COLOR FORMS OF NEMATELEOTRIS HELFRICHI – IS THERE MORE THAN ONE SPECIES HERE?

The best known color form of Nemateleotris helfrichi from Micronesia.

Micronesian color form of N. helfrichi. Compare with Cook Island color form below.

There are probably a lot of you out there that encountered their first Nemateleotris helfrichi within the pages of Helmut Debelius’ FISHES FOR THE INVERTEBRATE AQUARIUM? I received a copy of this book in the mid-1980’s and was blown away by Helfrich’s dart or firefish! While the fish was new to me, it certainly was not new to science, having been described by Dr. Jack Randall and Dr. Gerald Allen all the way back in 1973.

This lovely fish is known to occur around the Ryuku and Ogasawara Islands, in Micronesia and Polynesia (the type locality being Tahiti). This fish started making its way into aquarium stores (to the best of my recollection) in around 1991 or 1992. The first specimens I was able to buy were from Micronesia. They had the characteristic coloration of the fish pictured in Debelius’ book. This same color form appears in John Randall’s FISHES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC. He describes the coloration of the fish as follows:

“..lavender, gradually shading posteriorly nearly to white and anteriorly on head to bright yellow; top of head from interorbital to origin of first dorsal fin with a narrowing band of bright magenta, merging with violet on dorso-anterior quadrant of iris; elevated anterior part of first dorsal fin orange and back with a broad, pale blue leading edge; rays of second dorsal and anal fins tipped with yellow or orange caudal fin pale yellow.”

Cook Island color form of N. helfrichi - compare the head coloration with that of the two specimens from Micronesia above.

A head shot of the same specimen from the Cook Islands.

This certainly describes the populations of N. helfrichi from Micronesia and Japan "to a T." But it turns out that the population of N. helfrichi from Polynesia is quite different chromatically. I had seen photos of N. helfrichi from this region before and knew the color differed. But recently my good friend Kevin Kohen was able to acquire some live specimens from the Cook Islands. While very expensive, I wanted to see this “color form” of N. helfrichi first hand and take photos of it.

As you can see from the photos above, the Cook Island fish differs rather dramatically from its Japanese/Micronesian cousin. Note for example the differences in the color of the head, the metallic blue on the “face,” the black line over the upper jaw and the subtle differences in coloration of the anal fin.

The holotype for the species N. helfrichi is a specimen from Tahiti (Randall and Allen 1973). Not surprisingly, the holotype is the same color as the Cook Island fish. That would suggest that the Polynesian fish are actually N. helfrichi, while the Micronesian/Japanese populations MAY represent an undescribed species. DNA analysis will be needed to emphatically answer this question. More to come on this one in the future.

© Scott W. Michael

WHAT IS THE MYSTERY FROGFISH?

Here it is - the frogfish that took the breath away from every antennariidophile on the planet! WHAT A FISH! But what is it? Is it a new species? A new genus? AAAAA! Photo by Marty Snyderman (www.starknakedfish.com).

“I can say that in my 40 or so years studying frogfishes and anglerfishes in general, I have never seen one like this. Very striking is the highly unusual, flat face that allows the eyes to be directed forward, perhaps providing for binocular vision. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins appear to be highly fleshy, covered by loose skin. Also, looking closely at the forehead, in the pictures sent earlier, I can’t see any trace of a luring apparatus. If I had to say what it’s closest living relative might be, I’d suggest the genus Histiophryne, but this taxon differs in a host of other ways. In summary, it’s quite unlike any antennarioid I’ve ever seen and most likely represents a genus new to science.”

The statement above was made by Dr. Theodore Pietsch, the frogfish guru and co-author of Frogfishes of the World. This quote appeared in a number of web articles that introduced this wonderful fish from the Island of Ambon, Indonesia to the world. Those articles appeared earlier in 2008, but what has transpired regarding the identity of this amazing Antennariid since its first appearance on the web?

The fish definitely appears to be a member of the genus Histiophryne (which currently contains two described species). Here is how the genus is described by Pietsch and Grobecker (1987) - the most distinguishing characteristic is that the second and third dorsal spines are firmly attached to the surface of the cranium by skin, which makes them very inconspicuous (all that is visible is a bump on the head and nape). They also have dorsal and anal fins that extend past the base of the caudal fin and are attached to this fin. (The frogfish from Ambon appears to share these characteristics with the two described species in the genus.) The Histiophryne have a relatively short rod (illicium) and a lure that can be oval or lanceolate (in some cases it has skin folds). The angling gear is laid on the head rest in a narrow channel and may be hidden in some species by a fold of skin. The two described species (Histiophyrne bougainvilli and H. cryptacanthus are distinguished by the length of the illicium [it is longer in H. bougainvilli] and the rod and lure of the former is hidden in a groove on the head by folds of tissue.)

