The family Acanthuridae boasts of charismatic, charming and iconic reef fishes that are immediately recognizable both in the field and in the trade. All eighty or so species spanning the six various genera have a single unifying trait, and that is…
0.0 Fairy Wrasses: A review of the genus Cirrhilabrus
Fairy wrasses are some of the most ubiquitous fishes in the marine aquarium trade, which is why it may come as a surprise to learn that the group has never received a serious taxonomic review. The scientific literature is filled…
Speciation and hybridisation of the Acanthurus nigricans complex
The family Acanthuridae with its six charismatic genera are some of the most beloved and recognisable fish both in the field and in the trade, serving as iconic reef denizens which play important roles in herbivory. The six genera holds…
Diversity and forms of the Pseudanthias ventralis species flock: How many are there?
In light of our recent trend in picking apart cryptic species within a given complex like we did for Pseudanthias pascalus and Nemateleotris helfrichi, we continue yet again with a rather massive undertaking. This time with Pseudanthias ventralis. This beautiful species is…
Geminate sisters and their path to speciation
Ever wondered why with an endless possibility of patterns and permutations, there is always somehow a few fish with consistently repeated pattern templates? A few species that share the same overall appearance but not quite the same. That confusing group of…
Chrysiptera starcki: A tail of two damselfish
Chrysiptera starcki is a well loved damsel that commonly graces the aquarium of most hobbyist. The bright blue and yellow coloration is a trademark branding for most Chrysiptera, but it looks spectacular on C. starcki. Although often imported from Australia,…
