Good morning all, what a week!! So much diving in freezing cold water, it really wears you out! Aimee and I have been packing like crazy to get ready for our Washington trip which is now only days away. We have a friend staying at our house and all the neighbors will be helping walk the dogs throughout the day, that alone is a big relief! I have been so busy this week that I wasn’t able to go biking at all but tomorrow morning I will be making up for lost time in the saddle and picking up a friend at 7:30. I have a beautiful Blue Tang for you all today that I found swimming under a pier up against a beautiful sponge encrusted wall!

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Modified from Samini-Lamin & van Ofwegen, 2016

 Green Star Polyps are about as common an aquarium coral as there is, but, if you stare at enough of them, you might notice something unexpected—there are quite a few different varieties of this coral available to aquarists. For instance, some specimens have long tentacles, and some have these much shorter. Some specimens are neon green and others brown. Some have white centers, but many don’t. Some have a knobby texture, while others are mostly flat. Some have feathered edges to their tentacles, and some are entirely smooth. It’s almost as if there are several distinct species of star polyp confused under a single common name. And, unsurprisingly, some newly published research suggests that this is exactly the case. 

B. violaceum, note the bumpy, purple surface and the contrasting white center to each polyp. It’s uncertain if either of these traits are diagnostic for just this species. Credit: Samini-Lamin & van Ofwegen, 2016

 If you’ve spent any time pondering soft coral taxonomy, you’ll be struck by the fact that we know remarkably little when it comes to the basics of what constitutes a species, particularly so for the more diverse genera. Taxonomists have traditionally relied on the minute calcareous sclerites of these corals for establishing the limits for where one species stops and another starts, but these have oftentimes proven to correlate poorly with genetic study. Of course, relying solely on microscopic internal structures for making an identification doesn’t lend itself well to the average aquarist looking to ID their specimen… which brings me back to the uncertainty surrounding star polyps. 

B. hamrum is a species thought to be restricted to the African and Arabian coatlines, but which bears a striking similarity to specimens observed in Singapore, as well as some rarer aquarium specimens. Credit: Samini-Lamin & van Ofwegen, 2016

 In a morphological and genetic study of Japanese specimens (Miyazaki & Reimer, 2014), three distinct varieties—presumed to be separate, but unidentified, species—were recognized. The key characteristics for recognizing these “species” relate to the shape of the surface sclerites, the color of the colony, the relative protrusion of the polyps above the colony’s surface, and the manner in which the tentacles are held open. Unfortunately, the genetic data for these is all but equivocal, calling into question just how distinct these three truly are. There are undoubtedly multiple species present, as, when seen growing side by side, these corals do look different from each other, but little else can be said concerning specific details of this.… More:

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Marine conservationists have quite a difficult time of it.  Things are not going well for our oceans. Ocean acidification, huge amounts of plastic pollution, and overfishing add up to one heck of a series of apparently unsurmountable problems. So when there is a ‘good news story’ it really is worth celebrating. Turtles have had it hard, there’s no denying it.  Folk steal their eggs, build hotels on their nesting beaches, and generally bugger up their chances of keeping their species going.  However, several turtle conservation groups are reporting that their efforts and those of various legislatures and government agencies are bearing fruit.  Yay for turtles! Sea Turtle Conservancy’s website has some great-to-read statistics: The story of green turtle nesting in Florida is nothing short of a major success. Just 25 years ago, statewide nesting rarely exceeded a thousand nests. For example, in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, one of the best green turtles nesting sites in the U.S., annual nesting of green turtles rarely passed a few hundred nests. Since then, Florida’s green turtle nesting population has grown exponentially, and in 2010 nesting set a new record statewide. In the 20 mile long Carr Refuge alone, there were over 4,500 green turtle nests.Further south, in Tortuguero, Costa Rica, greens are also nesting in significant numbers, though it is too early to present final numbers. In just the northern five miles of Tortuguero Beach, which STC monitors daily, there were over 31,500 nests as of early October. At Chiriquí Beach, Panama, both leatherback and hawksbill nesting is showing an increasing trend. Nearly 6,000 leatherback nests were counted (second highest in recent times) and hawksbills had the highest nesting number on record with over 750 nests, since monitoring began in 2003. The group goes on to suggest that turtles are still vulnerable though: While this year’s wonderful nesting results show that our collective efforts to protect sea turtles are working, our work is far from done — coastal habitats and marine habitats remain very much at risk from development, erosion, overfishing and pollution. The eminent ecologist (and STC Board member) Dr. David Ehrenfeld once wrote “with good science and good will it is possible for both people and sea turtles to use our beaches together.” With the increased turtle nesting documented this year, his words ring truer and more important than ever. I’ve dived with several species of turtles across the world and helped out at a turtle conservation center in Greece, where Europe’s Loggerhead population is really struggling.… More:

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Top down shot of Acropora microladosWelcome to the next level of coral care. By now I am assuming you have at least understood all the key general practices to maintain some of the hardier corals, from soft corals to large-polyp stony (LPS) corals to some of the more rugged small-polyp stony (SPS) corals. Each category of livestock can be classified into various requirements for the piece of ocean environment you are trying to simulate. Oftentimes we tend to generalize that all parts of the ocean are the same, but as you become educated about the livestock you are trying to maintain, you will understand that there is no single recipe to make everything thrive and flourish in the same tank.Review time So let us review some of the key attributes we, as responsible hobbyists and nature fans, must familiarize ourselves with in order to provide a sustainable environment. The most common aquarium parameters are the following: 1. Tank dimensions Volume (amount of salt water for stability) Depth (impacts light penetration and available environmental zones) Size (impacts aquascaping, flow, lighting choices, growth) 2. Lighting Type: metal halide, T5, LED, or hybrids Spectrum (10,000 to 20,000 Kelvin) Intensity (lux) Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) Photosynthetically Usable Radiation (PUR) Photoperiod (hours) 3.

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Valentine’s Day is great, but, as any parent of a preschooler will tell you, it can come with a frighteningly large number of hearts – paper hearts, painted hearts, sticker hearts… Get crafty this weekend (and get a second use out of what would otherwise be trash) with some imaginative ways to re-use that heart-shaped bounty. Let these images inspire you to snip, glue, and doodle your way to a set of fun holiday decorations! The fish craft pictured here is from Tammy Dube at Housing a Forest; I like the heart-shaped scales and the fringed fins. And a cheerful, slightly silly greeting written on the back would turn the craft into an adorable card. Might I suggest:  “Will you oFISHally be my Valentine?”, “You’re the perfect catch”, or “Of all the fish in the sea, I’m glad you’re friends with me”.This cute penguin from Crafty Morning seems especially appropriate for the holiday, as penguins are known for their strong family bonds. Some fun penguin facts: When penguins find mates they sing to each other, and learn to recognize each other’s voices. Most species stay together for long periods of time and raise their chicks together. The mother and the father penguin take turns sitting on the egg, while the other goes out to look for food. The egg takes about a month to hatch, and the baby penguin stays in its nest (and kept warm by its parents) for another month or so. The largest species is the Emperor Penguin; adults are about 3 1/2 feet tall and weigh 77+ pounds. The smallest penguin species is the Little Blue Penguin, also known as the fairy penguin; on average, they measure 16 inches tall and 2.2 pounds. Larger penguins generally live in colder regions, while smaller penguins prefer warmer or even tropical climates. Happy Valentine’s Day!… More:

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At one point or another all reef keepers have dreamt of this device. A constant alkalinity controller that keeps carbonate hardness (KH) rock solid. David Cheng made this dream a reality by building his own “KHG”. “It took me two years to complete it and one year to test correct it.”  The components were sourced from various suppliers and compiled into this 3D printed body. David lists some the KHG’s impressive capabilities: 

1. The recognition of this KHG is 0.1 dKH.
2. Uninterrupted continuous testing error value approximately +/- 0.3dKH.
3. Test range 5 – 12 dKH.
4. Use single test solution,after the test can be discharged directly into the tank, completely without safety concerns about drug consumption required for each test 3-4cc.
5. With RJ45 connectors, the distal support network monitoring and control, without having to install any software or APP, to operate directly in the browser.
6. With SD card, long-term record test-related values.
7. With KH automatic control,can be based on the current test value set by the user to maintain the KH value, the total water tank of solvent required to carry out the baking soda projections, since Automatically added.
8. The test period can be automatically set from 30 to 240 minutes, each test takes about 3 minutes.

KHG Data Collection Log. Credit: 曾柏源

 Fifteen handmade units have been dispersed throughout Taiwan for testing as long as sixteen months ago. Beta testers are loving the unit so far leaving excellent reviews. 