A pair of Histiophryne cryptacanthus in my home aquarium. This species was available on rare occasions, but because of their lack of color the market dried up fairly quickly!

One of the most unique things about the Histiophryne is their reproductive mode. These fish lay a relatively small number of large eggs, which remain in a cluster. The male wraps his body around, creating a pocket, which the eggs are hidden in.

A spotted color form of H. cryptacanthus from South Australia perched near a large tunicate.

As frogfish go, these Histiophryne are really quite homely! Their heads and bodies are often devoid of scabs, bumps, tassels or other adornment, the features that make many of the frogfishes more interesting (Histiophryne cryptacanthus sometimes has patches of scab like growths). They often appear smooth skinned. While the base color of these frogfishes is usually not that striking (for example, they are not cherry red, bubble-gum pink, screaming yellow or bright orange like some other froggies), some do sport interesting color patterns. That is, of course, what makes the proposed new species from Ambon so gob-smacking! The intricate network of white lines all over the head and body are particularly striking. The cryptic frogfish (H. cryptacanthus) sometimes has reddish-brown spots, with white borders, all over the head and body. However, some specimens are light colored overall (tan or light gray) with patches of khaki green and white and brown scabby growths.

Roger Steene's mystery Histiophryne from the Raja Ampats, West Papua. Is it a color form of H. cryptacanthus or something completely different?

Roger Steene has also photographed an interesting member of the genus from the Raja Ampats that has an intricate maze of narrow white lines (narrower than those on the Ambon species) that he and Dr. Gerald Allen call H. cryptacanthus in their book Reef Fish Identification - Tropical Pacific. But I am not confident in that identification. While it can be difficult to separate frogfish species on the basis of photos, I would bet this is something else. (Then again, it could be an unusual color form of H. cryptacanthus? Who knows without specimens.)

Another color form of H. cryptacanthus (it looks like a moldy chicken McNugget) - not as attractive as his Ambon cousin. This individual was photographed a Edithburgh Pier, South Australia.

So what about that proposed new species – the mysterious Ambon frogfish. This fish, which no doubt occurs in other parts of Indonesia as well, is probably new, but it is very likely a member of the genus Histiophryne. We will wait for the description to come out and I will certainly let you know when that happens.

©2008 Scott W. Michael

NEW DOTTYBACK? THE VERDICT IS IN!

You may remember the post a couple months ago titled DOTTYBACK DILEMMA (click here to read) where we examined a Pictichromis paccagnellae-like fish from Central Sulawesi. The dilemma was, is it a new species or just a variant of its more common cousin? Well the verdict is in. I sent specimens to Dr. Jack Randall, as did the ichthyophile, Kenn Hyltoft, who originally noticed the differences in this fish and P. paccagnellae. After some molecular analysis, it has been determined IT IS A NEW SPECIES! I am waiting to hear more about possible morphological differences (more prognathus lower jaw? coloration?) that hobbyists can use to separate the two species. I will pass these on to you when I hear what they are.

THE ANYPERODON GROUPERS

An unusual color form of the whitelined grouper. It lacks white stripes and sports a series of orange spots. This individual may be an adolescent on the way from changing from a juvenile to an adult, however, it does not look like the transforming subadult below. Instead, it could be that this species exhibits a different coloration as a juvenile in the Indian Ocean because it is mimicking Halichoeres timorensis, which has orange spots rather than orange stripes! I photographed this fish in the Maldives.

The family Serranidae is one of the largest teleost families represented on coral reefs with around 450 species. Most groupers are easily identified, exhibiting somewhat of a stereotypical fish shape. Most are not brightly colored, sporting “reef tone” attire to help them blend in with their surroundings. (Many are ambush predators that rely on going unnoticed to catch their prey.) The only described grouper in the genus Anyperodon, the whitelined grouper (Anyperodon leucogrammicus), is somewhat atypical for a serranid. It is more elongate, with a sharper snout.

The juvenile whitelined grouper mimics certain initial phased Halichoeres wrasses, which aids them in capturing small fishes. The mimic even has the ocelli, characteristic of the model (see the model below). Photographed in West Papua.

The model - an initial phase Halichoeres melanurus. Photographed in West Papua.

As a juvenile, this grouper is an aggressive mimic, resembling the initial phase color form of a variety of Halichoeres wrasses (e.g., Halichoeres melanurus). (The resemblance is truly remarkable, as you can see from the accompanying photographs.) The young grouper has different diet than the wrasses it resembles - the former eats small fishes and crustaceans, while the labrids ingest small, benthic invertebrates. As a result, prey items that would not be concerned with the approach of the labrid may fall prey to the larger-mouthed “wolf in sheep’s clothing” (that is, the juvenile A. leucogrammicus)! The young whitelined grouper will actually associate with the model and has been observed to capture small damsels that ventured to close. As the whitelined grouper grows larger, the coloration undergoes a metamorphosis. The adult has white stripes that running along the body and orange spots all over the head and body.

