculops compressus, a New Species from Japan Joins the Razor Wrasses

Novaculops compressus is a new species of the small group of razor wrasses that are fun and different from the usual aquarium labrids. Unlike the usual fairies and flasher wrasses, the razor wrasses are uniquely adapted to take shelter in…

Tomiyamichthys eyreae, a Color coordinated New Species of Shrimp Goby

Tomiyamichthys eyreae is a brand new species of shrimp-goby again from the hot bed of biodiversity that is the Bird’s Head Peninsula of West Papua, Indonesia. This slender, ground dwelling gobiid is related to the recently described Tomiyamichthys emilyae which…

Heteroconger guttatus, a New Garden Eel Species from the Bird’s Head Peninsula

Heteroconger guttatus is a new species of garden eel just described from the Bird’s Head Peninsula region of West Papua. There are 35 species of garden eels belonging to two different genera, Heteroconger and Gorgasia with most occurring in the…

Roa haraguchiae, an Exciting New Species of Butterflyfish

Roa haraguchiae is the newest species of Chaetodontidae and adds a sixth member to the deepwater Roa genus of butterflyfish. The description of an official new species is usually very exciting but it’s an even more special occasion when it’s a butterflyfish. …

Montipora Eating Nudibranch Finally Have a Name: Phestilla subodiosus

Of all the corals pests that reef aquarists have to deal with, prevent, and remove, Montipora eating nudibranch is one of the most egregious and damaging. The reefing community has been trying to find a ‘final solution’ to eradicate these…

Tridacna elongatissima ‘Resurrected’ in the Western Indian Ocean

Tridacna elongatissima is a species of giant clam that was first described from the Western Indian Ocean all the way back in 1856. Somewhere along the way the characteristics of this species were thought to be synonymous with Tridacna maxima…