Credit: David Cheng

 Onto the exciting news for the rest of us, “Commercialization is expected 2016 Q3” according to David. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as more information is released on this intriguing new product.… More:

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This Featured Coral of the Week comes to us from Joey Nichols at Joe Knows Reefs. Common name: Fat Head Dendro Scientific name: Dendrophyllia fistulata  Dendrophyllia fistulata is a non-photosynthetic coral which does not contain zooxanthellae in it’s tissue thus having to derive all of it’s nutrition from organic matter.  Since they do not require sunlight for growth, these coral are normally found inside and along cave walls and overhangs.   In the aquarium, this coral requires feedings of meaty foods such as brine shrimp and mysis shrimp etc at a frequency of about 2-3x weekly. Origin area: Indo Pacific Care level: moderate due to requirement of frequent feedings. Unlike “sun coral” it can be easily trained to stay open pretty much all day.  These corals

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These three angelfishes form an unexpected clade within the phylogeny of Pomacanthidae. Note the placement of narcosis’ spot versus arcuatus’ stripe and colini’s back. Photo credit: Lemon TYK.

 In gross review of the vast piscine fauna distributed around the globe, there are perhaps few families of fish that can rival the unparalleled beauty and elegance that comes with the marine angelfishes of the family Pomacanthidae. Their painterly brilliance, comical personalities and intelligent nature have secured their iconic position amongst a buzzing plethora of reef denizens in which they share their aquatic home with. Needless to say, their captivating and inviting qualities have piqued the interest of naturalists and aquarists alike, seeking to appreciate their beauty both in the field, as well as in the home aquaria. But, while angelfish in general are fabulously well known and studied (you’ll be hard pressed to find a new species these days!), their systematic classifications have mostly been in disarray. In the grand scheme of bony fish evolution, we know that angelfishes are a relatively recent arrival, having separated from a common ancestor with the butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) around 52 million years ago (MYA). During this time, the larger angelfish species were the first to diverge, forming what we now know today as Holacanthus, Pomacanthus and Chaetodontplus. The dwarf angelfishes only diverged much later, sharing a common ancestor with Pygoplites around 30-33 MYA. While Pygoplites superficially resemble very little to the modern day dwarf angelfish, its predilection for crypsis and a generally cloistered lifestyle hints at a slight likeness to those of Centropyge. Recent molecular studies have elucidated the long awaited phylogeny of angelfishes, in particular, shedding light on the more taxonomically speciose Centropyge. 

A partial phylogeny of modern day angelfishes, based on research conducted by Gaither et al., 2014. Note that Genicanthus and Apolemichthys are nestled within the paraphyletic Centropyge. Photo credit: Lemon TYK.

 A recent phylogenetic study conducted by Gaither et al., reveals Centropyge to be paraphyletic. In addition, Genicanthus and Apolemichthys are found to be nestled deep within the dwarf angelfish tree, sharing a common ancestor with many of these “Centropyge” groups. More surprising, however, is the discovery of a sister clade comprising three unlikely species – one of which hardly comes to mind when pondering the intricacies of Centropyge. They are Centropyge colini, narcosis and Apolemichthys arcuatus.… More:

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There’s a plethora of choices that comes with setting up a new marine aquarium; these days the seemingly simple task of adding rock provides no break in the daunting decision making process. Boat, plane, aquacultured, maricultured, man-made, hybrid, ceramic… all prefixes to the word rock describing our options. Which is best? Why isn’t this preference consistent among aquarists? The great debate rages on. The truth is, both live rock and dry rock can lead to stunning aquariums.

Live Rock

  Utilizing live rock in aquaria has been one of the key factors attributed to keeping a modern reef aquarium. The myriad of beneficial bacteria keeps the nitrogen cycle intact, and has the added benefit of introducing: detritivores, invertebrates, sponges, tunicates, coralline algae, desirable macro algae, corals, and more. The copious amount of life is a surefire way to jumpstart your aquarium. 

Maricultured live rock teeming with life. Credit: Ocean Life Direct, LLC

 So, what’s not to love about live rock? Cost, quality, and invasive pests are the main complaints. Live rock in my area varies from $8-12 per pound. That adds up very quickly especially if building a sizeable aquarium. Quality of live rock is of the utmost importance when finding your source. History shows us there are two common ways to import ocean collected live rock, first being via boat (hence ‘boat rock’), the second by plane. Rock shipped by plane can be to your favorite retailer within 48 hours of being removed from the ocean, resulting in very little die off. As you can imagine, boxes of wet rock are heavy which leads to expensive freight, driving the cost up. ‘Boat rock’ takes weeks to get to the US resulting in lots of die off, but saves on freight. This rock is still good for beneficial bacteria introduction, although most other life forms will be lost after shipping. 