A subadult whitelined grouper - it still has the orange stripes of the juvenile, but also has the white stripes of the adult. The ocelli have also disappeared. Photographed in Papua New Guinea.

The adult whitelined grouper - note the elongated body, sharp snout and characteristic coloration. Photographed in Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi.

A number of years ago, a friend of mine, Jim Walters (Old Town Aquarium), sent me an even more amazing fish. It was obviously an Anyperodon sp., but it was metallic blue! It also had black stripes, a white stripe and white blotches along the flanks. There were spots on the rear base of the dorsal fin and a black bar at the base of the caudal fin.

The amazing metallic blue grouper, a species only known from Saudi Arabia, still awaits formal description.

The fish, which I refer to as the metallic blue grouper, was collected in Saudi Arabia in deep water (I was told it was captured at a depth of around 60 m). I have not seen a specimen since Jim sent me that fish (this individual went into formalin and was shipped to the Bishop Museum), but recently I received a very interesting email from a fellow grouper fan, Ivan Alfonso. He was able to get a hold of three specimens and sent me photos. They looked similar to the individual pictured here, except the bar at the base of the caudal fin had broken up into three spots bordered in white in one fish. Ivan tells me that the species can get at least 24 cm in total length. It may be that the blue becomes less intense as the fish grows larger. I am hoping to get another specimen so DNA analysis can be conducted to compare it with A. leucogrammicus.

If you have a large enough tank, the Anyperodon groupers make wonderful aquarium pets. They are quite secretive when first added to the tank, so provide a nice cave or overhang as a shelter site. But as time goes on, and they begin to recognize you as a food source, they will become more tame. You may need to use gut-packed ghost/glass shrimp or mollies to initiate a feeding response. They can be aggressive toward other groupers (including members of their own kind), if space and hiding places are limited. They might also be the target of an aggressive confamilial. In most cases, size and prior residency will determine which serranid is boss of the tank. Feed your Anyperodon to satiation several times a week. Of course, any fish or crustacean that can be swallowed whole will be, so select tankmates carefully.

©2008 Scott W. Michael

A NEW FLASHER WRASSE (PARACHEILINUS)?

Paracheilinus sp. (not flashing) from Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Paracheilinus filamentosus (not flashing), Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea.

The top photo above shows a flasher wrasse that I photographed on the “house reef” at Kungkugan Bay Resort, Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi. When I first took the shot I thought it was simply a filamented flasher wrasse (Paracheilinus filamentosus). (It is not actually flashing, but has its fins spread as it is being cleaned by a juvenile tubelip wrasse [Labropsis].) While it is no doubt similar to P. filamentosus (it has the lunate tail, has multiple dorsal fin filaments and the color pattern is similar overall), after further analysis I am convinced it is an undescribed species.

Why do I say that? Compare the size of the dorsal and anal fins of the two species above. In the Lembeh fish these fins are much deeper than those of the "true" Papua New Guinea P. filamentosus. Also, note the dorsal filaments and how close some of them are together – they almost appear to be paired, while those of the "true" P. filamentosus are more randomly distributed along the fin edge. There are similarities in the general coloration, but yet there are certainly differences. Neither individual in the photos above are exhibiting their “flashing” colors. Note the red on the dorsal and anal fins of the male Lembeh flasher. Also note the ventral coloration – the "true" P. filamentosus has a pinkish-white belly, while that of the Lembeh flasher is orangish yellow. It will take the collection of the Lembeh fish and some closer examination, as well as DNA analysis. What do you think? Different or color morphs of the same fish?

Copyright (2008) Scott W. Michael

A NEW FAIRY WRASSE RISES FROM THE CONFUSION

Cirrhilabrus beauperryi (male): a newly described species once confused with C. punctatus. Photo taken in Milne Bay, PNG. Scott W. Michael.

Cirrhilabrus beauperryi (male): the same specimen seen above exhibiting temporary spawning colors. Scott W. Michael.

There are species within the genus Cirrhilabrus that are highly variable. So variable in fact, that some ichthyophiles have suggested that more than one species may be lumped under a common binomial. Are these geographical variants or a true species? The “lumpers” would say there is only one species, while the “splitters” would argue there are two or more. Molecular analysis has enabled ichthyologists to solve some of these taxonomic quandaries once and for all. Such is the case with Cirrhilabrus punctatus - the finespotted fairy wrasse.

Cirrhilabrus punctatus (male): from Vanuatu. Scott W. Michael.

For a number of years it was thought that C. punctatus was simply a highly variable fish. It was originally described (in 1989) from Fiji, Tonga, New Caledonia, eastern Australia and southern Papua New Guinea (PNG). Many authors extended its range to include the northeastern coast of PNG and the Solomon Islands. Even though the color of the fish in this area differed from the original description of C. punctatus, it did have the characteristic dots on the head and body and was considered by many to simply be a color variant.

Cirrhilabrus punctatus (male): from Savu Savu, Fiji. Scott W. Michael.

Enter the intrepid Lord of the Reef Fishes, Dr. Gerald Allen. Recently, Dr. Allen has discovered that the fish that occurs on reefs off of Milne Bay Province (Papua New Guinea), Madang (PNG), Bismarck Archipelago, and the Solomon Islands (which has often been lumped with C. punctatus) is actually a distinct species that has been dubbed Cirrhilabrus beauperryi.

Cirrhilabrus punctatus (female): from Beqa, Fiji. Scott W. Michael.

Dr. Allen states the following regarding their chromatic differences:

“The two species are clearly separable on the basis of colour pattern. Terminal-phase individuals of C. beauperryi are generally purplish grading to blue ventrally and greenish or yellowish brown dorsally with a broad purple stripe along the basal half of the otherwise pale yellow dorsal fin. In contrast, terminal-phase C. punctatus are generally reddish brown to dark grey on the upper two-thirds of the head and body and abruptly white below with broad black stripes along the base of mainly red dorsal and anal fins. They also differ noticeably with respect to the colouration on the base of the pectoral fins: in C. beauperryi it is mainly violet with a narrow, inconspicuous purple bar; that of C. punctatus is prominently marked with a broad black bar. The pectoral-base marking is also useful for distinguishing initial-phase fish. The terminal phase of C. beauperryi also exhibits a unique median head profile characterized by a rounded forehead and concave interorbital region. DNA analysis reveals the two species are genetically distinct.”

This new species brings the number of fairy wrasses up to 45. It is the second most speciose group in the family Labridae behind the genus Halichoeres, which includes around 80 species.

References:

Allen, G. R., J. Drew and P. Barber. 2008. Cirrhilabrus beauperryi, a new wrasse (Pisces: Labridae) from Melanesia. Aqua –International Journal of Ichthyology, 14: 129-140.

Copyright (2008) Scott W. Michael

ANOTHER NEW FIJIAN ANEMONEFISH

Amphiprion barberi: Beqa, Fiji. Scott W. Michael.

Amphiprion melanopus: Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. Scott W. Michael.

Amphiprion frenatus: pair (male in foreground), Aniloa, Philippines. Janine Cairns-Michael.

In the past month, another anemonefish has been described from Fiji. It has been given the name Amphiprion barberi. This fish has long been considered a color form of Amphiprion melanopus, an anemonefish that is known to range from Bali to the Society Islands, north to the Marianas, and south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. But after further investigation by pomacentrid-guru, Dr. Gerald Allen, this supposed variant has been raised to species status. Here is the abstract from the publication:

Amphiprion barberi, a new species of anemonefish fish, is described from 46 specimens, 16.3-85.8 mm SL, collected at depths of 2-10 m from coral reefs of Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa. It is closely allied to A. melanopus, which is widely distributed in the western Pacific. The two species exhibit significant colour-pattern differences, including a mainly reddish orange body in A. barberi and dark brown or blackish body in A. melanopus. Adults of the new species also possess fewer spinules (11-19 versus 19-26) in the upper-opercular series than A. melanopus. Genetic data presented here confirms the separation of these species.

Reference:

Gerald R. Allen, Joshua Drew and Les Kaufman: Amphiprion barberi, a new species of anemonefish (Pomacentridae) from Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa. Aqua – International Journal of Ichthyology. 14 (3): 105-114

Photos copyright Scott W. Michael.

JAW SLINGER! A NEW SPECIES OF EPIBULUS.

A male Epibulus brevis, the dwarf slingjaw wrasse, photographed in the Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

The slingjaw wrasse (Epibulus insidiator) is a well known member of Indo-Pacific reef fish communities. It has also been recognized for some time that a strange, smaller slingjaw wrasse was lurking around coral reefs of the Western Pacific. (Some of us thought it was simply a color variant of E. insidiator.) It took ichthyologist, Dr. Bruce Carlson, to solve the Epibulus mystery, once and for all. Bruce, along with the god of reef fish taxonomy, Dr. John Randall, and molecular biologist, Michael Dawson, described Epibulus brevis, commonly known as the dwarf slingjaw wrasse, earlier this year.

The yellow color form of the female Epibulus brevis photographed in Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi. Note the black coloration on the pectoral fins. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

Carlson et al. (2008) report E. brevis from Palau, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Sulawesi, Bali, Lombok, and Flores in Indonesia. I recently observed this fish in West Papua as well. It differs from E. insidiator in color. The males of this species are all brown with yellow on the throat area, on the caudal fin and a yellow marking at the opercular flap. Females vary in color from dark to light brown to yellow or almost white. The pectoral fins of the female almost always have black on the pectoral fins. The dwarf slingjaw also has longer pectoral fins than E. insidiator and there are also genetically distinct.