Maricultured live rock. Credit: KP Aquatics

 Removing rock from natural reefs has become illegal in many countries, and rightfully so. Fragging large coral colonies on a reef for aquarium import is one thing, frags grow back quickly in the wild, but rock does not. This is what spawned mariculture live rock. Some companies plant dry rock out on a leased patches of ocean allowing creatures to colonize it over several years. Since some of this rock is being grown right here in the US the price for quality rock right out of the ocean is kept reasonable.… More:

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A recently announced new exhibit at California Academy of Sciences is slated to open June 10th, 2016, “Twilight Zone:Deep Reefs Revealed“. For this mesophotic reef nerd nothing in a zoological setting could be more exciting. Very little has been shared regarding the specific species we’ll be afforded in the new exhibit, suffice to say we have a hunch that there will be some incredibly rare fishes abound. 

A recent post shared by Assistant Curator, CA Academy of Sciences Charles Delbeek, “And so it begins … six months of exhibit renovations and animal acquisitions for the worlds first exhibit area devoted to exploring the Twilight Zone and rebreather diving research!”

  … More:

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Indiscriminately scrubbing live rock can destroy much of the life you paid for, and thus the benefit of doing soQuestionI’ll be receiving a shipment of live rocks in a few days, and I could use some advice on how to clean them up before putting them in my tank. Do I just need to give them a good going over with a scrub brush?” – Submitted by Chuck S. Answer I wouldn’t use the term “good going over” with respect to cleaning your new live rocks. Remember, you paid good money for the organisms encrusting those rocks, so you don’t want to scrub the entire surface of each rock indiscriminately. Rather, what you want to do is very selectively scrub/scrape/pluck away any obviously dead/decomposing organisms, slimy films, unwanted algae, and clinging sediments or debris. Encrusting sponges that have been exposed to air will also need to be removed, as they’re likely to die and decompose. Otherwise, if a rock looks pretty “clean” and healthy right out of the box, all it needs is a good rinse.

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[embedded content] PALM BEACH COUNTY — Incredible new video shows tens of thousands of sharks just off the Palm Beach County coastline. FAU biological sciences professor Dr. Stephen Kajiura who has been featured on “Shark Week” captured the video 500′ above the clear, blue Atlantic on Friday morning. Kajiura shot the video as part of his weekly aerial black tip shark migration surveys covering the coastline from Miami Beach north to the Jupiter Inlet. “It’s so cool,” he told CBS12. “There are literally tens of thousands of sharks a stone’s throw away from our shoreline. You could throw a pebble and literally strike a shark. They are that close.” Kajiura noted that he saw very few sharks south of Boynton Beach and in Miami-

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A female “Hemiulis” cf chlorocephalus, illustrating the striped appearance common to so many of these fishes. Credit: ベラ職人

 The many colorful wrasses of the genus Halichoeres represent some of the most popular fishes for the reef aquarium, including such familiar names as the Christmas Wrasse, Melanurus Wrasse, Canary Wrasse and rarer beauties like the Earmuff Wrasse. With roughly 80 species to its name, the genus is the largest in the wrasse family and includes a great many species which possess confusingly similar color patterns. In particular, some two dozen species share a similar pattern of red and green stripes, rendering identification a difficult task for most aquarists. To help make life easier, I present a simplified photographic guide to this challenging group… First, we must begin this discussion with a pedantic note on this group’s taxonomy. Halichoeres is a mess at the moment. Molecular study has confirmed what has long been suspected—this genus does not represent a single evolutionary lineage but, rather, a mix of species which happen to share similar morphological characteristics. This is hinted at in the wide range of body shapes, ecologies and biogeographies contained within the current definition of the genus. 

Phylogenetic tree of julidiine wrasses based on cytochrome oxidase 1 (genbank). Note that most of the basal branches are poorly resolved in this study, indicating a need for more diverse sampling to fully understand how the different ex-Halichoeres are truly related to one another. Click to enlarge.