The brown color form of the female Epibulus brevis photographed in Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi. Note the yellow spot on the dorsum. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

What is refreshing about this paper, is that it not only deals with taxonomy issues, but also compares the biology of the two known Epibulus spp. For example, the authors examined the stomach contents of both slingjaw species. The stomach contents of 20 E. brevis consisted mostly of crustaceans (crabs and shrimps), with only one larger individual (17.2 cm [6.8 in.]) containing both fishes and crabs. They also examined the “gut” contents of 31 E. insidiator and observed that the stomachs yielded more fish than E. brevis, but also crabs, shrimps, and polychaete worms. The authors suggest that the larger size of the E. insidiator may explain their proclivity to ingest more fish (likewise, smaller E. insidiator tended to contain more crustaceans than larger conspecifics). In both species, prey was highly masticated as a result of the actions of the pharyngeal teeth.

There are also some subtle differences between the behavior of the two species. Male E. insidiator will patrol high in the water column. When patrolling, the dorsal and anal fins are contracted, while the caudal fin is spread open extended. Most of male E. insidiator activity occurs over prominent reef features such as coral promontories and large boulders, which apparently serve as sites where the fish rendezvous with potential mates. Females hover or swim slowly about these sites and occasionally bob up and down as they move near a male. According to Colin and Bell (in Carlson et al. 2008), E. brevis spawns at sunset. Males do swim around a territory and occasionally rise into the water column, but they engage in less flagrant displays than E. insidiator and usually remain nearer the sea floor. When attempting to entice a female to spawn, a male E. brevis will swim around his potential mate with all his fins collapsed. However, the median fins are spread as the pair rise into the water column to spawn. There may even be differences in habitat preferences. Epibulus insidiator tends to occur in clear, outer reef habitats, while E. brevis is more common in protected areas.

There are many more reef fishes that have long been known to reef fish taxonomists that await formal descriptions. But, I for one, and very happy that the new Epibulus has finally been given a moniker.

References

Carlson, B. A., J. E. Randall, and M. N. Dawson. 2008. A New Species of Epibulus (Perciformes: Labridae) from the West Pacific. Copiea 2008 (2): 476-483.

Copyright (2008) Scott W. Michael

NEW TOMIYAMICHTHYS SHRIMPGOBIES

A new shrimpgoby in the genus Tomiyamichthys (I refer to it as Tomiyamichthys sp. A). from West Papua. Note the very large, sail-like dorsal fin with black smudge and orange markings on the head. I believe that this is the male - the dorsal fin and color of the female are not as striking. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

Threat display of new West Papua shrimpgoby (Tomiyamichthys sp. A). Note Randall's pistol shrimp (Alpheus randalli). Photo by Scott W. Michael.

GOBIES TO GRIZZLIES.. Hmmm? I have done a number of grizzly posts but no goby offerings as of yet – the time has come! I would like to introduce you to a new species of Tomiyamichthys presumably from West Papua (this is where it was said to have come from, but collectors don’t always give accurate local information). There appears to be at least two species (and possibly more) within the genus that have yet to be described. You will find a photo of both above.

I received a pair of the undescribed Tomiyamichthys shown above from Kevin Kohen along with their crustacean symbiont, Alpheus randalli (a.k.a. Randall’s snapping shrimp) (the members of this genus are found with other Alpheus shrimp as well). This goby (which I will refer to as Tomiyamichthys sp. A) has a large, sail-like dorsal fin with no filaments (see photo above). Like the recently described Tomiyamichthys tanyspilus (see photo above), it has elongated blotches along the side of the body. However, it also has white spots along the lower dorsum, which are lacking in T. tanyspilus. This species also lacks the filaments present on the dorsal fin of T. tanyspilus. Both have spots on the first dorsal fin, but Tomiyamichthys sp. A has a dusky patch, while T. tanyspilus often has black spots along the bottom margin of the fin. The latter species also has a lanceolate (pointed) caudal fin, which is obvious in the photo above.

The longspot shrimpgoby (Tomiyamichthys tanyspilus) photographed in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea (to this point it was only known from Flores, Indonesia). Photo by Scott W. Michael.

My pair of Tomiyamichthys sp. A are not very congenial toward one another (they are in a 5-gallon nano-tank so space is limited). The larger one regularly displays at and chases the smaller member of the pair. In fact, the smaller individual now hides most of the time. They share their tank with a pair of Sri Lankan dracula gobies (Stonogobiops cf. dracula). The larger of the pair of S. dracula and the Tomiyamichthys have reached a truce and although they occasionally aggressively display at one another, they never come to blows. One lives on one end of the their spacious 5-gallon aquarium, while the other maintains a domicile on the opposite side of the vessel.

What appears to be an undescribed Tomiyamichthys from West Papua. Note the beautiful blue spot on the dorsal margin. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

I have also included a photograph of a new Tomiyamichthys that I photographed while diving in West Papua. This fish has filaments on the posterior edge of the dorsal fin and a sky blue spot. Dr. Gerald Allen was able to collect a couple specimens and intends on describing it in the future. There are currently six species described in the genus Tomiyamichthys. But, for the taxonomically inclined shrimpgoby freaks out there, Flabelligobius will soon be placed in the genus Tomiyamichthys. There are currently three species recognized in the genus Flabelligobius, so when the two merge there will be a total of nine described species.

All of these gobies are great for a nano or larger reef aquarium. I will post more on shrimpgoby husbandry in the future.

Copyright (2008) Scott W. Michael

DOTTYBACK DILEMMA – NEW OR NOT?

Pictichromis cf. paccagnellae from Central Sulawesi. Note the filaments on the upper and lower margin of the caudal fin. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

How about some more dottyback stuff fellow ichthyophiles– but these are a bit more colorful than the last one we examined! You may look at the photo at the top of the post and think “big deal” – it is a royal dottyback (Pictichromis paccagnellae). Or maybe it is the bicolor dottyback (P. coralensis)? Or maybe not? Compare it carefully to the photos of the two described Pictichromis spp. below it. You can see there are some disparities in coloration. (Also note that P. paccagnellae is quite variable in coloration as well.)

Pictichromis cf. paccagnellae from Central Sulawesi. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

While all three species are bicolored – exhibiting the stunning magenta coloration on the fore portion of the body and yellow on the rear section - there are some subtle differences. Upon first examination , the most obvious difference between the mystery dottyback and the two described species is the margin of the magenta body section. In the first Pictichromis sp. the margin is strongly oblique, extending from the anterior portion of the dorsal fin (around the fifth or sixth dorsal spine) to the anal origin. In P. coralensis and P. paccagnellae, the margin tends to be straight or only slightly oblique, extending from the dorsal fin (in P. coralensis it can begin at around the 10th dorsal spine, while in P. paccagnellae it often originates between the seventh and eighth dorsal spine) to the ventral surface (it can end well in front of the anal fin or at its origin).

Pictichromis paccagnellae from Northern Sulawesi. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

The pelvic fins of the mystery Pictichromis are entirely magenta. In many cases, but not in all locations, it is only the base of the pelvic fins that are magenta in Pictichromis paccagnellae (you can see that the pelvic fins can be entirely magenta in the photo of the Southern Sulawesi specimen above). Pictichromis coralensis may or may not have magenta pelvic fins.

Pictichromis paccagnellae from Southern Sulawesi. Photo by Roger Steene.

Pictichromis paccagnellae from Papua New Guinea. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

Another difference is that the Central Sulawesi Pictichromis has filaments off the upper and lower edge of the caudal fin. This is most pronounced in larger individuals, but if you look at the top photo, you will see it in this medium-sized specimen. It also appears to have a slightly longer lower jaw than its relatives that juts out giving it a "Sammy Davis" junior appearance.

Pictichromis coralensis from the Great Barrier Reef. Photo by Scott W. Michael.

This individual fish, along with a number of other specimens, was sent to me by Ken Hyltoft, a fish enthusiast that works in the fish collecting business in Jakarta. Kenn knows his fish and found that this P. paccagnellae-like dottyback, that was being collected in Central Sulawesi, looked a little different than the described members of the genus. Pictichromis paccagnellae is apparently collected in the same area as this unusual dottyback, although according to the collectors that brought the fish to Kenn, the possible new species tends to be limited to greater depths (steep walls from 30 to 40 m).

Two different color variants of the newly described Pictichromis caitlinae.
Photos by Gerald Allen.

Above you will also see a photo of a recently described Pictichromis from western New Guinea. It was described by Gerry Allen, Anthony Gill, and Mark Erdmann in 2008. It was named Pictichromis caitlinae. The color differences between this newly described species and the known species of Pictichromis is very obvious.

There was a time when subtle color differences between populations would have been classified as geographical variation. But since Kenn finds the “normal” P. paccagnellae with the unusual Pictichromis, it may be that the oblique-lined fish does warrant consideration as a distinct species? It will probably take analysis on the molecular level to determine for sure if this is a new species, but it was Kenn’s keen eye that has brought this unusual fish to light!

I want to thank Kenn for sending me the fish and Dave Palmer (Pacific Aqua Farms) and Dennis Reynolds (Aquamarines) for assisting in getting the fish to me!

Copyright (2008) Scott W. Michael

Reference:

Allen, G. R., M. V. Erdmann and A. C. Gill. 2008. A new species of Pictichromis (Pisces: Pseudochromidae) from western New Guinea with a redescription of P. aurifrons. aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology 13 ( 3-4): 145-154.