 The phylogenetic tree above illustrates the numerous distinct branches of Halichoeres, which corroborates nicely with earlier studies by Barber & Bellwood and Westneat & Alfaro. A great deal of work remains to be done before we fully understand how these fishes interrelate, but several major lineages stand out as distinct groups which likely need to be recognized as separate genera. In his monumental tome on wrasses, Rudie Kuiter laid out a framework for this, going so far as to coin several new names. While many of these changes appear warranted, others don’t, and the scientific community has mostly ignored his work. However, since Kuiter’s book is popular amongst aquarists and his names have gained at least some traction here, I will include this nomenclature in quotations. “Biochoeres” This clade (first named by Kuiter) has been widely recognized in molecular and morphological study and includes several popular aquarium fishes.… More:

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Many marine aquarists may not be aware, but Indonesia is the supplier of a large percentage of aquarium corals and fish. This southeast Asian country has a population of over 250 million people, and ranks as the world’s most populated Muslim majority country. Indonesia ranks number two of countries on Earth with the greatest bio-diversity, and is home to the infamous Coral Triangle, an area of rich reef, home to 500 documented coral species.  By number of islands, Indonesia is the largest country in the world, with over 14,000 islands scattered throughout rich and diverse seas. For decades, Indonesia has struggled to protect the rich coral reefs that make it a legend in oceanic conservation. The countries’ story with conservation is a historic look at how modernization and changing economies effect precious natural resources. Today, Indonesia exists as an important supplier of both wild caught and aqua-cultured marine livestock and the rise of trade associations and CITES cooperation have changed the game, concerning collection of marine animals in Indonesia. However, there are a handful of sneaky and illegal tactics at play, which allow marine suppliers to get illegally collected corals into the hands of American aquarists.    Indonesia’s conservation history: Long ago, Indonesia was controlled by the Dutch, who quickly saw the need to preserve this precious island chain. The coral reefs surrounding the countries’ islands were rich, and the Dutch had the foresight to understand that someday, the world may take advantage of them. When the Dutch lost control of the country, and it became a sovereign island nation, the reefs around Indonesia began to suffer. Corals are a rich source of limestone, and the building industry harvested acres of reef to supply it. Tourism was bringing large boats and droves of people onto the reefs, and the expansion of development was washing sedimentation into the sea. In time, the budding marine aquarium industry was collecting corals from Indonesian reefs. The local population was hungry for economic stimulation, and gladly went along with any industry that promised a viable payday. With un-regulated use of the countries’ greatest natural resources running amok, Indonesian officials turned to the newly formed CITES (Convention in the trade of endangered species) for help. CITES is an international watchdog, which protects endangered animal and plant species by regulating their trade. Countries that agree to CITES rules, then take part in an extensive regulation system which is enforced by various international governments.… More:

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Raccoon Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula)Some of the marine fish we like to keep are surprisingly recognizable to both hobbyists and non-hobbyists alike—probably because they’re frequently depicted in photographs and artwork. Among these iconic fishes is the raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) of the Indo-Pacific and southeast Atlantic, a very hardy species that’s better than your average butterfly in terms of aquarium suitability and even beginner-friendliness. C. lunula would also be a great choice for natural pest-anemone control in reef tanks if it could be kept in such a system safely (but, alas, it cannot—more on this later). Physical traitsC. lunula has “typical” butterflyfish morphology, with a highly laterally compressed body and a pointed snout. Its color is orangish-yellow overall with a dusky hue on the dorsal half of the body and faint diagonal stripes on the ventral half. Like its terrestrial namesake, its eyes are obscured by a black “mask.” Behind the mask is a white bar, and two dark bands edged in yellow extend upward from the white bar.

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The unusual three-way symbiosis of shrimpgoby, pistol shrimp and porcelain crab. Modified from Werding et al 2016

 Coral reefs are full of intimate interspecies relationships—from the well-known dalliance of clownfishes with anemones, to the more obscure romance of Epizoanthus and eunicids, or the awkward ambling of Heteropsammia and its sipunculan courtesan—the ocean, it would seem, is full of odd couples. But these pale in comparison to the prurient polyamory recently discovered in the murky depth of Sulawesi between goby, shrimp and crab. *gasp* 

Enosteoides lobatus, feeding just outside its burrow. Modified from Werding et al 2016

 The libidinous little fishes in question are none other than the familiar aquarium shrimpgobies Amblyeleotris and Cryptocentrus, renowned for their fascinating symbiosis with certain species of Alpheus pistol shrimp. In captivity, most aquarists limit this pairing to a single goby and shrimp, but it’s actually far more common in the wild to find them shacked up in mated pairs. Things can get cozier still, as it’s not terribly unusual for an additional shrimpgoby species of dartfish to enter the picture, resulting in some rather overcrowded living conditions. Now, a newly published study has added yet another creature into the mix: an obscure species of porcelain crab which challenges the notion that two’s company, three’s a crowd. 