WILL THE REAL HEMISCYLLIUM FREYCINETI PLEASE STAND UP?

This is the REAL Hemiscyllium freycineti (an adult is pictured here).

Much has been made in recent years about the “walking sharks,” even though they have been known to science for centuries (shark experts have long referred to the group as epaulette sharks because of the epaulette-like markings above the pectoral fins). But the taxonomy of these sharks has been a bit of a mystery and in a state of flux for the last couple of years. Part of this was due to Max Ammer and his dive operations in West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), Indonesia (click here for more information). I observed photos of the unusual epaulette shark from this region, which appeared to be undescribed based on a revision of the genus (click here to see post about new epaulette sharks from West Papua). To make a long story a bit shorter, the shark in West Papua that appeared to be undescribed turned out to be Hemiscyllium freycineti. But what about the shark in the revision of the genus (Dingerkus and DeFino 1983) that these researchers refer to as H. freycineti? Thanks to some ichthyological detective work done by Dr. Gerald Allen, it was determined the Dingerkus and DeFino H. freycineti is actually an undescribed species! (That is, D and D screwed-up - it happens to the best of us!)

The juvenile of H. freycineti photographed in the Raja Ampat Islands.

I have been interested in and collecting information on the Hemiscyllium spp. for decades. After examining the distribution of the various species, I started to wonder if the various species have very limited ranges and if the larger distributions attributed to some species is a function of misidentification, as so many of the Hemiscyllium spp. are so similar (more on this in future blogs). It turns out this may indeed be the case and that the species that” D and D (1983)” called H. freycineti (the undescribed species that is) may be limited in distribution to the Milne Bay Province region of eastern Papua New Guinea.

Samaria specimen I collected of new Milne Bay epaulette shark species. All photos by Scott W. Michael

I visited this region in 2003 and was a guest on the Chertan. This live-aboard boat is owned by one of the most congenial people in the dive industry, Rob van der Loos. The idea of collecting and killing one of these beautiful sharks made me queasy! Having had pet epaulette sharks in the past, I look at them more like dogs than fish! But it had to be done – a specimen needed to be collected. Fortunately for me, the Big Guy upstairs was smiling on me on this trip, as on a dive near Samaria Island I found a half-dead (that’s right HALF DEAD) Hemiscyllium sp. rolling around on the sea floor! I took some photos of the shark, grabbed it and took it back to the boat where it was put on ice. Roger Steene and I were able to convince a dogged customs officer to let us take the shark into Australia and Roger then passed the fish onto Gerry. Unfortunately, the specimen ended up in formalin, which made it impossible to conduct DNA analysis on the animal’s tissue. So, we are currently waiting on Roger to get a small piece of fin from a live specimen when he returns to Papua New Guinea this year.

Milne Bay epaulette shark filmed off Tawali Resort by Rob van der Loos. NOTICE how shark uses its muscular paired fins to walk over the sea floor.

The video above of a Milne Bay epaulette shark (the undescribed species) was taken by Rob van der Loos off his resort (Tawali Resort) in Milne Bay (MORE ON THIS HARK ON A FUTURE POST!). You will notice the very distinct honeycomb markings of this beautiful shark. Now look at the specimen I collected off the island of Samaria (above), which is less than 100 km southeast (if you follow the coast) of Rob’s resort. Note the color differences (especially of the epaulette over the pectoral fin)? While color differences may or may not be a valid indices when separating different fish species, it seems to be a fairly reliable character when distinguishing the various epaulette sharks. Could it be there are TWO new species off the coast of Milne Bay Province? It may be that the shark above was a bit younger and had not developed the full adult coloration as of yet? Time, Dr. Allen and some shark DNA should be able to tell us soon!

DEMOISELLE (TAXONOMY) IN DISTRESS!

Underwater photographs of closely related species of Chrysiptera (30-35 mm SL): C. giti, Fak Fak Peninsula, western New Guinea (upper left), C. hemicyanea, Raja Ampat Islands, western New Guinea (upper right), C. parasema, El Nido, Philippines (lower left), and C. species B, Madang, Papua New Guinea (lower right). Photos by G. R. Allen.

Have you ever done something you would like to take back? I will tell you a secret - after every REEF FISHES volume that has been published to date (including the new volume on DAMSELFISHES) I wish I had a chance to take it back and make changes! In part, as I mentioned in an earlier post, taxonomic changes often occur during the preparation and publication process. Inevitably, there are journal articles that come out just after these books go to press that can impact the taxonomic standing of various species and proposed synonyms. In fact, one reason the DOTTYBACK volume was delayed was because I was aware that a big revision of the family Pseudochromidae was about to be published by Dr. Anthony Gill and I wanted to wait until it came out so that the scientific binomials in the book were up-to-date. If I had not waited, the dottyback section of the book would have been totally out of date within three months of the book hitting the shelves!

As I mentioned below, I mislabeled a couple of new species of anemonefishes (which I classified simply as color variants) that are going to be raised to species level by Dr. Gerald Allen. But the changes do not stop there. Taxonomic upheaval has recently occurred in one of my favorite Pomacentrid genera, the Chrysiptera (a.k.a. demoiselles). Dr. Gerald Allen (the guru of all that is damsel) came out with a paper a couple of months ago that will cause all of us to re-examine the proposed geographical variants of the most beautiful members of this genus.

For example, in my damselfish book (and in other REEF FISHES books published before it) I use the term Chrysiptera parasema for the yellow-tailed blue demoiselle with yellow pelvic fins. But according to Dr. Allen, this is actually distinct on the species level from the yellow-tailed demoiselle that lacks the yellow pelvics (see photos above which are from Allen and Erdmann 2008). Dr. Allen also described a new, closely related form from West Papua that he named Chrysiptera giti. "What's a giti" you might ask? Two donors that are generously supporting the Conservation International’s Bird’s Head Seascape marine conservation initiative requested it be given that name to honor a family company. Not only is C. parasema being broken up into at least two distinct species, it is also likely that all the various color forms of Chrysiptera cyanea are actually valid species....but we will save that for a future post!

So there you have another example of why I wish I could have a “do-over!” I will keep you abreast of other taxonomic changes that occur and will also provide the new name of the C. parasema-like fish, with the yellow pelvic fins, when it becomes available.

Allen, G. R. and M. V. Erdmann. 2008. A new species of damselfish (Pomacentridae: Chrysiptera) from western New Guinea and the Togean Islands, Indonesia. Aqua Special. Pub. 13 (3-4): 171-178.

NEW EPAULETTE (WALKING) SHARKS!

Hemiscyllium galei from Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua. Photo G. Allen

It was about 10 years ago when I first met Max Ammer at a New Orleans DEMA. I was strolling past his booth at the show when I saw a photo of an amazing epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium sp.). I immediately recognized it as something different, as I had been studying these animals for many years. I asked Max where the photo was taken and he told me that it was photographed right off his resort. He also said the sharks were common in the area! I knew at that point I had to get to the Raja Ampats (West Papua)!

Hemiscyllium henryi from Triton Bay, West Papua. Photo by M. Erdmann

When I heard that Dr. Gerald Allen and Roger Steene were going to West Papua to do a fish survey, I asked Roger to keep an eye out for this epaulette shark. During their survey, they were able to collect two specimens. I communicated with Gerry and provided information on the current taxonomic status of members in the genus. In 1983 there had been a revision of the genus (Dingerkus and DeFino, 1983) and the species that I had seen photos of from the Raja Ampats and that Gerry had collected were not included in the revision. Therefore, I was convinced the Raja shark was new. Being the world's greatest reef and rainbow fish taxonomist, Gerry went on a quest to see if indeed the West Papua shark was new. He visited museums in Europe and in the US and found out that the species from West Papua was actually Hemiscyllium freycineti (a species that was described in 1824). This was at odds with Dingerkus and DeFino who had used this moniker for a shark that was actually still undescribed (more on this in future blogs)!

Since that time, Gerry has made a number of trips to West Papua and has found two more new species of Hemiscylliid sharks (which are often referred to as "walking sharks" in the popular press)! The scientific names of both species were auctioned off at the "Blue Auction" - while this is a not a common way to determine the species name of a new fish, it was done in this case to raise money to protect the Raja Ampat Islands, which are now part of a marine reserve. The two species (see above) were recently described by Gerry and Mark Erdmann in a Aqua International Journal of Ichthyology (vol 13, issues 3-4, 2008). Dr. Allen is now in Halmahera, Indonesia where another species of Hemiscyllium that may be new to science has been spotted.

Copyright (2008) Scott W. Michael

NEW ANEMONEFISHES

New species of Amphiprion from Fiji and Tonga. Photo by Scott Michael.

As with my past books, there are already taxonomic changes that occur that are missed or that are published just after the book goes to press (there are also other errors which I hope to correct on this blog).

There are a couple of anemonefishes in the new REEF FISHES book that are misidentified. For example, the fish pictured on page 219 (on bottom right), is actually a new species from Fiji that was originally considered a color form of Amphiprion melanopus. The leading authority on reef fishes, Dr. Gerald Allen, tells me it is a new species. Its true identity was confirmed by doing some DNA analysis.

Likewise, on page 229 I have a photo of what I believed to be an odd variant of Amphiprion perideraion from Fiji (it actually looks more like A. akallopisos). This too, according to Gerry, is a new species. I have been able to obtain some type specimens for Gerry so he can make the formal description of the little beauty. The two specimens I obtained came from Dave Palmer of Pacific Aqua Farms. The fish were actually collected in Tonga.

Copyright (2008) Scott W. Michael