A crustacean cuddle. Modified from Werding et al 2016

 Enosteoides lobatus is not a name which is likely to ring any bells amongst aquarists, especially since it was only just described in 2009. This rather diminutive crustacean bears all the hallmarks of more familiar aquarium porcelain crabs (such as Petrolisthes galathinus & Neopetrolisthes ohshimai) but without any of the aesthetic appeal. Small in stature and chromatically challenged, this pallid beastie remained overlooked until it was discovered poking its head out from a few burrows in the famed Lembeh Straits of Sulawesi.  

It seems that any shrimpgoby will suffice for Enosteoides, as it has been seen with Amblyeleotris and Cryptocentrus. Modified from Werding et al 2016

 Observed in situ, it’s reported that Enosteoides perches near the opening of its burrow, where it fans the water with its specialized mouthparts in the manner typical of these crabs, filtering out whatever organic particulates happen to pass it by. The burrow entrance naturally provides better access for feeding, but with the decided disadvantage of exposing the crab to the risk of predation.… More:

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Amphiprion chrysogaster is so named for its yellow belly, although this is a poor diagnostic, as many members of the clarkii group complex sport the same coloration. Photo credit: Lemon TYK.

 Today’s instalment of epithet etymology aims to elucidate the literary meaning behind the Mauritian Clownfish, Amphiprion chrysogaster. Whether you’re a scientist, an aquarist, a librarian or even a streetwalking pedestrian, you’ll have to agree that clownfishes are arguably one of the most iconic fish in the sea. Considering the unfathomable number of fish living in our oceans, that’s quite an honorary title to bear indeed. Still, most people stop at the clownfish, or worse, “nemo” moniker, never realising that there are a little over thirty species in two genera, or what their names stand for.  

The serrated sub and pre-operculum can be seen in this photo. Photo credit: Lemon TYK.

 The generic epithet “Amphiprion” is the combination of the greek works “amphi” = “on two sides; around” and “priön” = “saw”. This is in reference to the deeply serrated sub and pre-operculum of all Amphiprion species. These saw like serrations can even be seen in the closely related monotypic genus Premnas, which currently houses a singular taxon, P. biaculeatus, otherwise known as the Maroon Clownfish. Since we’re on the topic of Premnas, and seeing as this is epithet etymology, we’ll digress a little and go ahead in explaining Premnas as well. The genus comes from the greek word “premnon”, which means “the stump of a tree”. The specific epithet “biaculeatus” is a combination of the words “bi” = “two”, and the latin “aculeatus” = “thorn or spike”, in reference to the opercular spines found in the species. However, how or why it was named in reference to a tree stump, has me stumped. Now back to Amphiprion. The species in today’s topic is A. chrysogaster. Having already explained the meaning behind Amphiprion, let us now look at the specific epithet “chrysogaster”. This, again, is a combination of two greek words. The first is latinised from the greek word “khrūsos” = “gold”, and the second from the greek word “gastêr” = “stomach”. The combined chrysogaster therefore alludes to the species’ gold, or yellow belly. A. chrysogaster is an uncommon species in the trade, but can be obtained with some regularity from Mauritius.… More:

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Your coral source can play an important role in successWith the introduction of more aquaculture and mariculture facilities, there has been a boom in specimens available at the local fish stores these days. But I will say for certain that if you can get a frag from a successful hobbyist, those tend to be even more robust and better able to tolerate the variations in water parameters for a beginner. If I had to rank in order the preference of livestock sources, it would be the following: Local successful hobbyist/local fish store aquacultured 3rd party aquacultured 3rd party maricultured Wild specimens Domesticated specimens by local sources tend to be less likely to carry pests and are more robust. As you move down the list, the survivability depends on how long the specimens are being held and the care they have been receiving. But as with anything, the safe practice of quarantining and/or at least dipping for pests is still recommended no matter who you get them from. It only takes one event to infest your system.The hardiest Acropora species I have had tend to belong to the following light-loving species that can handle strong 10,000-20,000 Kelvin lighting: Acropora yongei (i.e. Bali Green Slimer) Acropora formosa Acropora microphthalma (i.e

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A group of Paracheilinus filamentosus in situ. Photo credit: Gerry Allen.

 The flasher wrasse genus Paracheilinus has never had a formal taxonomic revision, that is until now. In the latest paper published in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, Gerry Allen and Mark Erdmann attempt at untangling the messy nature of this genus, and, in doing so, have christened three new species from the Indonesian archipelago. The seventeen other species in the genus are also listed in chronological order, complete with biogeographical distributions and phylogenetic relationships. The paper is free access, and for that reason, we’ll only briefly summarise the new species descriptions. Paracheilinus alfiani 

Paracheilinus alfiani. Male in nuptial display. Photo credit: Ned DeLoach.

 The first of three to be added to the genus Paracheilinus is P. alfiani. This species most closely resembles P. rennyae from Komodo, but unlike the former, is restricted to the nearby island of Lembata, Indonesia. Phylogenetic analysis as well as biogeographical distribution patterns reveal that P. alfiani forms part of a species group together with P. rennyae and P. angulates. The distribution of P. alfiani is quite curious, being so closely adjacent to its presumed sister species, P. rennyae. Biogeographically, there is probably very little separating the two species. It is quite bizarre that two species would assume allopatric distributions on a narrow portion of this island group of Komodo (rennyae) and Lembata (alfiani). It is possible that P. alfiani is a natural hybrid between P. rennyae with a southernly waif of P. angulatus, or even P. togeansis. Other photos of this species online depicts a slight filament on the edges of each caudal fin lobe, which might be suggestive of genetic input from angulatus or togeansis. P. alfiani is known from two male specimens, and was named in honour of Rahmad “Yaan” Alfian, the collector of the holotype. 

Biogeography of the angulatus group. Photo credit: Allen, G.R., Erdmann, M.V. & Yusmalinda, N.L.A. (2016) Review of the Indo-Pacific Flasherwrasses of the genus Paracheilinus (Perciformes: Labridae), with descriptions of three new species. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, 19, 18–90.

 Paracheilinus paineorum and P. xanthocirritus 

Paracheilinus paineorum, Sulawesi. Note the red dorsal filaments. Photo credit: Gerry Allen.

Paracheilinus xanthocirritus, Anambas Is. Photo credit: Gerry Allen.

 The single, widely distributed taxon that is Paracheilinus filamentosus has, unsurprisingly, been split.… More:

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The Spotted Scat, Scatophagus argus. Photo credit: Fokko Teolstede, Wikipedia.

 Because today’s instalment of epithet etymology feature two slightly unorthodox fishes, we’ll go ahead and make up for it by featuring two species, instead of the usual one. These are not the average fishes that a marine aquarist would encounter in their day to day foray in their field, but, are charismatic enough that people in general would have seen, or at least heard about them. The first species is a common sight in brackish water systems, while the other is a large pelagic fish confined to blue waters of the open ocean. They are the Spotted Scat and the Swordfish, both of which harbour incredible whimsy behind their scientific names. Scatophagus argus has, perhaps, one of the most ghastly and unfortunate names in the animal kingdom. The generic epithet “Scatophagus” is the amalgamation of two words with greek origin. The english word “scat” is derived from the greek “skat”, which means “dung”, or “feces”. The latin suffix “-phagus” stems from the greek “phageîn”, which means “to eat”, or “phágos”, meaning “glutton”. In combination, Scatophagus literally means “feces eater”. It is unknown if fishes in general possess consciousness, or the ability to possess sentience or self awareness. But if they did, then S. argus would definitely feel really “crappy” (pun-intended) about itself. 

One of numerous depictions of Argus. In some illustrations, he is shown to be a male peacock with tail feathers widely fanned out, representing the numerous eyes instead.

 The specific epithet “argus” is in reference to the greek monster Argus, whose prevalence in early mythology depicts a giant creature with a hundred eyes. He was said to be the guardian of Io, one of Zeus’ mortal lovers (but was eventually slain by Hermes). The aggressively spotted pattern of S. argus is therefore named for the many eyes of Argus. Argus is quite a common source of scientific naming inspiration, as can be seen by many other terrestrial animals with this spotted motif being named the same way. Despite its unfortunate naming, Scatophagus are not exclusively feces eaters. They were so named most likely due to their omnivorous and highly non-fussy preference for eating anything, which, unfortunately, also includes their own droppings. Sadly, their common name “Scat” is no better off, being just another synonym for feces. 

Xiphias gladius, the Swordfish.

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